Testimonials
Watch the Youtube video for more insights on Canoeing as a CCA in ACS(I).
Emmanuel Ku (1.08 – 2022)
I am Emmanuel Ku from class 1.08 (2022). When I was in ACS Primary, I joined rugby and swimming as my CCA. These 2 CCAs require a lot of training & time to be physically fit. The trainings had contributed to my high level of good physical health. However, after PSLE and also Covid over the last 2 years, most of my active activities stopped & I did not spend much time outdoors, thus I put on a lot of weight.
In 2022, after I entered ACSI, my parents wanted me to try something new. Additionally, some of my friends who are already in canoeing persuaded me to join canoeing. When the trials for canoeing began, I decided to participate as there was no harm trying. The coaches were friendly and helpful in teaching us the proper way to canoe and kayak. I followed their instructions during the trial, took some online quizzes & demonstrated some level of proficiency, I was overjoyed that I got selected for the canoeing CCA!
At first, when I joined canoeing, it was quite tough as I had to juggle between school work and 2 CCAs. Additionally, canoeing training is quite rigorous as the training takes up to 3 days of after school time a week. With the help and advices from my teachers and friends, they taught me how to manage my time wisely. My parents also kept reminding me about the importance of work life balance, and knowing the art of setting priorities.
There were many things which I have benefited from Canoeing CCA in the past year. I learned to not only work in team, but individually. Being new to canoeing from the start, I picked up a lot of new skills in managing the canoe and importantly how to maneuver it correctly & speedily. Last but not least, I learned too that perseverance, humility and unity are very important to allow me to keep learning with a positive attitude.
Matthew Loo (1.10 – 2022)
In my primary school, I had many sports CCAs, namely swimming, tennis and football. I focused on football and played for the school in National School Games (NSG). I was quite fit and did well in swim meets and sports days. However, due to the circuit breaker in 2020, I could not play football and did not exercise regularly, and thus my fitness level decreased.
A friend introduced me to a kayaking course called Kids-In-A-Kayak (KIAK), which allowed children to experience the joy of kayaking and for them to develop an interest in the sport. Sure enough, I enjoyed it and paddled every Sunday. The weekly paddling sessions allowed me to get better at the sport, while also allowing me to increase my fitness level. I enjoyed canoeing so much that I decided that I would take up canoeing as my CCA in secondary school.
When I came to ACSI, I took up canoeing as my CCA. I trained 4 times a week, which took up most of my time. Thus, to manage my studies and my training, I had to manage my time well. By planning my weekly schedule every Saturday, I balanced out my training and my studies, thus allowing me to focus on both. I could keep up with all the work assigned, while also training hard.
During my training, I learnt many things from the coach, which helped me improve my technique, allowing me to become a better paddler. Not only did I improve in canoeing, but I also developed strong friendships amongst the canoeing team. In April I also had the chance to represent the school in (NSG). This gave me lots of experience in competing for the school and helped me to better enjoy racing.
I benefitted tremendously from Canoeing in ACSI. I got physically stronger, and my fitness level has increased due to the many training sessions. It has allowed me to better understand the importance of time management, which will be useful wherever I go, and I have forged strong friendships with my teammates who always encourage and support me, always helping me along the way. Canoeing has taught me many lessons and values as well, such as unity, resilience, unity and much more.
Overall, I enjoy canoeing, and the CCA has allowed me to become more fit, forge strong friendships, have better time management skills, and learn good values.
Tyler Tan (1.11 – 2022)
In primary school, I wasn’t super fit, or neither was I very strong. The CCA I took up was dance, and there was only training once a week, and besides that, I led a sedentary lifestyle and did not do much exercise at all. My fitness level was very low, and I was lethargic even during basic exercise.
During school orientation, we had to take part in the sports bazaar and tryout for the different sports CCAs. At that time, I was contemplating joining chess club, as I knew I would not do very well in a sports CCAs due to my fitness level. Then I stumbled upon canoeing. The sport was interesting and something that I had never heard of before. I was reluctant to go for the tryouts, but my mother convinced me to. I wanted to join canoeing as I knew that if I trained hard enough, my fitness would improve and I also wanted to join a sports CCA. Another reason is that some of my friends were joining canoeing as well.
During the tryouts, we went to MacRitchie reservoir and firstly, coach Ismail taught us how to use the boat and the names of its components. The next few sessions were comprised of just paddling around the bay and some races. The races were very fun and competitive. We also had to take a theory test to get selected. After a week or so, we were told that we were accepted into the CCA and I was quite ecstatic.
During the year, it was quite difficult to manage the training and my huge secondary school work load. When I transitioned to secondary school, I could already barely manage the incrementally huge amount of homework. On top of that, the canoeing training was three times a week. The largest struggle was coursework season when I had to juggle training and multiple calls. I found the solution to this issue was to have good time management. With good time management, I could go for training, have calls and even some rest time for myself to relax.
I have benefitted from the canoeing experience in multiple ways. I have become a bit more fit and I have also gained many precious friendships that I am going to treasure for a lifetime. Not only that, I have found something I can be passionate about and something that can make good use of my time instead of me lazing at home.
Evan Ching (1.12 – 2022)
Hello, I’m Evan Ching. I was from ACSJ before I joined ACSI. During my primary school days, my fitness level was only average. I used to be in many CCAs such as Table Tennis, Football and Chess. However, I never really enjoyed these CCAs because they did not give me the adrenaline as kayaking gives.
In 2016, I was introduced to kayaking by a neighbor. I joined a program called Kids-In-A-Kayak (KIAK) where primary school students are exposed to kayaking as the primary schools did not have kayaking as CCA. When I had my first trial for KIAK, I did not know that it would lead me this far. As we got better, the intensity of the trainings and the number of trainings increased. We were also participating in different types of competitions like sprints and marathons.
