Distinguished Guests

Ladies and gentlemen

Last month, I visited the site of the Singapore Sports School at Woodlands. The contractors were working hard to get the school ready by January, but I could already make out the swimming pools, the living quarters of the staff and students, the sports halls and the assembly area. I could visualise the school vibrant with activity – our young boys and girls running, swimming, playing, studying and living out a dream of academic and sports excellence.

I later met the staff of the School. They left a deep impression within me – their passion, spirit and drive to make the School a success was indeed obvious. Principal Mr Moo and his coaches, general managers, teachers, sports scientists and administrative staff, impressed me with their camaraderie, energy, can-do spirit and sense of mission to raise Singapore sport to new heights.

I believe the elements are now being set in place for us to develop our young talent into the best sportsmen and women that they can be.

Of course, there may be skeptics who doubt if we can ever develop our own champions. They may feel that we are too small, that we don’t have the wherewithal or the will to succeed, and that we can only make it if we commit our young to train full-time, at the expense of their education. They look at the challenges faced by our athletes and say that Singaporeans cannot make it in sport.

I think they are mistaken. They have fallen into a trap that all sports people know very well: admitting defeat even before really trying.

There is no doubt that our young athletes find it challenging to balance sports and studies. But this is not impossible. It takes discipline, careful time management, a flexible education system and a good support system. And it is precisely for this reason that we have set up the Singapore Sports School.

Today’s event certainly marks a significant step forward in the Singapore Sports School’s progress. After months of preparation, the Sports School is ready to unveil its plans for a flexible educational programme. This will be a programme that will help talented student athletes strike that precious balance between studies and sports. Today we will see the beginning of that dream of sporting excellence turn into reality.

The world-class coaching expertise and training facilities at the School will help these student athletes harness their talent at an early age and lay the foundation for their future success in the international sporting arena.

At the same time, the academic programme the School has planned will help these students balance the demands of their studies with those of their sports training. The School’s advantage lies in its flexible and modular academic programme that will accommodate the demanding training regimes that these student athletes must undergo to achieve their best.

This, however, does not mean that the School is giving these students an academic curriculum of lesser quality than those offered by other secondary schools in Singapore. In fact, its academic faculty is made up of teachers and Heads of Departments who were from some of Singapore’s top schools.

The academic programme at the Singapore Sports School will develop the students so that they move on comfortably to post-secondary education in Singapore. It is really up to each and every student to strive to the highest level possible that he or she is capable of achieving. I understand that the School is currently working on a few post-secondary options which will help graduates from the School to continue to pursue their sporting dreams.

I will leave it to Dr Irwin Seet, the School’s Director of Sports, to elaborate on the School’s programmes during his presentation later.

I am also pleased to note that the Singapore Sports Council and the eight national sports associations of athletics, swimming, football, sailing, badminton, table-tennis, netball and bowling are giving the Sports School their fullest support in every way. On behalf of the Sports School, I thank them for their support.

This support and sense of partnership is important because it means that everyone’s aims are in sync, and that we are all together in the task of ushering in a new era of sporting excellence in Singapore.

Finally, I am pleased to see so many parents turning up today. Your presence shows your strong desire to help your child realise his or her sporting dream. This is indeed a very promising sign for the future of Singapore sports. From the outset, my Ministry is clear that it is you, the parents, who are vital to the success of the school. Your support means a lot to those who have conceptualised and staff the Sports School. I therefore want to thank you for your trust and confidence in the Sports School and urge you to give Mr Moo and his team your fullest support in the years ahead.

I wish all our budding sportsmen and women all the best in the coming selection trials in August. I am certain that the Singapore Sports School will help them deliver on their dreams of achieving their fullest potential in sports and studies.

Thank you.

*****