Made In Sports School

2020 Awards Night

Once a year, student-athletes and alumni put away their training gear, and dress in their best to school for a celebratory evening at the annual Awards Night. This year’s Awards Night 2020 held on 22 January was no different. The annual awards ceremony recognises top-performing student-athletes and alumni for their unstinting efforts and achievements in academics and sport in 2019, and for being good role models.

This year, the school celebrated the successes of 95 student-athletes and alumni who received academic, sport and character awards. As there were several highs for the school in 2019, including the participation of past and present student-athletes at the SEA Games, there was a bumper number of awards given out this year.

Among the five categories of awards presented, the highlight of the evening was the prestigious Moo Soon Chong Student-Athlete of the Year award that recognises the holistic achievements of four exemplary secondary and post-secondary student-athletes. Among the recipients is squash player Au Yeong Wai Yhann who is on the Extended International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP). Wai Yhann is a model student-athlete who is hardworking, has a positive attitude and good work ethics. She bagged a hattrick of medals at the 2019 SEA Games, and continued to stay focussed while preparing for her IBDP examinations. She shared, “It is an honour to receive this award that recognises my whole year of efforts. It is mentally challenging to stay in control of my thoughts and stay disciplined. However, the good support from the Sports School has enabled to reach my goals.” Through her hard work, Wai Yhann managed to move up rankings to be top squash player in Singapore. The other recipients of the Moo Soon Chong Student-Athlete of the Year award are secondary school student-athletes, Simon Lee Renjie (Fencing) and Hailey Loh Suanne (Golf), and post-secondary student-athlete, Nujaid Hasif Zainal Abidin (Pencak Silat). All of them represented Team Singapore at the 2019 SEA Games as well.

At the ceremony, Guest-of-Honour Ms Tan Gee Keow who is the Chairman of the Sports School Board and Permanent Secretary for Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, reiterated the critical role the Sports School plays in the sport industry. She said: “As the only local education institution that has a focus on sports, the Sports School must strive not only to groom future sportsmen and women, but also leaders in different sports-related roles in our eco-system. We should celebrate when our students take on different pathways and roles in the wider sports community, and not only those pathways that lead you to Olympic medals.”

The Awards Night was a good opportunity to reminisce, reflect and rejoice a successful 2019 that had gone by. While the school celebrated its accomplishments, it is also as resolute to look ahead to remain relevant in changing times and do its best for student-athletes. As aptly reminded by Mr Ong Kim Soon, Principal, Singapore Sports School during his address, “Celebrate your achievements. Thank your supporters and all who have cared for you and have walked with you on your life’s journey. Tonight is only one milestone. There are many more for you to reach.”