I entered ACSI through kayaking DSA. I wanted to stay in this sport as kayaking is very different from many other sports. This is because kayaking is water sport and we can paddle at MacRitchie Reservoir while many other people are not able to. I also like the intensity and competitiveness that comes with kayaking.
During the discovery camp, we were brought around the school by our seniors to try out different CCAs to see which one is best for us. I remember when we were brought to the Canoeing/Kayaking booth, we were allowed to try the equipment. I remember my classmates all having fun with the machines as they considered giving the CCA a chance.
When I started secondary school, I was training 4 to 5 times a week including KIAK. Thus, I had very little time to study. At first, I had a hard time trying to catch up with my peers in terms of my grades. However, after my seniors gave me good advice on time management, I was able to be on par with my classmates. I learn how to do a good study plan and schedule and I follow to it closely. Also, I have to spend less time gaming and devices as time is precious to me.
I have benefitted alot from Kayaking through the years. I have forged many good friendships, learnt the importance of perseverance and endurance. I also learnt to never give up during a race.
Overall, you should give this CCA a chance like how many of us did. Few have regretted it.
Nigel Seah (1.01 – 2019)
When I was in primary school, I took up many sport CCA like badminton, soccer, etc. I first learned about this sport around 2015. I was enrolled in a small canoeing club called KIAK where they let small kids like me when I was young to try out this sport. I was really interested and enjoyed canoeing.
When I reached secondary school, I got better and better. I managed to DSA into ACS(I) through canoeing and became part of the school team. When I first joined, I realized that there were a lot of other talented people that also had an interest in canoeing. Not long after, I got used to the new environment there and even made lots of friends. We all even had lunch together even now and then. Other than some tough training here and there, I had a time of my life.
Managing schoolwork and training was also very hard as I had barely any free time. To overcome that, I planned out a schedule every week when to do what so that I could keep up with both training and schoolwork. Also whenever I had any free time like during recess and taking the bus, I would start finishing up my work.
I think canoeing had benefitted me greatly, despite those tough training, when I am paddling on the water, it helps me relaxed and not think about schoolwork or examinations. It also keeps me fit and healthy and allowed me to make lots of friends. Overall, I really enjoy canoeing and hope I can complete in the nationals one day.
Glenn Ho (1.03 – 2018)
I’m Glenn Ho from 1.03 and I was from ACS(J). To get exposed to more sports in primary school, I had many different CCA’s, such as Golf, Table Tennis and Tennis. Hence, it was all purely recreational. My fitness was below average and I was not thinking of joining a sport at the start of secondary school. I even had the idea of joining chess club as I had been playing chess with my classmates after the PSLE examination in school and had become totally engrossed in playing it.
However, during the sports bazaar on the third day of school, the seniors in Canoeing let me try out a Kayaking simulator and showed us a video to get an idea of what Canoeing was about. After the sports bazaar, I had a sudden interest to take up Canoeing as my CCA and I even felt that there was a chance for me to win something as I realised that everyone started Canoeing at the same age as you. I figured that Canoeing was actually a vigourous and demanding sport that required a lot of fitness and strength. Being chubby and although knowing that my fitness was below average, I knew that if I worked hard in canoeing I would start seeing improvements in my fitness.
The trainings are 4 times a week and so, for the first half of the year I had trouble keeping up with my peers in my studies as I did not know how to manage my time properly. However, Canoeing taught me how to manage my time better and although the trainings were time consuming, I managed to do all my homework and revise what I had learnt throughout the day when I got back home after training and this helped me cut down on the time spent playing computer games, as I realised that time was very precious. Trainings would usually stand down 1 month before the mid year and final year exams. I would usually make use of this time and go study with my friends at the library or at the benches in the IB block. This has helped me cope better in my studies.
Overall, Canoeing has made me more fit, helped me gain new friends, and has taught me to have better time management.
Seah Cohen (1.05 – 2018)
I was quite fit in my primary school days and I enjoyed doing sports such as badminton, swimming and running. I really gave my best in all sorts of physical activities mainly because I like them.
I got to know about kayaking in 2015 when I was enrolled in a course called Kids-In-A-Kayak (KIAK). Basically, KIAK program allows children of primary school age to experience the fun of kayaking and develop an interest in the sports under the guidance of dedicated coaches. I got hooked to the sports on my first trial and have not looked back since then. But little did I know I would be so involved in it today.
Every Sunday at 3 pm sharp, I would be at MacRitchie paddling. The trainings became tougher as weeks go by, as our coaches were more demanding as we got better at it. But I did not mind. This was mainly because I enjoyed paddling with my KIAK mates. Soon we were asked to participate in inter-school competitions. The adrenaline rush from winning made me more addicted to the sports. And soon, I was looking forward to the trainings and competition.
I am now a proud member of the ACSI kayaking team. As KIAK was more of a casual sport, it was tough training with the ACSI team in the early days, having to keep in pace with the rest of them.
The trainings got more serious and tougher as the inter-school competition drew near. We were going long distances and doing sprints almost every session. However, what pulled me though all these tough trainings were the encouragement from my fellow team mates. All of us endured through the drilling and demanding trainings together, helping each other along the way. Another really important lesson learnt was having the right mindset to push you ahead. The is no point dragging yourself to training every day if you do not truly enjoy the sports.
Studies! It was tough going for training almost every day and keeping up with your school work. I was struggling during my first semester. But soon I learnt to discipline myself and organise my time around my hectic training schedule. That helped, and my grades improved.
