Sports have been and will always be very much a part of the Anglo-Chinese School culture. Since the founding of ACS 117 years ago, they have played a vital role in the school's mission to develop well-rounded students of strong moral character who strive for the best in whatever they do, academically, physically and spiritually.

But what is in the ACS brand of education that has enabled the school to consistently produce a breed of exceptional sportsmen over the years? Is it the result of careful nurturing and the influence of teachers, parents and the school environment? Or has nature been kind by blessing ACS students with superior genes?

The world has changed considerably in the last century. Scientists today believe that genes play a part in the making of successful sportsmen. Questions such as why sportsmen of African descent seem to dominate sports like track and field, football, basketball and boxing are being asked. While research to find the answers are ongoing, two types of genes that give athletes an edge have already been identified. Perhaps genes do play a part in the making of a top sportsman, and perhaps it will be a matter of time before scientists are able to produce super sportsmen through genetic manipulation.

In the ACS context, however, much is centred on the school's belief in the individual. Champions are carefully nurtured and provided with the environment of support - like expertise, understanding and dedication. Ultimately the successes and achievements result from the individuals believing in themselves and the schools believing in them. This, and the strong parental and peer support, help in the making of Sports Excellence in ACS.

Mr Chan Chee Wei, Sports Director of ACS (Independent) describes the school as an incubator that provides the facilities and a conducive environment for students to cultivate their individual talents. He believes that with careful planning and nurturing of its charges, the school has produced many outstanding sportsmen. "Through sheer hard work and determination, we have nurtured a rugby team that has done the school proud by winning the 2000 World Youth Championship in Wales and the 2001 Mini-World Championship in South Africa. Our water polo, badminton and softball teams have also performed creditably in international competitions", Mr Chan said.

The ACS Spirit
Why ACS has been so successful in sports such as swimming, water polo, rugby, bowling and badminton also stems from the fact that the ACSian sportsman is not only driven by individual pursuit for success but also the calling of a higher goal - for his school and all it stands for. The school motto, "The Best is Yet to Be" says it all as it speaks of the Spirit that beckons every ACSian to seek excellence together and to build, uphold and safeguard the tradition of the school.

But what exactly is the ACS spirit? the following quote from"Hearts, Hopes and Aims - The Spirit of the Anglo-Chinese School" describes it succinctly: "... There is a certain force in the school that leaves an imprint upon those who pass through its portals. It is not merely the hours and years of gaining book knowledge nor just the friendships gained. It is even more than the building of character through sport and games. Neither is it only the Christian influence of the ACS nor is it solely in the way ACSians are allowed to express themselves, organise and take risks. It is not these element in isolation. It is the sum total, and more ...."

The ACS Spirit does not waver in defeat.
When the ACJC boys and A division girls played second fiddle to Raffles Junior College at last year's National Swimming Championships, the entire ACJC swim team jumped into the pool with the school flag and sang the school anthem. Christel Bouvon, who represented Singapore at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and at numerous other international meets, described the incident as 'simple awesome'. "The RJ kids must have thought we were crazy, behaving as if we had won. But we were in such high spirits knowind that we did our best as a team", she recounted.

Dedicated Mentors
ACS is blessed with teachers, coaches and old boys, whose unselfish contributions and passion for sports and the glory of the alma mater have enabled the school to excel in many sports and games. Dedicated teachers-cum-coaches like Mr Wee Moh Nam and Mr Lenn Wei Ling were fully committed to nurturing outstanding swimmers. And a host of champions they did produce, including two-time Olympian (1984 & 1988) and multiple Asian and SEA Games gold medalist, Ang Peng Siong, who made Singapore history in 1982 when he became the world's fastest swimmer. Peng Siong in turn went on coach other outstanding swimmers, including Olympian Christel Bouvron.

Scores of silverware have also been won in water polo, badminton and rugby. This year, ACS (Independent) grabbed the National Schools 'B" Division Rugby title for the 7th year running, and retained the Singapore Cricket Club 7's John Clarke Trophy. These outstanding achievements could not have been possible without the dedication of individuals like Dr Irwin Seet, Melvin Deng and Jody Liu, who went the extra mile to bring out the best in our boys.

Kennth Wee, captain of the ACS (Barker Road) water polo team, reckons that the greatest influence in his life as a sportsman is his coach, Mr Alvin Lee. He started playing water polo only in Secondary One but before long he was already representing Singapore Schools and Singapore Youth teams. Kenneth, who was named ACS (Barker Road)'s "Sports Boy of the Year 2002", also attributes the competitve edge and success of the team to the teachers in charge for instilling in the players the drive to win and the need tobe committed as a team.

Strong Parental Support
Parental involvement in their children's sporting activities augment the school's efforts in nurturing successful sportsmen. With parents' understanding and encouragement, the spirit of 'work hard, play hard', which ACS seems to thrive on, is well maintained.

Mr S. Naderajan, whose son N. Sathish plays for ACS (Junior)'s junior soccer team, believes that children should be allowed to express their interests outside the academic curriculum to foster a well-rounded, happy and healthy individual. He gives full support to his son by providing him with the best equipment, and enrolling him in soccer clinics. "I also try my best not to miss any of his games."

Mr Gerald Singham believes that children can learn valuable lessons in leadership, discipline and character through sports. He is pleased that son, Tim, now captains the ACS (Junior) cricket team and represents the National Under-13 team. "Sports in general have offered Tim a platform not only to develop him physically but also emotionally and socially. He is learning magnanimity in defeat and humility in victory. Most importantly, the friendship and camaraderie earned in the sporting arena will count as his fondest memories of his youth".

Many parents make sacrifices. According to Christel, "I owe a lot to my mother. Without her, I wouldn't be what I am today. Whenever I needed her, she was there to comfort me during moments of disappointment. She is my biggest supporter and favourite cheerleader!"

Brotherly Influence
The influence of siblings and peers also plays a part in the nurturing of outstanding sportsmen in ACS.

Austin and his brother Fraser are great friends and they share many interests in sports. Austin was not keen on the training when he first started swimming at the age of 7 but did not want to be left out as Fraser was, and still is, a keen swimmer. His natural abilities however saw him through many competitions, and he currently holdsthe school's 400m record.

According to Austin's father, Wilfred Peh, an Equestrian Gold Medallist in the 1983 SEA Games, "As an old boy of the school, it gives me much pride to see Austin wearing the school colours in different sports, especially those that ACS is strong in. I hope that he will continue to contribute to ACS' rich sporting traditions."

Besides the impressive list of Olympians, recent ACSians who have brought glory to the school and nation include: Poh Seng Song & Tan Shieh Li (athletics); Kenneth Wee & Alvin Lee (water polo); Koh Kar Yan & Tan Pei Qi (squash); Issac Xiao Ting Chao (canoeing); Valmiki C. Nair, Muhd A'srie, Amos Siow & Christopher Tham (rugby); Lester Ho, Faizal Chew, Ivan Koh & Andrew Fang (bowling); Quincy Quek & Jonathan Leong (golf). And in tennis, we are proud that three ACJC students, Kamil Ghazali, Marc Lim and Andrew Kam, will be representing Singapore in the Davis Cup this year!

WIth the ACS Spirit driving us ahead, we can expect more outstanding sportsmen to emerge from the ACS family.