People behind the scenes at the 9th ASEAN Schools Games

The past few days of the 9^th ASEAN Schools Games (ASG) have been exciting! We’ve seen medals being won, patriotic cheers from the crowd and mixed emotions of the athletes. However, the athletes aren’t the only ones working hard for the ASG. There are many unsung heroes and heroines, working behind the scenes to make sure everything runs smoothly.  They will take home priceless memories of putting their heart and soul into doing their part. Their commitment will not be left unnoticed.

Salute to the folks behind the scenes!

Ex-competitor, now Liaison officer – Reflecting on the good times

“This event brought back many good memories. Seeing familiar faces made me reminisce my ASG journey from way back,” said Mohammed Alfian Bin Mohammad Noor (bottom row, purple polo T-shirt), Liaison Officer for Sepak Takraw.

Alfian was the captain of last year’s Sepak Takraw team at the 8^th ASG. The former participant represented Singapore for 3 years. Through this experience, he made many friends from our neighbouring countries and made it a point to celebrate with them once the games are over.

“I learned so much from the experience and I want to give back to the ASG community as much as I can!” shared the 18-year-old Temasek Polytechnic student.

The Sunlight blocker

Seems like it’s not only vampires who need to keep away from sunlight. In this case, the athletes do too!

Although she’s part of the crowd control team, Chan Rong Xuen does more than that. Believe it or not, the 15-year-old Girl Guide from Shuqun Secondary School is a “Sunlight blocker” – shielding our athletes from the glare of the sun, so that it does not affect the game! Rong Xuen described the experience as one of the happiest moment in her life!

Not too fast, not too slow

Muhd Nur Irfan Bin Hanafi, a flag bearer for Victory Ceremonies shared a hilarious moment when he saw his friend go to pieces after raising the flag too fast.

“I wanted to laugh when that happened but I had to control!  This flag raising work seems easy, but you know, you just have to get the right momentum. Not too fast and not too slow!” explained the flag bearer from Woodgrove Secondary School.

Irfan added that it is an “upgrade” from his usual weekly assembly duties where he would raise the flag during the singing of our national anthem.

“I’m so proud to be part of this huge event,” said Irfan.

Getting the names right

Being a student announcer can get tough at times, but 18-year-old Charin Ng gets it right.

“It was quite a challenge to pronounce some of the athletes’ names from our neighbouring countries. I fumbled some names but the show must go on. Not an easy task but it was definitely a fruitful learning experience!” said the Temasek Polytechnic student.

Laughter is the best medicine

During time-out, Singapore’s table tennis coach Guan Bei (left) will always make it a point to chat and joke with her players. Her jokes often evoke hearty laughs that relieve players of stress and made them feel more relaxed.

“She will tell us the funniest jokes to calm our nerves but at the end of it, she will tell us to try our best for the games,” said Liu Sijia (right), table tennis player from Singapore Girls’ team.

Mop till you drop

Right before the start of a Volleyball match, “quick moppers” would attack the floor with their mops, together in unison, to assure that the playing surface is not slippery for the athletes. Taking on roles such as “ball retrievers” and “quick moppers”, these dedicated student volunteers from various schools came together to do their part for the games.

“I’m part of the volleyball team in my school, and being here to help out and play my part in a big match means a lot to me,” shared Shao Feng, a Secondary One student from Jurong West Secondary School.

The truest form of inspiration

17-year-old Adriel Ang Ky-Sheng from Victoria Junior College (VJC) is one of this year’s volunteer line judges for the ASG badminton games. For Adriel, it was challenging being a line judge due to the fast paced nature of the sport.

“It’s quite a stressful role especially during the Boys doubles because it was very fast and you have to make the right call” he explained.

As a badminton player himself, the VJC Boys Team Captain shared that watching a match live motivated him to do better in the sport.

“I wanted to come because these matches are on a whole new level as compared to what I’ve seen at National Schools ‘A’ division. I’ve only watched sport competitions on TV. Watching the games live, makes a difference. The excitement and feel is there. Very exciting!” he said.

He added that from his position closer to the court, he could pick up many different techniques and skills, as well as observe how they plan the game. He was also able to listen to and observe what the coaches said or indicated to the players which would not be possible if he was in the stands or watching the game on TV.

Kudos to those who have given their time and energy, contributing to the event’s success!