I have benefitted much from my canoeing experience over the last year. I have forged good friendship, built up my resilience and learnt how to work around my challenges. One things I liked most about canoeing is how the sports has bonded me and my friends. I have so many great times with them during and outside of training. They are the ones that will spur you on, help you improve, and be there when you need them.
For those reading this, give it a go at kayaking. You will never know if you liked the sports until you give it a try.
Gavyn Oh (1.08 – 2018)
In primary school, my CCA was not a sports CCA so the only form of exercise I got was from PE lessons and playing soccer with my friends. As a result, I was not very fit.
When I first saw Canoeing, I thought it would be a fun thing to try out. Canoeing was not a CCA available in primary school, so I guess I was drawn to try a new experience. During the Sports Bazaar (Orientation Camp) I was a bit tired from all the previous stations. When I reached the Canoeing station, I decided to try out, cause why not? I was genuinely surprised when they asked me to join and gave me the consent form.
I managed my time by doing homework whenever I had some free time instead of playing games. In addition, the weeks before exams when CCA stood down provided more than enough time for me to study. I benefitted immensely from Canoeing. I definitely got stronger physically, as I went from doing 0 pull-ups to 10 in under a year. In addition, I made many new friends and met many new people
Kendrick Ang (1.09 – 2018)
I’m Kendrick Ang from class 1.09 and I was originally in ACS(P). In my primary school, I took up football as my CCA. However, since I was not committed to the sport and often did not attend the sessions, my level of fitness and skill was poor compared to my teammates.
During the first week of school in ACS(I), I got to try out Canoeing and many other sports. When I tried Canoeing for the first time, it piqued my interest and realised that it would be a good opportunity for me to improve on my fitness and try out something new. At first, I joined Shooting as I found it interesting with Canoeing only as my second option. However, after a week of training, I realised that it was not the right sport for me and decided to seek out Mr Jeffrey Tan, the teacher-in-charge, to request to change my CCA to Canoeing.
Compared to CCAs in primary school, Canoeing has trainings 4 times a week. This means that I would have less time to complete my school homework. To ensure that I am able to finish my homework by the deadlines and keep up with the curriculum, I set up a schedule to catch up on all my homework after trainings at night or during days where there is no training.
Overall, from all the trainings I have had, I have learnt the importance of perseverance, teamwork and responsibility. It is easier to get through trainings if I form a sense of camaraderie with my teammates and encourage each other to do our best. I have learnt many important values and life skills from Canoeing and I will continue training hard.
Justin Lee (1.11 – 2017)
Before I joined canoeing I was not very sporty with swimming being the only sport I had ever done. Even so, I had stopped swimming lessons a long time ago and therefore had minimal exercise.
When I first joined ACS(I) I decided that I would try out a sport instead of a club and society for my CCA as it would be a new experience. As canoeing was the only sports CCA without any trials, it was the only sport that would accept me.
I managed to balance my training and studies by listening attentively in class and by good time management. I would often do my homework in any pockets of time I have like the time in between periods. I also spent the 6 weeks breaks wisely often staying in the library after school.
Overall I think canoeing helped develop my fitness and help me to manage my time better.
Joshua Prince (2.01 – 2022)
My name is Joshua Prince and I am a member of the ACS(I) Canoeing Team. This testimonial is about my personal experience in this CCA.
When I was in primary school, I was in a badminton CCA. At that point of time, badminton was my all time favorite sport. I would play badminton at least 4 times a week. Despite being in a CCA such as badminton, I never really did any exercise rather than the sport itself, which made me very unfit.
When I was in secondary 1, I was devastated when I was not accepted into the badminton CCA. Me personally, I prefer sport CCAs over clubs and societies. During the sports bazaar, that was when I was exposed to the canoeing sport. Since I had no other option, I thought I would give this sport a shot. I have never regretted that decision.
Initially, there was a physical test that I had to pass in order to join the CCA. Due to my lack of physical fitness, I was unable to pass the test. However, the coaches and teachers in charge gave me a chance to be in the CCA. Given this opportunity, I tried to ensure that the coaches and teachers in charge would not regret letting me in the CCA.
Given the number of training days a week, keeping up with my studies was definitely a problem. However, like most things in life, managing my time properly came with practice. After trying a few methods and ways to save more time wherever I could, I was able to keep up with my studies.
After going for so many trainings, I have definitely benefited from them. From this CCA alone, I have learnt how to manage my time better, how to push myself to my limits, how to work efficiently, and how to work as one Canoeing team. Not only that, but my fitness level and my leadership skills have improved tremendously. Joining the ACS(I) Canoeing team was the best decision I have made.
Valen Ng (2.01 – 2022)
I am Valen Ng from 2.01 and I was from ACS(J), which I transferred to from a neighborhood school in Primary 5. In Primary School, I took up Modern Dance and Tennis as my CCAs in my old neighborhood school and ACS(J) respectively. Although I was in a Sports CCA, I was extremely unfit as I was not committed to attending Tennis CCA due to my laziness, only attending training twice per month instead of twice per week. Despite having run with my father since Primary 1, I lost the will to run anymore in Primary 5, causing my stamina to decline rapidly. Further worsened by an unhealthy lifestyle, eating fast food at least twice a week, I became fat and extremely out of shape. This could be shown from being able to run 1.6km in 8.16 minutes in my Primary 4 NAPFA test to being unable to jog 3 rounds around the track without being exhausted after the first round at the start of Secondary 1.
During the Sports Bazaar in the Secondary 1 Orientation Camp for the first week of school, I was shown a video displaying what Canoeing was about. Mixed with the seniors mention that Canoeing was beginner friendly, I soon felt that this CCA was the right one for me to join. Although I was selected for trial for other CCAs such as Track and Field as well as Air Rifle, I knew that there were faster runners who trained much more than me in Primary School and that there were more gifted people than me at Air Rifle. The fact that Canoeing catered to beginners and that it showed improvement in one’s physical fitness truly made me want to become a member of this CCA team.
