My Visit To Singapore Sports School

[Loh]

Last Saturday, 24 July, I visited the Singapore Sports School (SS) during its Open House and Selection Trials for the intake of new students for next year.

The SS has been in operation for just over 6 months and this visit is an eye-opener for me as I only read about its programmes and facilities from the papers. During its short existence, the SS has already made an impact on the Schools' sports scene as its students have won many firsts in the varies sports championships.

In particular, the Badminton Academy, whose trainess are in the age group of 12 to 14 years, has produced champions in the following competitions:

* C Divison Boys (North Zone, Feb 2004)
* U-14 Girls Singles (Pilot Pen Individual, Mar 2004)
* C Div Boys (Pilot Pen Individual, Mar 2004)
* C Div Boys (Pilot Pen National, Apr 2004)

Cheers Age Group Individual, June 2004
* U-15 Boys Singles
* U-15 Boys Doubles
* U-15 Girls Singles

Indeed the SS Goals for its trainees are in 3 Stages of Development:

Year 1 & 2 - Participate in National Schools and begin on Regional Tours.

Year 3 & 4 - Participate in Regional Competitions and begin International Tours. National Youth Representation.

Year 5 & 6 - Participate in International Competitions. National Representation. (By then trainees should be aged 16 to 18)

One parent, who is a sports editor, spoke publicly to a full-house attendance of the positive values of the SS. His daughter, who was accepted into the Netball Academy, told her parents how happy she is in the SS:

"None of the schools she played for previously connected sport and studies as personally and systemtically... None offfered an academic environment where the teachers worked their lessons effectively around a student's sporting demands... None had a coach for whom each child's personal growth was as important as winning...My daughter's happy in the classromm as well and thriving better despite spending twice as much time on netball because that's the same culture her teachers are creating in class."

The SS school fees, comprising academic programme, boarding school/laundry/meals/tuition, training and coaching programmes, sports science services and subsidised overseas competitions, cost S$25,000 a year. But with government subsidy of $16,000 and an entrance scholarship of $3,000 (a total of $19,000), it will cost the parent $6,000 a year or $500 a month to send his child to the SS. Some 30 top athletes were also given Singapore Pools Scholarships worth $3,000 each and this means that for these scholars, schools fees were only $250 a month.

An estimate of what most parents now pay for their child each month is around $930 and this is made up of shcool fees $20, transport $200, meals $200, tuition $300, coaching fees $150 and supplements $60.

A comparision of fees per month charged by other schools in Singapore which have boarding facilities is shown as follows:

* United World College $3,914
* Singapore American School (No boarding facilities) $2,404
* Raffles Institution $1,033
* Chinese High School $950
* Anglo-Chinese (Independent) $940
* Nanyang Girls $890
* Anglo-Chinese (Barker Road) $819
* Singapore Sports School $500

The above shows that the SS is the cheapest because of government subsidy. But of course a child must have talent in order to be selected in the first place. And we still have parents who are sitting on the fence!

Parents whose children qualify to be admitted into the SS to be groomed as future champions and representatives of Singapore should think about these questions:

1. Is my child very talented in sports.
2. As parents, do we support our child's sporting dreams and aspirations.
3. The SS was set up to help students balance their studies and sports.
4. My child will receive the best support systems in sports to reach his/her sporting potential.

If the answer is yes to all of the above, the parent should harbour no further hesitation to send his child to the Sinapore SS.

I attach some pics for your viewing and do post some questions.

[ginger_]

Originally Posted by Loh

other schools in Singapore which have boarding facilities is shown as follows:

* United World College $3,914
* Singapore American School (No boarding facilities) $2,404
* Raffles Institution $1,033
* Chinese High School $950
* Anglo-Chinese (Independent) $940
* Nanyang Girls $890
* Anglo-Chinese (Barker Road) $819
* Singapore Sports School $500

you're comparing the sports school to schools that offer a normal education. i go to singapore american and it does not concentrate on sports (although we have good sports teams), its target is to get us into US universities, not joining the national teams, so the comparison is unfair.

