Hockey team pays tribute to late coach by living out his motto — never stop fighting till the final whistle is blown

Triumph, grief, hope, pride – the 2022 #NationalSchoolGames season was particularly poignant for the Hockey team at St. Hilda’s Secondary School. On 15 April, the boys had emerged victorious in their first game. Hours later, they received news that their coach had passed on from a heart attack. What the students and their CCA teachers did next, touched the hearts of many.

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Under the guidance of Coach Sheik Abdul Kader, the hockey boys from St. Hilda’s Secondary had trained hard in anticipation of their first National School Games competition after a two-year pandemic-induced hiatus.

On 15 April 2022, the boys were feeling triumphant – they had just emerged victorious in their very first game of the season.

 Hours later, they would receive the crushing news: Their coach had just passed on from a heart attack.

[Coach Kader (pictured in maroon), observing a training session in early 2022.]

Players met their CCA teachers daily

In the days that followed, wave after wave of support would rise up in support of the athletes after the sudden loss of their coach, starting with their CCA teachers-in-charge, Mr Glenn Wong and Mr Caleb Khoo, who checked in daily with the boys.

Secondary Four team captain Nabeel would also frequently send encouraging messages to his 24-member team, reminding them of their coach’s belief that each game should be played without regret. “Never stop fighting till the final whistle is blown,” Nabeel would say, repeating Coach Kader’s motto to the team before each game.

[Mr Wong and Mr Khoo flanking Mr Kader on the left and right respectively.]

St Hilda’s Hockey alumni also stepped up and volunteered to support the training sessions once they learned the sad news. One of them, Muhammad Fariz, who graduated in 2014, spent his days off from National Service back in his alma mater to train with the boys.

Kishon s/o Sagayaraja, who is studying in ITE Central, utilised his study breaks and evenings to coach the boys. “The team needs support now, more than ever,” he explains. “They are family to me. How can I abandon them in their time of need?”

The team’s former teacher-in-charge, Mr Mohamed Hairi bin Nor Azmi, also joined in the team sessions to lend encouragement and offer motivational pointers. “The boys were close to Coach Kader,” he says, “and the news had shaken the team. Even though I’m now overseeing another CCA, the relationships we had among students, teachers and coach continue to make us a team.”

[St Hilda’s Hockey alumni returned to school to offer coaching and pep talks to the student athletes.]

[Mr Hairi conducting a workshop for the team on keeping a positive mindset.]

Buoyed by the outpouring of support, the hockey team would go on to play in several matches over the next few months of the National School Games. Though they didn’t manage to repeat the victory of their first match, they were proud of their showing. As a tribute to their coach, the whole team wore T-shirts under their jerseys that read: “For you Coach Kader”.

To sum up the team’s competition experience, Nabeel says, “Especially in such a challenging season, seeing everyone rally together is such a comforting feeling. We truly care for each other.”

[Hockey team wearing the shirt which reads: For You Coach Kader.]