Originally, at the CCA trial for Canoeing, I was one of the worst participants, being one of the extremely unfit ones. I performed very poorly compared to others in terms of my physical fitness, not being able to do pull-ups while others could or do many pushups whereas I could do only a few of improper form. Therefore, I was rejected initially to join the Canoeing team. However, I really wanted to join Canoeing as it was a sport like no other, so I made an appeal to the teacher-in-charge, Mr Jeffery Tan. After consideration from him, I managed to join the team.
Canoeing is a CCA that you really need to commit to perform well in the sport, with training 4 times a week which lasts around 3 hours each training. This was a drastic change to my slothful attitude towards CCA training. This caused me to lag my classmates in assignments and work, leading to a drop in my results in the first term of my Secondary 1 year. I knew that if I wanted to do well in this CCA, I had to get my studies and schedule up to fully commit. I started cutting down time spent on playing games or lazing around after training to add more time for my studies and revision. As well as increasing the amount of time to focus on my studies, I focused on efficiency during study sessions, by studying more with my friends who could help me in areas I was lacking. This improved my studies in submitting work and results while ingraining in me self-discipline and time management.
Canoeing has given me many benefits. Firstly, I have made many friends in this team, be it my seniors or my fellow cohort teammates. Many amazing memories have been made in Canoeing such as new PBs or joyful times. Secondly, I am much more physically fit than before. I grew an extreme amount from 149cm at the start of Secondary 1 to 162cm to present day alongside having slimmed down for the better. Fitness wise, from being exhausted after jogging 1 round around the track, I can now run 9km with my father once again and have a PB of 10.07 minutes for 2.4km in my NAPFA test. From not being able to even lift myself 1cm from hanging on the pullup bar, I can now do 5 and increasing. I can now do proper pushups continuously, formerly which I would cry after doing 10 pushups which were improperly done. Lastly, Canoeing has taught and instilled in me many important life lessons like teamwork, comradery, responsibility and my personal leadership and communication skills.
Overall, Canoeing has profoundly changed my life, making my experience in Secondary School much more fruitful and worthwhile. I am glad to have persevered no matter the low points and to seize the opportunity to join Canoeing as my first choice of CCA. Even if I were fit and strong from the start of Secondary School, undoubtedly, I would still join the ACS(I) Canoeing team.
Jerry Zhang (2.13 – 2022)
In primary school I was pretty involved in sports. I was in a sports CCA from Pri 1 all the way to Pri 5. In Pri 1 I joined the swimming CCA as I generally liked water sports and I enjoyed swimming. Then in Pri 2 I was selected to join the Rugby CCA through a trial that everyone had to go through since ACSP was a rugby school. In Pri 5 I joined basketball, and in half a year I made it to the developmental team, which was the future school team.
My fitness was not the best when I first started my sporting journey. I was a chubby, slightly overweight kid for half of my time in primary school. Somehow, I slimmed down and got fit during Pri 3 to Pri 4, probably due to rugby training. After that, my fitness level became one of the best, and my running stamina was top notch.
Coming into secondary school, I was at a loss for what sports to choose. I knew I would not go for rugby or basketball since I no longer loved the sport. My mom suggested that I try out canoeing since it wasn’t an option in primary school. I thought about how every time we go to MacRitchie Reservoir to hike, we would always see the students training in the reservoir, capping in the bay area, their joyful shouts and screams filling the morning air. Furthermore, I enjoyed doing recreational kayaking in the reservoirs, coupled with the unmatched scenery in the reservoir, it was an easy choice. During the sports bazaar I went straight for canoeing, turning down the repeated offer from the rugby coach, as well as many others. I knew I only wanted to join canoeing, and no other CCAs enticed me. I tried my best in both the fitness test, as well as the practical test on site in MacRitchie, and got accepted into the sport.
Getting into the sport was the easy part, the responsibilities needed to continue with the CCA was the hard part. There are 4 training sessions per week, and we are expected to turn up to all these training sessions. This was made clear to us by our teacher in charge on the first day of CCA. Training would usually end at 6:30 while the other CCAs would end at 5:30, as we needed time to travel to the reservoir for training. This had a mental toll on us as we knew that while we were still hard at training, every other CCA was already released, going home and relaxing. Moreover, we had an hour less after school each day to catch up on schoolwork and revision, or to spend time relaxing. The training pushing us to the limits every session did not help either as after training I would sometimes collapse on the bed and fall asleep before getting anything done.
Suddenly getting thrown into this was a culture shock. The first month or two were the hardest to get accustomed to. The seniors were tough on us, trying to push us past our limits and make us disciplined, to not give up. We tried our best, but that was not enough, they wanted us to try harder, to go above our limits. Some of us quit in the end, but most of us continued to love the sport. After the honeymoon period, getting used to the hectic schedule, everything was much easier to handle. I started to become wiser in my time management, choosing to do work in the mornings when I reach school instead of playing on my phone. Before we go to training, I would also do some homework on the bus or while waiting for the bus, so that I would not have to cram at night. This allowed me to get enough sleep almost every day, as well as time to relax and play games with my friends. My solution worked for the most part, however, occasionally I would still hand in my work late and get scolded by my teachers.
