Champions Way: More Than Just A Road

Project Champions Way 2016

Tay Hui Li

Table Tennis Academy, IBDP Year 5

Posted: 6 August 2016

To a Woodlands resident, “Champions Way” is merely a street name. But anyone from Singapore Sports School knows these words are more than just their School’s address.

Project Champions Way is Sports School’s Values-In-Action initiative which emphasises the importance of being a Champion for Others by giving back to society and helping the less fortunate.

Student-athletes and staff of the Sports School demonstrated this in the best way possible when they handed a cheque of $50,000 to the Singapore Disability Sports Council (SDSC) on 6 August 2016 as part of Project Champions Way 2016.

Not content with simply raising funds, Sports School went a step further as it partnered SDSC to co-organise the opening ceremony of the inaugural Singapore National Para Games, a gesture commended by Guest-of-Honour Ms Grace Fu, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth.

Indeed, no effort was spared as student-athletes took care of the visiting para-athletes by buddying with them, while staff served as officials and helpers to the guests from SDSC.

These acts of kindness were noticed by Mr Tan Teck Hock, Principal of the Sports School.

“I am very encouraged by what I have observed. All of you have exemplified what the Champions Way means,” Mr Tan said, while hosting lunch for the day’s participants.

Mr Tan said that Sports School’s involvement with SDSC is not a one-off event.

“We have supported SDSC since last year and we will continue to support SDSC and our para athletes and make improvements to Project Champions Way annually,” said Mr Tan.

Apart from lunch, participants were also given the opportunity to try various para games like boccia and hand-cycling as part of the Para Games Experience.

Minister Fu, too, was keen to join the action as she partnered para-athlete Alson Wang in a wheelchair table tennis match against Mr Tan and Sports School student-athlete Jabez Mason Law Yong Jun.

“The Singapore National Para Games to the paraplegic committee is an affirmation and recognition of their achievements. The event has also allowed the public to understand para-athletes and their disabilities better, and not take their mobility for granted”, said Minister Fu.

With the event just three days from Singapore’s 51st birthday, it was only fitting the occasion featured a concert with National Day songs before Darryl Sim Jing Quan, Chairman of the Council of School Captains, led everyone in Majulah Singapura and The Pledge to close the event.