Sport at international schools in Singapore is an integral part of the educational experience – the educators understand that the benefits of physical activity contribute to a child’s development in many areas including physical strength, mental resilience, social skills and life skills. From football to martial arts, there’s so much on offer through these International School sports programmes.
Dulwich College (Singapore) sports
Dulwich College (Singapore) is known for its sporting prowess and has developed a formidable reputation due to its success in local and regional inter-school competitions. Underpinning its sporting endeavours is the notion of good sportsmanship and fair play, which applies to players, parents and coaches. This is encapsulated by the school’s initials, DCSG: Determined, Courageous, Skilful, Gracious. These behaviours define the individual character traits Dulwich nurtures and develops through their extensive sports programme.
One of the key highlights of the Dulwich school sports programme is the number of opportunities afforded to their students in over 30 different sports and more than 250 competitive teams. While competing at the highest level of school sports programmes, the College believes that all students should have access to sport, regardless of ability, so that they have the chance to experience being part of a team as well as the great camaraderie and development opportunities. The school fields as many teams as they need to give everyone a chance to play.
High-performing sports students looking to play at an elite level can further develop their physical skills and mental resilience through Ignite!, Dulwich’s performance development programme. Ignite! provides technical and tactical support, individual health and fitness plans, cognitive support and training as well as lifestyle mentoring to support students academically. As part of the Dulwich College International network, students can be selected to take part in the Dulwich Games, Dulwich Olympiad and also external competitions such as those hosted by FOBISIA and ACSIS.
A student’s thoughts
“This year marks my ninth year at the College. Throughout my time here, I’ve always been presented with countless opportunities and all the necessary support to reach my fullest sporting potential. As a keen athlete, I’ve been selected to be in the Ignite! Exceptional Performance Development Programme. Being part of this programme has boosted my development as an athlete and helped me reach my goals. I have a mentor who guides me through physical conditioning and advises me on specific training regimes. This has helped me shape and achieve my goal of becoming a better sportsperson. What I truly enjoy about the College are the many state-of-the-art training facilities and the fantastic coaching staff. They prioritise guiding and supporting us to reach our fullest potential and to meet our goals. The College truly ensures that all students are presented with choices. We are then supported to pursue what we enjoy to meet our individual goals.” – Tejas Thorpe, Senior School
71 Bukit Batok West Avenue 8
6890 1003 | singapore.dulwich.org
SJI International sports options
Sport is an integral part of life at SJI International (SJII). The school offers a wide variety of individual and team sport activities to SJII students across all age groups and skill levels. In the Elementary School, every child is encouraged either to join a CCA club or represent the school in a team. In High School, students represent the school in wider events, competing in the Athletic Conference of Singapore International Schools (ACSIS) and Singapore Schools Sports Council (SSSC) leagues. The school’s current ACSIS teams include football, basketball, badminton, tennis, netball, volleyball, swimming and rugby. Individual students represent SJII in shooting, sailing, fencing and taekwondo through SSSCl competitions.
The school’s facilities encourage maximum engagement in all sporting opportunities. The Lawrence Da Silva Sports Complex on campus includes a 25m swimming pool, indoor sports hall, fitness room and rock climbing wall. Outdoors, the school offers dedicated courts for basketball, netball and tennis, and a large FIFA- and IRB-approved turf field for track and field enthusiasts.
As a not-for-profit school, SJI International’s first Sports Scholarship, the SJI International-Lion City Sailors Elite Development Scholarship, will begin in January 2023. The school sports programme scholarship has been created especially for youths who show exceptional talent in football. It aims to offer academic and sports excellence where scholars will be training at the Lion City Sailors Football Academy during the course of their studies.
A student’s thoughts
“Accessibility lies at the core of SJII’s sports curriculum. Students of different skill levels can join new teams throughout the year, with specialised training sessions catered to mixed abilities. It’s not rare for students to pick up new sports later on in their high school experience and significantly improve in short amounts of time. We’ve learnt the importance of teamwork, respect and hard work through training, and built lifelong friendships. – Taila and Leon, Grade 12
490 Thomson Road
6353 9383 | sji-international.com.sg
Australian International school sports programmes
The Australian International School sports programme offers students many opportunities in a wide range of sports such as volleyball, basketball, swimming, netball, rugby, touch and football. Physical education is part of the curriculum and includes the teaching of technical aspects of different sports. There are also many co-curricular sporting activities on offer and the school hosts regular carnivals (athletics, swimming, cross-country and biathlons). Students have access to a great array of facilities at the school. These include a 25-metre pool, a football/rugby field, tennis courts, a weights room and an Athlete Development Programme lab.
Sports are played every day, including weekends for rep sports teams and clubs. The school also hosts and takes part in tournaments under ACSIS and SEASAC, which are attended by many international schools. In addition, it competes in AISA (Australian International Schools Association) competitions in Asia.
A student’s thoughts
“Ever since I joined the Sharks community in 2014, I’ve learnt the importance of giving everything a go. I take pride in representing the Sharks as its sporting community allowed me to overcome the language barrier when I first arrived in Singapore. My main sport is karate, for which I currently hold the national age-group title and represent Singapore in numerous international competitions. At AIS, I love to involve myself in numerous sports from cross-country and basketball to swimming and touch. I’ve met the most inspirational coaches and teachers here and I love the life lessons learnt through sports, beyond developing physical strength.” – Yuriko Masui, Year 12, AIS Sports Prefect
1 Lorong Chuan
6653 2958 | ais.com.sg
Nexus International School (Singapore) sports programmes
Nexus is a member of the Athletic Conference of Singapore International Schools (ACSIS), which means the school’s learners can choose from a range of competitive sporting options; these include football, swimming, rugby, badminton, volleyball, netball, cross-country, athletics, gymnastics and basketball. The school is equipped with a FIFA and World Rugby-specified AstroTurf field, two gymnasiums, two fitness suites, a running track, a yoga studio, a 50m Olympic-sized pool and an aquatic centre. These world-class facilities assist their learners to strive for their absolute best and to achieve their goals.