My experience in Canoeing has been an overall positive experience. The seniors at the beginning of my journey helped me to get out of my comfort zone. It instilled discipline and a good work ethic in me, teaching me to not be lazy and to always strive for better. This was the first sports CCA that I did not lose motivation to get better even after a long time. Moreover, this CCA has also allowed me to forge friendships that I treasure to this day. Going through ups and downs together with my teammates strengthened my friendship with them, especially while doing crew-boats together. Coming to training and paddling together in one boat, setting PRs together, and improving together, was one of my fondest memories in this sport. My favorite memory during my time in canoeing was going to NSG (National School Games) with my partner, and both of us being able to achieve 3rd place in an event that we did not train much for. Getting 2nd place in dragon boat with 10 of my other teammates is another memory that I will treasure. Before training the members in my boat would all go and eat lunch together, hang out at Kallang wave mall, and have an amazing time.
We also had amazing coaches to guide us on our way. The coaches would set an example for all of us to follow, and would always expect the best from us. They would steer us in the right direction if we were doing anything wrong, and encourage us when we do something right. They are usually very nice to us, always smiling and joking with us before training, but get serious during training. When we do something that they repeatedly told us not to do, they would reprimand us, re-enforcing the level that they expect us to perform at. This way, we would not get used to being spoon-fed what to do, becoming independent and more efficient.
My time in the canoeing CCA was something that I will not forget for a long time. The experiences and values that I have taken from this CCA are invaluable. I would have never thought that joining canoeing would have given me so much, but between the sport, the coaches, the teachers, the friends, the self-improvement, and the adventures that I have experienced, I could not have asked for more from a CCA.
Daniel Boh (2.05 – 2017)
I used to be overweight in primary school. I joined Canoeing to try a sport and to become fitter. Many Canoeist welcomed me to join as I was tall and told me that I had much potential.
While in the CCA I would spend 45mins to 1hr after I got back from training for revision and homework.
I have become fitter and healthier, and gained many new friends in the process. I am very thankful for the support provided by the Canoeing teachers and coaches.
Fang Hao (2.05 – 2017)
In primary school I was not very involved in sports as my CCA then was robotics. I rarely did sports in primary school and the most I did was attend PE. I was relatively unfit due to my low level of sports involvement and I rarely played sports even during recess.
I wanted to join canoeing as I thought that it would be a fun, new and interesting sport. I also wanted to do a sport in secondary school instead of joining a CCA like robotics as I did not really find it particularly fun or interesting CCA in primary school.
There was no selection process when I wanted to join canoeing, there was simply just an introduction to canoeing before they allowed everyone that wanted to join to sign up. There were no special qualifications that were needed for me to join canoeing.
Training was not very invasive in terms of study time as there was always a two week break before every major exam. Besides that time management is also quite important as sometimes 2 weeks may not be enough to prepare for exams.
I have benefited from canoeing in many ways. For example, after joining canoeing I became much fitter as well as stronger. I also met many friends in my time in canoeing from those in my year as well as seniors from older years.
Marcus Toh (2.11 – 2019)
I’m Marcus Toh from 2.11. In primary school, I was in football CCA which generally made my fitness level around average. However, I was not committed to the sport as I found the drills grueling and demanding, thus I often skipped training to laze around at home and play with console games.
I remember on the day of sports bazaar, I actually missed the canoeing tryouts but during the CCA selection date, I realized that one of my close friends was joining canoeing, and thus made a rash decision to join canoeing to follow my friend, have fun while having the mindset that I could always drop out of it if I didn’t like it.
Canoeing is a taxing sport as there are 4 training sessions a week. Most of the time, I would come home lethargic. However, through this, canoeing has actually improved me as a person as it cultivated the routine of finishing the important things first and not procrastinate.
What draws me to the sport canoeing is that mostly everyone starts at the same level in secondary school, as there isn’t a Canoeing CCA in Primary schools, thus giving us an opportunity to win if we put in the hard work.
I undoubtedly learned many core values from the Canoeing experience in ACS(I) such as Time Management when juggling rest and homework, Excellence when putting in hard work and Team Work when pushing with other CCA members to the limit.
Lucas Teo (2.12 – 2017)
I was from ACS(P), and most of my time there was spent doing badminton. I made it into the school team, though I was considered one of the less valued player in the team. I got to play some games, and it was fun, but I had no true satisfaction, because most of the time, whatever achievements I got were from others hard work. Trophies were given out on a team basis, and even though I lost many matches, I still got trophies when my friends won theirs.
I wasn’t very motivated to improve myself, didn’t look forward to every training, and didn’t give my best or push myself as hard as I could. Going for training was more of a routine, and getting to my friends levels seemed almost impossible.
Coming to secondary school, I decided to join Canoeing, because I thought it was very interesting, and was inspired by my brother, who was previously in the sport. I remember seeing him paddle and I was instantly captivated. Canoeing also seemed like an opportunity for me to have a chance at winning, because everyone started at the same age. This hope of winning was what kept me going, and made me try to do my best.
Applying for the sport was very easy, and there were no selection trials at all. All I needed to do was to express my interest in the sport, and by the end of the discovery camp, I was notified that I had been accepted into the sport.
When I first started secondary school, I was rather bad at time management, and often did not pay attention in class, thinking that I could always go back home to find out what the teacher had been talking about in school. My mindset changed however, when the number of trainings increased. I came back late on several days, and only had enough time to finish my homework, and sometimes a bit more. This forced me to listen in class more attentively, and to do more consistent work rather than trying to cram all the information the night before the exams. I then realized, that my study method had been wrong this whole time, and started to see that studies weren’t supposed to take up so much of your time at home.
This realization let me to do more efficient learning, and allowed me to have more time to do other things when there were no trainings. This part of efficient learning, I feel, is one thing that I brought home from canoeing so far.