[Loh]

[quote=ginger_][quote=Loh]other schools in Singapore which have boarding facilities is shown as follows:

* United World College $3,914
* Singapore American School (No boarding facilities) $2,404
* Raffles Institution $1,033
* Chinese High School $950
* Anglo-Chinese (Independent) $940
* Nanyang Girls $890
* Anglo-Chinese (Barker Road) $819
* Singapore Sports School $500

you're comparing the sports school to schools that offer a normal education. i go to singapore american and it does not concentrate on sports (although we have good sports teams), its target is to get us into US universities, not joining the national teams, so the comparison is unfair.

Hi Ginger, I'm sorry if you are offended. These comparisons were given at the presentation.

Well, the SS students, I think, are getting better than a normal education. This is only my personal opinion as an observer. Why? Because they take a 4- or 5-year course, at the end of which they sit for the GCE 'O' Level exam. That's one reason why students must have more than an average grade in their Primary School Leaving Exam (PSLE) to be selected although exceptional cases have been accepted, eg, academically not very strong but talented in a particular sport.

They can take up to 9 subjects in the Upper Secondary levels (Core Subjects are English Language, Mother Tongue/Higher MT, Mathematics 'D', Combined Humanities (History & Geography and Social Studies), and one Science subject; and Electives include Eng. Lit, Geography, History Additional Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry and Physics.) And to provide a holistic education, all pupils go through the Personal Effectiveness Programm (PEP), the Arts Programme and the Community Involvement Programme. I have also read that the SS will link up with Junior Colleges and overseas universities to enable their students to pursue tertiary education and still be involved in their chosen sport so that there will be no interruption to their training to become a champion. It was much harder before for our talented and academically superior sports students.

The PEP programme aims to broaden the horizons of students, nurture innovation and enterprise, impart Life-skills and to develop leadership qualities. Students sttend a series of development and enrichment programmes aimed at providing them with a well-balanced education. Lower secondary students are given the opportunity to participate in student exchange programme, through which they learn to be adaptable and independent as they experience unfamiliar cultures and environments and the SS has an existing programme with New Zealand and is planning to expand to other countries. And during school holidays, adventure activities like hiking, kayaking, rock-wall climbing, abseiling and outdoor cookding are scheduled.

The point I'm trying to make is that, those students who are able will not be handicapped academically. In fact, the SS goes all out to help them achieve both aims and that is why the curriculum is arranged in such a way that is flexible an enjoyable to the student.

The SS aims to provide students with an education that is rigorous, dynamic and pupil-centered. Teaching processes are constantly reviewed and refined in order to cater to the differentiated abilities of the students. Each of them is viewed as an individual with special talents and needs. The small class size of not more than 25 allows teachers to ensure that these talents are developed and needs addressed.

Actually, as I have stated the cost of educating and training a SS student is about S$25,000 a year. If there were no government subsidy and scholarship, it will cost the parent about $2,000 per month, but this is with all the training and first-class facilities, including board and lodging, still cheaper than your school.

You should pay the SS a visit to see things for yourself. Two beautiful rubber based netball courts, two sheltered (indoor) Olympic size swimming pools, 10 badminton courts, lots of table-tennis courts, a huge gym and fitness training centre with the most-up-to-date machines, a 400-meter stadium for track and field events and a soccer pitch in the centre and well equiped apartments for living in.

This is paradise for a sports and academically talented student whose parent pays only less than a quarter of the real cost!

[FEND.]

Loh, one thing I've gotta say......................

SWEET. *Pheet Phew* Nice looking complex man. Wish I could study there.

Btw you have been on badmintonforums, quite long in the night have you since you posted this article.

Time : Monday 9.49pm

[Loh]

Originally Posted by FEND.

Loh, one thing I've gotta say......................

SWEET. *Pheet Phew* Nice looking complex man. Wish I could study there.

Btw you have been on badmintonforums, quite long in the night have you since you posted this article.

Time : Monday 9.49pm

I, too, wished I had such an opportunity during my time. This complex is huge and beautiful and whoever is studying there must be very lucky indeed! 10 badminton courts and only about 10 to 12 students are selected yearly. And with all the attendant help on fitness and skills development, how can we not produce good players? But we will have to wait at least 4 years.

As to my time on this post, what happened was that I posted this thread in the office quite late and rushed for a dinner appointment at 7 pm. I missed my appointment thinking that I was late but actually it was my friend to showed up late. So I went home for dinner instead. Thereafter I continued with the Forum on my home PC.

