Discovering, Uncovering Leadership Potential

Level Leadership Workshops

Every September, Secondary 1 to 3 student-athletes from Singapore Sports School would find themselves thrown into an uncomfortable environment. They endured the elements – natural and man-made; faced their fears of heights, of insects, and of being in the unknown; and by the end of their respective Level Camps, Sports School student-athletes had overcome their fears and emerged as stronger individuals and team players.

While the Level Camps were cancelled this year due to COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease), Secondary 1 to 3 student-athletes still found themselves in uncomfortable situations during the Level Leadership Workshops conducted on campus. The Workshops, which replaced the Level Camps this year, were customised for each level and sought to hone the leadership abilities of the student-athletes.

Over two days (28 and 31 August 2020 for Secondary 1; 1 and 2 September for Secondary 2 and 3), student-athletes learnt about Kouzes and Posner’s Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership® as facilitators from Halogen Foundation guided them through a process of reflection and discovery of oneself.

“I have learnt many things I didn't know about myself, such as what qualities I have and what I need to work on to become a good leader. I also learnt that anyone can be a leader; the difference is in whether he’s a good leader or a bad one. My facilitator showed me that one doesn't need to have a title to be a good leader. She didn't have the best childhood, she wasn't the best leader in the past, but is now such an inspirational person,” said Zara Almira Abdul Aziz, a Secondary 1 Track and Field Academy student-athlete.

The classroom sessions were interjected with hands-on activities to reinforce the lessons and transfer their learning into action.

“I learnt that practice makes permanent. Similar to sport where I have to keep practising to get better, leadership also requires practice,” said Secondary 3’s Dini Irdina Mohamed Akhirudin from the Track and Field Academy.

For some student-athletes like Secondary 1 shooter Rayfield Tay Yu Hong, the workshop has inspired him to step up as a leader and role model to his peers.

“Leaders are made, not born, and there are no shortcuts to becoming a leader. This means that to become a leader, I must start taking the initiative to lead and influence others towards doing the right deed.”