Another thing that canoeing has taught me was to strive for what I wanted. In primary school, I did many things such as studying because I was forced to, and had no other choice. However, one thing about canoeing changed my attitude. Many canoeing trainings such as to going to the gym were optional, and this unique part of canoeing made me see the importance of your attitude, which influences your drive and ultimately, success. The voluntary aspect of canoeing also taught me to treasure my time, and emphasized to me the relevance of the phrase “quality over quantity”.
Aaron Tan (3.03 – 2017)
I am Aaron from 3.03. I came from Anglo Chinese School (junior), where I played football for school. I wouldn’t say I was fit but as a footballer I ran quite a bit so I wasn’t too unfit either. However, despite my sports background, I did not have fantastic eating habits and I was not satisfied with my chubby physique.
In secondary school, I could have chosen between football and exploring a new CCA. I chose the latter, of course. Canoeing appealed to me as it was something completely different, seemed fun and the canoeing seniors assured that we would acquire a high level of fitness. I was a little hesitant at first as I did not know anything about the sport and I was worried that the nature of the sport would stunt my already vertically challenged frame. Managing between 2 CCAs and studies was another worry. Nevertheless, I chose Canoeing; which has been one of the best decisions of my life.
Coping academically while training 4 times a week has been tough. There have been times where I come home from training too exhausted to lift a pen. That has improved, though. Over the past years, canoeing has instilled a strong sense of discipline and time management in me, allowing me to balance both my sporting and academic life well. Besides becoming fitter, taller and developing my character, canoeing has also helped me build strong friendships with my peers whom I have spent countless of hours with. Sure, there have been ups and downs throughout this 3 years of my secondary school life. But at the end of the day, canoeing has been a fruitful and life changing experience for me.
Anthony Goh (3.08 – 2017)
During my primary school days, I never managed to stick to a particular CCA, much less a sports CCA. In total, I joined 4 different CCA’s, only one of which was a sports CCA. However, it was purely recreational. I was below average in all aspects when it came to sports, and physical activities were unappealing to me.
By secondary school, I knew that I wanted to join a sports CCA to become more physically fit. I went forth with the encouragement of my parents, taking part in all the CCA trials available and unfortunately failing spectacularly at all of them. Canoeing was the only sports CCA that willingly accepted me. Another reason it appealed to me was that it was new and exciting. Those around me and those that I competed against would have just as much experience as me. This even footing made it ideal for someone who had wasted 6 years of their CCAs, like me.
There were no real test or trials for anyone to join Canoeing. As a competitive CCA, Canoeing stood out because of that. We were all given a chance to try out the ergometers, kayaking simulators, and were introduced to the various equipment we would be using. The only necessity to join was interest in the CCA, and willingness to commit. Following the Sports Bazaar, I was told that I was accepted into the CCA.
Managing my studies took a lot of discipline. Initially, I fell behind in studies, as I often procrastinated or ignored assignments after my training. In time, I learnt to follow a stricter routine, and put aside my hobbies in favour of studying. I also began to appreciate free time more. Often, before the start of school or during breaks between lessons I would study or train. This efficient use of time enabled me to maintain good standards in both CCA and academics.
Canoeing has changed my life radically and benefitted me in many ways. I am much more physically fit, and have of course learned to manage my time well. Furthermore, I have made many friends in the team. Through our years of training together, we have forged strong bonds and relationships, and there is an undeniable camaraderie amongst the team. Canoeing has also developed me as a leader, from the many opportunities during training. When the year 4 express cohort left, many of the responsibilities fell to the year 3’s. We quickly learnt how to lead the team, under the guidance and teaching of our seniors.
Brian Ng (3.08 – 2017)
I came from South View Primary School and was from the CCA Scouts. It was nice CCA with many cool activities but hardly any fitness programmes nor did I do any myself. Thus, I was very skinny and small sized compared to my peers in primary school.
As I entered into ACS(I), I was quite clear that I wanted to join a sports CCA to maintain a good fitness lifestyle as I was not satisfied with my skinny body frame. However, I did not know that for most of the sports CCA in this school, I need to pass a trial in order to get in. Thus, I didn’t have much confidence in myself that I would pass the trials but just when I was about to surrender my idea of joining a sports CCA, Canoeing offered me a opportunity. A senior approached me and told me that Canoeing did not require a trial nor any requirements to join but only needed a willing heart. Therefore, I made the decision to join this CCA during the sports bazaar.
Initially, training was very tiring and rigorous, and I often harboured thoughts about quitting the CCA due to my exhaustion. I struggled with my studies at first at the start of Year 1 but soon after I learned about proper time management and self-discipline, with help and support from both my seniors and teammates, my grades slowly improved again. This CCA has also taught me how to be resilient and never give up in whatever I do during the training sets that we often go through. In Canoeing, I have formed countless close relationships with my fellow teammates. The community in this CCA has been very encouraging and supportive to one another, always helping each other in every situation!!
With this, Canoeing has been a very unique and special CCA to me, not only has it given me a new experience but also it has also imparted with many countless values that I would keep with me no matter where I go.
Wong Jun Xiang (3.10 – 2017)
Over my past 3 years as an ACSian, Canoeing has been a fruitful experience for me. It has helped me develop physically and mentally into a healthier, stronger person. During my primary school days, I was not heavily involved in sports. I did not participate in any sporting CCAs, performed average in my NAPFA test and did not enjoy exercising. My family had to drag me out of the house just to go running and my fitness was poor. However, in secondary school, I decided to change my life and try something different, so I took a chance and joined Canoeing. As it provided me with an opportunity to start from scratch on the same level as everyone else, I did not have to fear falling behind right at the start. Canoeing would also allow me to improve my fitness and live a healthier life. The selection process was not complicated at all, only requiring me to express my interest in the CCA. Without any selection trials to pass, this CCA gives an opportunity to anyone who is willing and passionate to improve to participate, regardless of their current physical fitness.