[Psycho V]

The lighting in the badminton hall looks really good!

But I wonder why they are using wooden flooring. Shouldn't they have used the type of high traction flooring in tournaments?

[kwun]

Loh,

i am speechless.

i believe Singapore is doing the right thing to put itself in the world map of sports. with such an excellent setup, talented youngsters can not only get the opportunity to excel in the sports they like, they can also get an education on the side.

and that badminton court, nice lighting, nice size. it is big enough to hold a medium size tournament!

so who are the current students attending the school right now? they are to become the next generation of Singaporean sportmen and sportwomen i am sure.

[Loh]

Originally Posted by kwun

Loh,

i am speechless.

i believe Singapore is doing the right thing to put itself in the world map of sports. with such an excellent setup, talented youngsters can not only get the opportunity to excel in the sports they like, they can also get an education on the side.

and that badminton court, nice lighting, nice size. it is big enough to hold a medium size tournament!

so who are the current students attending the school right now? they are to become the next generation of Singaporean sportmen and sportwomen i am sure.

Thanks Kwun, I also think our government is doing the right thing although it comes a bit late compared to our neighbours. I have given some reasons in my earlier posts on the subject. But starting late also has its advantages for then one can absorb the best from others' experiences. I think we must have a goal and lay out appropriate and realistic plans to achieving it.

The students, at about 12 to 13 years of age when they entered the SS, are relative young and therefore much of the decision-making is done by their parents. I have met and spoken to a few parents at the badminton selection trials and whilst they are impressed by the setup and the modern facilities, some are still not sure about their children's future. This relates to the academic side as paper qualifications are normally the way to secure a better future, especially with the Chinese parents.

But I'm sure the presentation by a prominent sports editor at the Open House, had swayed many parents to think more positively! Although the $500 school fee is heavily subsidized, it is still a lot of money to the lower-income parents and if they have two talented children who are selected, it will become quite a financial burden to them indeed. But I'm sure there are ways to get round this like scholarships and bursaries from sponsors. The main thing is that we must have a real talent to be groomed to represent the country in due course.

It is therefore important for our sports professionals like Ronald Susilo, Li Li and Jiang Yanmei to do well in the Olympics as good role models to our young sports students and give added assurance to their parents.

But, for Singapore, there is no turning back. This is just the initial investment in sports as we have done so in the Arts by building the world-class Esplanade, Theatres-on-the-Bay and attracting world-class artists and performers to our shores. There will be a new National Stadium and Indoor Stadium, currently under construction and a new train service (The Circle Line) to bring the people to support the events held there.

But we have to be a little more patient to be able to see how our young students will turn out in about 4 years' time. Meanwhile, we will rely on foreign imports to help maintain and raise standards. The deal to allow the young foreign badminton talents to live and train in the SS is a step in the right direction.

Singapore is now in the midst of very exciting times. We have overcome the financial crisis of 1997 and have restructured our education service and our economy to better help us face future challenges. The government has taken unpopular decisions to ensure that Singapore continues to thrive in the world community and her people enjoy the fruits of their labour in the Arts, Sports, Travel and Entertainment.

The face of Singapore will continue to change and indeed, come August 12, we will have a new 52 year old Prime Minister, Mr Lee Hsien Loong, who has been chosen by an orderly transfer of power and who will take us to a new and higher level. But just before this event, all Singaporeans will celebrate National Day on August 9, with all its pomp, pageantry and fireworks!

Here are more pics of the SS:

[ginger_]

Oh ok, not offended. I must admit the lighting in that badminton court is one of the better ones in Singapore, not the cheap ones you get at the public places. Is it airconditioned?

[kwun]

just wondering, do the student stick with one sport or do they get to try out different ones and then later on specialize?

there are a lot of students in the pictures. how many are enrolled now?

gotta be a great place for the kids who cannot sit still, as they probably don't need to!

that covered swimming complex is just jaw dropping! is that 2 50m pools side by side to each other? i think with this facility, Singapore can aim for bidding for the next Olympics!

[Loh]

Originally Posted by ginger_

Oh ok, not offended. I must admit the lighting in that badminton court is one of the better ones in Singapore, not the cheap ones you get at the public places. Is it airconditioned?