Student athletes compete locally and on an international level. Leading the way is the Nexus Swim Team, which frequently competes in global competitions such as the FINA World Cup and European Junior Swimming Championships. Nexus footballers also travel to the annual British International School Soccer 7s Tournament held in Phuket, Thailand and their volley ballers travel to New Zealand for the NZ Secondary Schools Volleyball Championships.
Nexus also offers swim scholarships and the well-founded swimming training regime is complemented by on-site elite coaching with personalised training programmes. As the school continues to grow in their new campus, additional opportunities will be offered to their learners and community.
A student’s thoughts
“The Nexus Swim Team community is the best team I’ve been a part of; it has such a great environment. The new campus has so many amazing facilities and equipment that I’m sure will help the team to excel. Nexus has supported me in many ways academically as well as in sports.” – Carmen, Year 13, winner of the LEN European Junior Swimming Championships 2021
1 Aljunied Walk
6536 6566 | nexus.edu.sg
Tanglin Trust School Sports Programmes
Tanglin believes that participation in sport is an essential part of a holistic education. With a core school sports programme of team games and a wide variety of individual sports and activities, the school aims to develop the potential of all Tanglin students through a positive experience in sport. Tanglin’s diverse and inclusive school sports programme provides a learning environment that encourages each child to achieve their personal best. Students receive high-quality coaching in activities, which include a wide range of games, martial arts, wrestling, judo, parkour, climbing, gymnastics, and swimming. Each year, Tanglin teams play at over 600 fixtures across Singapore, with the most able students competing in more than 40 different tournaments across the region.
With access to world class facilities, Tanglin’s team of experienced coaches can nurture and support students with the potential and aspiration to excel in sports at international school. With the opening of the Tanglin Centenary Building in 2022/23, the school continues to demonstrate an ongoing commitment to developing the potential of student athletes. New facilities include an Aquatics Centre with 50m pool, Gymnastics Centre, Athletic Development Gym and state-of-the-art Climbing Wall.
A student’s thoughts
“Being a member of the Tanglin sporting community has been the highlight of my education so far. Having the opportunity to train and play in a variety of sports throughout Middle School equipped me with the skills, knowledge and resilience I needed to play at a higher level in Touch, where I have enjoyed the chance to compete across the region and beyond.” – Mille N
95 Portsdown Road
6778 0771 | tts.edu.sg
UWC South East Asia school sports programme
Sport is an integral part of school life at UWCSEA. The goal of the UWCSEA school sports programme is to involve, excite and motivate their students in participating in physical activity as part of their wellbeing and creating healthy habits for life. Students have twice weekly PE lessons where they enjoy use of the extensive sport facilities. They’re also offered a wide range of optional sport and fitness activities that cater to varied interests and aptitudes of all levels.
UWCSEA offers a pathway for sporting development from Kindergarten to Grade 12 in a wide range of individual and team sports. Students have opportunities to participate at a recreational or competitive level sports at international school. The extensive school sports programme at UWCSEA includes a diverse variety of aquatics, field and net games, gymnastics, fitness and training, martial arts, plus outdoor and adventurous sporting activities such as sailing and kayaking.
A student’s thoughts
“Being in the competitive gymnastics team is almost like being a part of a second family – I can’t even begin to explain how thankful I am for the friends I have met these past years. The team taught me how to manage my time and how to work hard and have fun. Our school is very supportive and inclusive; there’s never a day at the gym that doesn’t seem to cheer me up. The team has a strong bond from our shared goals, such as doing well as a team in competitions and acquiring new skills to progress in levels.” – Kristiana, Grade 11
Dover Campus: 1207 Dover Road | 6774 2653
East Campus: 1 Tampines Street 73 | 6305 5353
uwcsea.edu.sg
Singapore American School sports programmes
All students at Singapore American School have the opportunity to take part in school sports programmes. They include volleyball, soccer, basketball, rugby/touch, swimming, badminton, track and field, baseball and fast pitch softball.
Elementary school students can try sports in a low-cost and low-risk environment through the school’s intramural programmes. Those seeking a more challenging experience can sign up for skill development and club-level sports that are taught by professional coaches. Students can continue to participate in these programmes from middle school through high school. They can also represent the school in teams that play in ACSIS competitions locally and in the IASAS varsity tournaments internationally.
A student’s thoughts
“I’ve been playing sports at SAS since I was in elementary school, both ones that I’ve always loved and new ones I’ve decided to try. SAS sports programmes encourage everyone to play while giving pathways to more serious competition for those who are interested. Now playing on the high school varsity volleyball team, I realise sports at SAS has given me so many opportunities to grow, have fun, challenge myself and make friends. We call doing our best while following our core values The Eagle Way, and I think this has had a great impact on my life by helping me to develop leadership skills and character.” – Chris Sheehan, Grade 10
40 Woodlands Street 41
6363 3403 | sas.edu.sg
Read our guide on things to do in Singapore and check out the best restaurants too.
Patricea Chow
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