As I progressed through my 3 years in ACS(I), it became harder to manage my many responsibilities, as I was participating in Canoeing alongside the Malay Special Programme and Regional Studies Programme. I also had to participate actively in my Uniformed Group, NCDCC, and still focus on doing well in my studies. However, by managing my time well and learning to cope with the stress that I faced, I was able to strike a good balance between my studies and CCAs. I ensured that I treated my CCAs and studies with equal importance and worked equally hard in both. As a result, I performed extremely well academically, placing within the top few positions in the level for 2 years. I even managed to successfully join the Integrated Programme in Year 3, qualifying for the Accelerated Class of Science. Although the transition from Express to IP and the more difficult content covered in the Accelerated Class of Science, alongside the higher expectations of the teachers, placed even more stress on me, I was able to manage my time and did fairly well in both CCAs and studies.
From my Canoeing experience, I learnt how to plan my time and deal with stress in order to balance my many commitments. Canoeing has also helped me improve my health and fitness greatly, changing my lifestyle for the better. In addition, I have made many good friends in this CCA, including my seniors and juniors as well as those in my level. Lastly and most importantly, I have learnt to persevere and never give up throughout the challenges I face, working hard to improve constantly and achieve my goals. I am grateful to have been given the opportunity to take part in this CCA and improve myself while contributing back to the school.
Wei Yan (3.11 – 2017)
When I was in primary school, I was never athletic or fit in any way. I was not interested in exercising or doing any forms of sports seriously. At most, I would just do some recreational swimming or football. As for NAPFA tests, I was below average and pretty weak at that time.
I wanted to join Canoeing as I wanted to change my lifestyle and become more fit and healthy. Moreover, Canoeing is a sport that is unique and cannot really be carried out elsewhere. Canoeing also seemed fun and an interesting way for me to grow stronger and fitter. Additionally, Canoeing was one of the few competitive sports that did not require the year 1s to have any sports background or high fitness levels.
During the orientation, the Canoeing seniors asked me to try out the Canoeing Ergo machines and they also told me that I had potential in this sport. Additionally, I gave a high interest level which helped me to get selected.
Managing my studies and training was quite difficult for me, especially in year 2 as the training became a lot more serious and tough due to the canoeing season. In year 3, I managed to get a hang of it and managed them was much easier. Firstly, this required discipline. I had to reduce the time spent on leisurely activities such as gaming in order to finish all my work and get enough sleep as well. Secondly, I try to finish some work in school during free periods and recess. Thirdly, I try my best not to procrastinate and finish my work as soon as possible.
I have benefited a lot from Canoeing. Not only has it physically transformed me, but it has also given me a different mindset towards health and fitness. I am no longer lazy to exercise and I prioritise my health and fitness over most things. Also I managed to lose a lot of weight and gain even more muscle mass. I have become a lot stronger and faster. Moreover, Canoeing has made my stamina better and I am able to endure through more pain, pushing my hardest every training. Canoeing has also made me more disciplined and helped me manage my time better. Furthermore, Canoeing gave me ample leadership opportunities that I would not have gotten if I were in other CCAs. This allowed me to improve my leadership skills and improve my communication with others, especially my teammates.
Gregory Wong (3.13 – 2017)**
I’m Gregory from 3.13. I was from Rosyth Primary School and had many CCAs in my 6 years, including Badminton, Debate and Wushu. However, I rarely participated in sports, apart from during Physical Education. Thus, I was quite unfit and often did not do well in my NAPFA test, much to my disappointment.
When I enrolled in ACSI in Secondary 1, I was unsure of which CCA to join as I knew this would be a 4-year commitment. However, I knew that I wanted to be in a sports CCA in order to change my lifestyle into a healthier one. After much consideration, I decided that Canoeing would be the best choice as not only did everyone begin with little Canoeing experience, it also seemed interesting as it was not a common sport. During the Sports Bazaar, I expressed my interest and was thus selected by the teacher-in-charge.
Soon, training became up to 4 times a week and it was strenuous at first. However, after the first few weeks, with consultation from my seniors, I began to learn how to manage to time better. I would return home from training and after dinner, I would discipline myself to begin work so as to complete it early and rest for the day.
Canoeing has definitely benefited me in my secondary school experience. It allowed me to push beyond what I thought I could and attain a fitness standard that I could only dream of in primary school – requiring 13 minutes to complete 1.6km but now being able to complete 2.4km in 9 minutes. It also taught me many life skills such as time management, discipline, determination and perseverance.
Nicholas Cheok (3.16 – 2017)
Hi, I am Nicholas Cheok from Class 3.16.
Back in primary school, my level was fitness was extremely low and could barely do push ups, sit ups nor run. In fact, I was not really involved in sports in primary school. Apart from PE lessons, I did not do any other physical activity as I was in math and science club. Thus, I was extremely unfit, to the point in which I struggled to pass napfa.
Seeing that I was in a club/ society in primary school, I decided to join a sports CCA in secondary school as I wanted exposure to sports. Although I was rejected by all the sports CCAs, our coach decided to give me a chance and took me under his wing. Despite our small physique compared to the handpicked students from the other schools, he did not give up on us. In fact, he dedicated his time and effort into nurturing me into the paddler and person I am today. I was extremely grateful to be given the opportunity and joined canoeing.
Soon, training schedule got increasingly more hectic, from twice a week to four times a week. As I rarely attended any CCA trainings in primary school, It was extremely tough to manage my studies and canoeing at first. Nevertheless, I persevered. I would religiously do revision so as to reinforce what was taught that day. This helped to lighten the workload during exams. During canoeing season, I would focus more on canoeing, placing a slightly lighter emphasis on studies and vice versa during exam period. Additionally, the seniors would tutor the juniors, forming a stronger bond amongst the team.