I don't think the hall is airconditioned, but when I last visited the ventilation is OK. The hall really looks pretty with the dome-shape ceiling and the Broadway kind of lights, but somehow I still prefer the diffused lighting at my own club as I don't see the lights staring into my eyes when I look up.

If you're interested to know more about the SS activities, you can reach their newsletter "Reach", which can be reached on their website:

http://www.sportsschool.edu.sg

I think the SS students are closely knit because they have such a small population of less than 150 as a start and the annual intake is about 100 to 150. And they play, study and stay together for 5 days a week. They can encourage, help and motivate one another in all they do. Lucky them!

[Loh]

Originally Posted by kwun

just wondering, do the student stick with one sport or do they get to try out different ones and then later on specialize?

there are a lot of students in the pictures. how many are enrolled now?

gotta be a great place for the kids who cannot sit still, as they probably don't need to!

that covered swimming complex is just jaw dropping! is that 2 50m pools side by side to each other? i think with this facility, Singapore can aim for bidding for the next Olympics!

Hi Kwun

I am afraid they are selected on the basis of their talent in a particular sport. I believe it is specialization all the way. The coaches may introduce other available sports as a relief from boredom or to emphasize certain specialized skills that are dominant in other sports. But it will be fun to do some cross-training.

Yes the swimming complex is awesome with two Olympic size swimming pool adjacent to each other. The gym or fitness training centre is just one or two floors on the block facing the pools directly. When I was there, one pool was used for water polo and the other for swimming training as the initial intake for swimming was only about 17 students. Soccer may have more in view of the fact that you need at least 11 students to form a team. The last time I made a physical count basing on newspaper reports were as follows: Badminton 12, Bowling 11, Netball 12, Sailing 10, Soccer 16, Swimming 17, Table-Tennis 6 and Track & Field 21 a total of barely 105 students. I think the student population should not differ much by now and with an annual intake of about 100 to 120 perhaps, after 4 to 5 years, a total student population of around 600 should be manageable without losing the personal touch as class size will be maintained at 25.

The above 8 sports were specially chosen basing on our past success in them at both regional and international competitions. For instance, tennis is not included but badminton and table-tennis are because of Asian attributes and success towards such sports.

Would you want to send your child here for selection if he/she comes of age?

[Loh]

Some more pics on the SS complex:

[Loh]

Some more pics on the SS complex:

[jug8man]

i think the effort and coverage that you have contributed is great. you have done such a great job and is very informative and detailed. keep up the great work

i hope this will spur you further in you contributions to the forum

[haven]

Ah to be young again...

man... that is one SWEET sports school... How I wish
(and I'm sure many others as well!) I could have had something
like that when I was training *WOW*

Facilities look FANTASTIC

Loh, thanks for sharing man... a great report!!! must visit...
I don't suppose they rent out the facilities at all?

[Loh]

Originally Posted by haven

Ah to be young again...

man... that is one SWEET sports school... How I wish
(and I'm sure many others as well!) I could have had something
like that when I was training *WOW*

Facilities look FANTASTIC

Loh, thanks for sharing man... a great report!!! must visit...
I don't suppose they rent out the facilities at all?

Thanks Jug8man and haven for all your encouragement. I'm very glad that my efforts are appreciated.

As for renting out the facilities, I believe the SS will not do so on a short term basis like renting out for 2 hours or so as in public facilities. But on a long term basis, like the arrangement with the SBA to allow their young badminton trainees (of about the same age as the SS students) from China to live and train there and also to learn English, it is quite possible. In fact other NSA's (National Sports Associations) like the SBA, are reported to have negotiated with the SS to have a similar arrangement like the SBA.

Right now the SS is pretty new and the student population is very small and therefore such tieups with the NSA's may still be possible. But once the SS is in full gear, ie, in its third and fourth years, the school compound will become a beehive of activities throughout the day.

I have a feeling that after last Saturday's presentation, many more parents would want their talented child to secure a place in the SS. I'm sure the time will come when places will be limited but the demand overwhelming!

Other than being a student in the SS, the next best thing is to become a coach or a teacher there. Then you should have the whole complex as your
playground.