FAQ

1. What is the programme offered in the Multi-Sport Academy (MSA)?

• Student-athletes will undergo a structured programme where they be provided with broad-based skill acquisition and development in more sport-relevant complex movement skills that consist of physical abilities (such as speed, power and strength) as well as motor skills characteristics (such as rhythm, object control and inter-limb coordination). This skills will be acquired through 3 core sports – Athletics, 3-on-3 Basketball and Sport Climbing. Student-athletes will also be supported with a customised strength and conditioning programme. Donor sports such as parkour and judo are introduced to the students to build on their repertoire of movement skills as well.

• During year 2 of the MSA program, students will be exposed to other sports that SSP has curated so that they would have more opportunities and options as we work with them to find their specialization sport.
• We would like to urge the students and parents not be fixated on the sports that your the students will train in, and focus instead on the skills that they will acquire through these sports.

2. Can my child choose his/her own sports? 

Can he/she continue to pursue 1 sport on their own and only join the Multi-Sport Academy partially? 

Can I join both Multi-Sport Academy and another Academy in Sports School?

• The programme for Multi-Sport Academy is designed to focus on skills acquisition and development through the 3 sports identified – Athletics, 3-on-3 Basketball and Sport Climbing. Our coaches will also need to manage the training load of the student-athletes to ensure that they do not over-train or be unnecessarily exposed to injuries.

• Successful applicants for the Multi-Sport Academy have to follow the School’s programme, and should not seek to replace any of the planned training session with his/her own external training.

• Your child may consider continuing playing other sports during the weekends, but this has to be done in consultation with the school should the other sports be done at competitive level, so that coaches would be able to manage the training load.

• Should your child be interested to pursue his current sport (e.g. sailing, archery), he might want to consider joining the School’s other Academy Programme or Individual Programme. More information about our other programmes can be found at: https://www.sportsschool.edu.sg/sports/sports-programmes

3. What is the difference between the Multi-Sport Academy and other Academy Programme? 

Should I join Multi-Sport Academy or other Sports Academies(e.g. Football, Track and Field) offered by the School?

If my child is already doing well in the school team of certain sport, is Multi-Sport Academy still a better choice than other Sports Academies?

• The Multi-Sport Academy, like other Sports programme in Sports School, is a core curriculum. It is not a Co-Curriculum Activity. Student-athletes will undergo daily training, with 5 - 6 sessions a week.
• The Multi-Sport Academy opens up an alternative, non-linear pathway as student-athletes will have to train in multiple sports to gain the necessary skills that can be transferred across a variety of sports. This will provide the platform for accelerated progression in their chosen sport later in their athletic journey.
• The Multi-Sport Academy will be more suited to someone who has yet to specialise in a single sport, who aspires to be a national athlete one day and is willing to take the non-linear pathway to future success. Parents and student-athletes must also recognise that achievements and success will not come immediately.
• If your child is already doing well in his/her current sport and wishes to continue in that sport, he/she should consider continuing that path.
• You should discuss with your child, and identify what best suits his/her strengths, interest and motivation.

4. Is this a learn-to-play programme?

• No. Unlike a learn-to-play programme where the focus is to introduce the child to new sports and spark their interest to pursue that sport further, the School’s Multi-Sport Academy is an Academy Programme, and is a core curriculum.
  
• We will engage student-athletes in deliberate training over multiple years. They will be subjected to the same intensity as student-athletes in other Sports Academy, e.g. 5-6 days/week training, sport-science support, while balancing sporting, academic and other demands.

5. How long will the student stay in the Multi-Sport Academy?

• The Multi-Sport Academy’s programme is primarily a 2-year programme.
• Ideally, student-athletes should be matched to a specialized sport of their choice and strengths by end of Sec 2. Subsequently, they will be transferred to Individual Programmes upon complete transition: https://www.sportsschool.edu.sg/sports/sports-programmes/individual-programme
• Student-athletes should strive to stay in Sports School to continue in our post-secondary programme (i.e. 6 - 7 years). This will give them sufficient runway to develop their skills, and strive towards high performance. Sports School offers 3 post-secondary programmes. More information can be found via https://www.sportsschool.edu.sg/academics/overview

6. Will there be opportunities for student-athletes to compete locally/overseas?

• The focus of this programme, especially at the lower secondary level, would be on skills acquisition. Our coaches will identify age- and skill-level appropriate competitions for student-athletes to test their abilities.

7. Who are you looking for? What are the selection criteria?

Must my child already be taking part in the sports listed or have good sports achievements in primary school?

Must they already have background or participated in Athletics, Basketball and/or Sport Climbing to be eligible for consideration?

• We are looking for ‘good movers’ who have the desire to eventually represent Singapore, but have yet to decide on or found their passion in a specific sport. Student-athletes should eventually specialise and continue his/her pursuit of excellence in their sport of choice/ability.
• Besides the physical selection trials where we will put the students-athletes through a series of physical ability and coordination tests, we are looking for ‘good-movers’ who have prior experience and regular participation in multiple sports. They need not already be pursuing these sports at high level. We are not necessarily looking at those with outstanding achievements. We will assess the student-athletes’ gross motor skills and coordination through our selection tests and coaching clinics.
• Student-athletes must be willing and open to taking a non-linear pathway towards this goal. They should adopt a growth mindset and have the resilience to stay the course.

8. Who can apply?

• As the Multi-Sport Academy focus on the development of broad-based skills through a 2-year programme, we are only recruiting students annually for the Secondary 1 cohort.
• We are only recruiting Singapore Citizens.

9. What is the selection process and timeline?

10. If I’ve attended the trial for another academy, do I still need to attend the Multi-Sport Academy trials?

• Yes, you should. At each of these trials, the coaches/testers will be looking out for something slightly different, even if some of the test items are similar.
• The selection for other Sports Academies may focus more on their sport-specific skills and potential. The selection trials for Multi-Sport Academy will evaluate the student-athletes’ general motor skills and physical ability.

11. I have applied for another academy in Singapore Sports School, but I have not received any reply or have been rejected. What do I do? Do I need to reapply to join the Multi-Sport Academy?

• Please contact the General Managers of the Academy you have applied for to enquire about the status of your application.
• If your child is interested in the Multi-Sport Academy, he/she may simply register under: https://go.gov.sg/ssp-application-enrol.

12. How does the School assess if my child is suitable for talent optimisation? 

If my child is not doing well in the Multi-Sport Academy or have found another interest outside of the Multi-Sport Academy, can he/she change to another sport/academy?

• Sports School has a Talent Optimisation Programme (TOP) which allow student-athletes who have demonstrated good potential in another sport to change their sport. Under our TOP, student-athletes may transfer from one sport to another if he/she is assessed to be suitable for the transfer. Coaches will work closely with your child on his/her sport development, in consultation with the relevant academy and/or National Sports Association to plan the pathway for your child.

13. I am in Primary 6. Can I apply to Sports School using MOE’s DSA-Sec portal?

• No, Sports School does not use MOE’s DSA-Sec portal. Please apply using the School’s online application form: https://go.gov.sg/ssp-application-enrol. We will then follow up with you directly.

14. Can I still apply to other secondary schools through DSA-Sec after applying to Sports School?

• Yes, you can still apply to other secondary schools.
• If you are a primary 6 student who has accepted an offer from Singapore Sports School, you should NOT submit any school choice(s) during MOE’s DSA School Preference Submission. If you submit any school choice(s) during MOE’s DSA School Preference Submission, Sports School’s offer will be void.