Canoeing has benefitted me greatly, from improving my fitness to improving my time management. Besides that, canoeing has also allowed me to forge closer bonds with my teammates as during the tough trainings, we would spur each other on. Through all this I learnt the importance of teamwork, diligence and perseverance.
Tan Yi Hong (4.15 – 2017)
In primary school I was often active on sports and participated in both the tennis and swimming CCA’s. For swimming I went twice a week and was at level 8 of training, the highest levels being falcon, development and then level 8. As for tennis it was twice a week and I was in the school team and participated in competitions from primary 2 to primary 5.
I wanted to join canoeing as I wanted to try out something new as I had started to lose interest in tennis. I was also heavily influenced by my brother to join canoeing, since I saw how dedicated he was to the sport that he would ask me to help him train.
I was selected by the interest level that I had, and also the fact that the coach recognized me since he would sometimes see me after training waiting for my brother.
During training periods, most of the homework I had was done in school during the switching of lessons or free time. The 1 month break that we have before exams was enough to finish revision of all my subjects as well. Self-training was usually just static exercises that could be done in my room, and in PE I usually pushed harder than what was required when we were doing physical fitness training.
From canoeing I have learnt many things, the most important to me being discipline learnt from training and the importance of hard work. Discipline has helped me to manage my studies with training, making use of my free time. Canoeing has showed me multiple times how hard work far surpasses any talent and can not only be applied in the field of sports but studies as well. However, the greatest benefit from canoeing is my important teammates who I know will stick with me through thick and thin and is the reason why I managed to stay in canoeing until today.
Hup Jun Jie (5.01 – 2018)
Before joining Canoeing, in my primary school I was not in a sport CCA and even though I loved sports, I was not playing any sports at a competitive level.
I thought it was interesting and I wanted to join a sport. I was selected with no prerequisite.
Canoeing is a taxing sport. Very often I come back home from training being very lethargic and very lazy. However, this has also taught me to handle high workloads when I grew older and even though many people see this as a problem, I would view this as a lesson to prepare us for the future.
Canoeing has taught me many things, from values such as resilience, determination to things such as lifelong friendship. Canoeing is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I am very happy that I seized that opportunity.
Sean Becker (6.11 – 2018)
I joined rugby in primary 1 but I didn’t enjoy it very much so I quit in primary 3. Then I was without a CCA for the rest of primary school. At the very most I would do some light gym exercises to keep active but honestly aside from natural fitness I wasn’t doing very much in terms of exercise or any sort of sports.
I was intrigued by the sport on CCA day as I hadn’t heard about it before but one of the seniors signed me up because I was bigger than the other Sec 1s and on the day of the selection I just felt like trying something new so I figured I would give it a try
It’s a tough time trying to manage all my work especially in IB when our schedules don’t permit us much time outside of school. I thought it best that I focus on completing as much work as possible during school hours and then completely focusing on training after that. At night it was also difficult to complete much work as I also needed sufficient sleep so I had to prioritise whenever I faced a tough decision.
During exam periods I did my best to maintain a healthy balance between these commitments even when races and examinations clashed. To do my best in both would be a difficult task but that was no excuse not to do so.
I sincerely believe that Canoeing has taught me the value of hard work. I was never immediately the best but only through dedication and profound belief did I progress to a much higher level than I ever thought possible.
It has also greatly and in a positive manner enhanced my confidence and given me the tools I need to overcome any problem I encounter and welcome adversity which I feel will help in the long run
Ray Chua (6.15 – 2017)
Never before have I regarded myself as a sportsman, having absolutely no sporting background whatsoever in my primary school days. I was your typical unfit primary school kid, struggling to pass his NAPFA tests, dreading P.E lessons, or basically any activity that required a heightened level of physical exertion. Despite this, much to my surprise, Canoeing took me in during the Sports Bazaar, the programme in the Sec 1 Orientation Camp which lets you try out most sports in the school. I admit, I was skeptical. One of the most physically demanding sports in the school wanted me on their team. I admit, I was afraid. The training schedule seemed intense, and I feared that I could not handle the stress.
I was entering into completely unknown territory, a stark change from the relaxed days of primary school. It was a frightening decision that I had to make as a Sec 1 kid, and for awhile, I kept looking back and wondering if it was indeed the right choice I made to join the team.
Six years down the road, as an alumni of this school and team, I can safely say that it was the best decision that I had made in my life.
The culture in this team is unrivaled by any other, the sheer brotherhood and camaraderie shared between our members creates strong bonds, bonds that last an eternity. Whoever you were before in primary school, it doesn’t matter, it never matters. We embrace all who show commitment and interest with open arms. Here in this team, you are not short or tall or fat or skinny, you are a canoeist, and you are given as equal as a chance as anyone else to succeed.
Canoeing has imparted to me essential life skills. The competitive environment that I was exposed to, has instilled in me the necessary perseverance and fervour to push beyond my zone of comfort, and be better equipped to pursue my goals. The intensity of the trainings, being 4 times a week, has taught me self-discipline, allowing me to manage my time properly, an invaluable skill given the stress of the IB programme. The physical training itself, has allowed me to change who I am, making me fitter, stronger, healthier, and boosting my self-confidence in this regard. Overall, Canoeing has played an integral role in shaping who I am as a person, and really cannot imagine a life without it.
I understand that for many, choosing a school and a CCA might be a tremendous responsibility, especially for a 12 year old. I strongly urge you to consider AC Canoeing and give it a chance. So many of us have before, and few have ever regretted it.
