A Fulfilling First-Time Experience
Sports School Orientation Camp (Part 1)
Written By
Yunseo Lee
Fencing, Diploma in Business Studies, Year 3
From 16 October to 18 October 2023, we hosted the yearly Singapore Sports School Orientation Camp for the incoming Secondary 1 student-athletes. The Camp is an opportunity for the incoming student-athletes to get to know one another, as well as to get a quick experience on what it is like to live and train as a student-athlete in Sports School.
As a group leader, I had the privilege of leading students from Fencing and Swimming. It was my first experience in a leadership role, and I was eager to make it an unforgettable one for the campers.
The journey began on the first day, with the primary 6 students arriving promptly at 1 Champions Way as early as 7.30am, accompanied by their parents. The next challenge came right after as they had to say goodbye to their parents for the Camp. While some were excited, others grappled with nervousness.
Our adventure kicked off with a welcome speech by the General Manager of the Bowling Academy, Ms Eunice Tan and our Principal, Mr Ong Kim Soon. We then brought our group of primary 6 fencers and swimmers to an empty space to start with our ice-breaker games. We first started off with an introduction game for us to get to know each other better. After all, we would be with one another for the next three days and another two nights for the primary 6 students. Most of the children were feeling shy, but thanks to the playful spirit of a few boys, the atmosphere lightened. As a group leader, I gained valuable insights into their personalities and preferences.
The second day started with more ice-breaker games. Playing Jenga was an excellent start to the day as it was interesting to see the students laughing and bickering as they had to remove and stack the blocks with their non-dominant hand, which was an added challenge to them. Despite this, I was impressed with their hand control as the Jenga tower did not collapse.
My group performed quite well in activities that were planned for the day such as the hula hoop throwing activity that was held at the indoor track of the school, which requires teamwork and control as they toss and pass the hoops around. Their results absolutely stunned the station masters and even myself. The experience reinforced the significance of collaboration and minimal conflicts to achieve remarkable results.
Students had the opportunity to train under our coaches and alongside seniors in the afternoon. Evenings during the Camp were dedicated to learning school cheers and creating a new cheer to perform for their parents, who were invited to the closing ceremony on the final day of the Camp.
As the Orientation Camp concluded, there was a tinge of sadness. Yet, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride in each student who had been in my group. The Orientation Camp effectively imparted values of teamwork, perseverance, and forging strong bonds with peers.
Overall, my experience as a group leader was enjoyable and memorable. I look forward to continuing to guide them when they officially join us next year.
Written By
Yunseo Lee
Fencing, Diploma in Business Studies, Year 3
From 16 October to 18 October 2023, we hosted the yearly Singapore Sports School Orientation Camp for the incoming Secondary 1 student-athletes. The Camp is an opportunity for the incoming student-athletes to get to know one another, as well as to get a quick experience on what it is like to live and train as a student-athlete in Sports School.
As a group leader, I had the privilege of leading students from Fencing and Swimming. It was my first experience in a leadership role, and I was eager to make it an unforgettable one for the campers.
The journey began on the first day, with the primary 6 students arriving promptly at 1 Champions Way as early as 7.30am, accompanied by their parents. The next challenge came right after as they had to say goodbye to their parents for the Camp. While some were excited, others grappled with nervousness.
Our adventure kicked off with a welcome speech by the General Manager of the Bowling Academy, Ms Eunice Tan and our Principal, Mr Ong Kim Soon. We then brought our group of primary 6 fencers and swimmers to an empty space to start with our ice-breaker games. We first started off with an introduction game for us to get to know each other better. After all, we would be with one another for the next three days and another two nights for the primary 6 students. Most of the children were feeling shy, but thanks to the playful spirit of a few boys, the atmosphere lightened. As a group leader, I gained valuable insights into their personalities and preferences.
The second day started with more ice-breaker games. Playing Jenga was an excellent start to the day as it was interesting to see the students laughing and bickering as they had to remove and stack the blocks with their non-dominant hand, which was an added challenge to them. Despite this, I was impressed with their hand control as the Jenga tower did not collapse.
My group performed quite well in activities that were planned for the day such as the hula hoop throwing activity that was held at the indoor track of the school, which requires teamwork and control as they toss and pass the hoops around. Their results absolutely stunned the station masters and even myself. The experience reinforced the significance of collaboration and minimal conflicts to achieve remarkable results.
Students had the opportunity to train under our coaches and alongside seniors in the afternoon. Evenings during the Camp were dedicated to learning school cheers and creating a new cheer to perform for their parents, who were invited to the closing ceremony on the final day of the Camp.
As the Orientation Camp concluded, there was a tinge of sadness. Yet, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride in each student who had been in my group. The Orientation Camp effectively imparted values of teamwork, perseverance, and forging strong bonds with peers.
Overall, my experience as a group leader was enjoyable and memorable. I look forward to continuing to guide them when they officially join us next year.
