Shaping The Future Of Paddlers
Staff Feature: Dave Lai
For the past 21 years, Mr Dave Lai has been a cornerstone of Singapore Sports School’s Table Tennis Academy. As the General Manager of the Table Tennis Academy, he plays a key role in talent recruitment and works closely with staff to support the overall well-being and holistic development of paddlers, nurturing and supporting them in their sport, academics and character development. As a former national player, Mr Dave’s enduring passion in the sport led him to give back to it by shaping the future of aspiring athletes and the sport in Singapore.
His passion was born when Mr Dave first picked up a bat at nine years old. His interest began as a casual game at home turned into destiny when his school’s badminton slots were full and he had to take up table tennis instead. A chance decision soon revealed his natural talent.
After winning his Primary 4 inter-class competition, Mr Dave was spotted by a teacher who was a former national player. By Primary 6, he was training at a club, competing in inter-school events, and representing Singapore Primary Schools in Malaysia. His breakthrough came with a top-three finish in the Under-14 category, which earned him a place on the national youth team — the start of a remarkable journey.
From 1989 to 1997, Mr Dave proudly donned the Singapore jersey as a national player. His first SEA Games outing came when he was still in Secondary 4. He was a three-time SEA Games representative and a four-time national champion before retiring at the age of 24.
Determined to give back, Mr Dave turned to coaching. In July 2004, he joined Singapore Sports School in its inaugural year. A major turning point came in 2013, when the Singapore Table Tennis Association (STTA) closed its youth team and channelled aspiring players to the Sports School.
“Producing national players and building a talent pipeline into the national team has always been my passion,” he shares. Over the years, he has had the privilege of guiding student-athletes such as Olympians Izaac Quek, Zhou Jingyi, and Clarence Chew, watching them grow from eager primary schoolers into competitors on the world stage.
Beyond nurturing athletes on court, Mr Dave also helps shape the sport’s ecosystem. He serves on two national committees — High Performance/Youth Development and High Participation/Local Tournaments — contributing to the broader growth of table tennis in Singapore.
His advice to student-athletes is simple yet powerful: “Enjoy the process, embrace the moment.” As he looks ahead, Mr Dave hopes to see more student-athletes achieve their dreams as world-class players and as confident, grounded individuals.
For the past 21 years, Mr Dave Lai has been a cornerstone of Singapore Sports School’s Table Tennis Academy. As the General Manager of the Table Tennis Academy, he plays a key role in talent recruitment and works closely with staff to support the overall well-being and holistic development of paddlers, nurturing and supporting them in their sport, academics and character development. As a former national player, Mr Dave’s enduring passion in the sport led him to give back to it by shaping the future of aspiring athletes and the sport in Singapore.
His passion was born when Mr Dave first picked up a bat at nine years old. His interest began as a casual game at home turned into destiny when his school’s badminton slots were full and he had to take up table tennis instead. A chance decision soon revealed his natural talent.
After winning his Primary 4 inter-class competition, Mr Dave was spotted by a teacher who was a former national player. By Primary 6, he was training at a club, competing in inter-school events, and representing Singapore Primary Schools in Malaysia. His breakthrough came with a top-three finish in the Under-14 category, which earned him a place on the national youth team — the start of a remarkable journey.
From 1989 to 1997, Mr Dave proudly donned the Singapore jersey as a national player. His first SEA Games outing came when he was still in Secondary 4. He was a three-time SEA Games representative and a four-time national champion before retiring at the age of 24.
Determined to give back, Mr Dave turned to coaching. In July 2004, he joined Singapore Sports School in its inaugural year. A major turning point came in 2013, when the Singapore Table Tennis Association (STTA) closed its youth team and channelled aspiring players to the Sports School.
“Producing national players and building a talent pipeline into the national team has always been my passion,” he shares. Over the years, he has had the privilege of guiding student-athletes such as Olympians Izaac Quek, Zhou Jingyi, and Clarence Chew, watching them grow from eager primary schoolers into competitors on the world stage.
Beyond nurturing athletes on court, Mr Dave also helps shape the sport’s ecosystem. He serves on two national committees — High Performance/Youth Development and High Participation/Local Tournaments — contributing to the broader growth of table tennis in Singapore.
His advice to student-athletes is simple yet powerful: “Enjoy the process, embrace the moment.” As he looks ahead, Mr Dave hopes to see more student-athletes achieve their dreams as world-class players and as confident, grounded individuals.
- Shaping The Future Of Paddlers