National School Games — Inspirational Stories from NSG '26
- ejorigin
- 1 day ago
- 9 min read
Written by: Rebecca (26-A3), Yi Fang (26-I1), Dheeksha (26-U4), Wendy (26-I4), Rachel (26-U1), Jamie (26-U1)
Designed by: Jamie (26-U1)
As Singapore’s largest annual inter-school sports event, the National School Games (NSG) serve as one of the highest peaks — or lowest lows — of a student athlete’s career.
Even for the non-athletes, the student population find themselves eagerly awaiting their school’s teams to reach the finals in order to take part in cheer-support. Travelling all the way to the different match venues, screaming your heart out for your friends down on the court, and taking in the enthusiasm and fervour of everyone around you simply hits different.
Every year, thousands of athletes dedicate themselves to training. Amongst these thousands of athletes are EJ’s very own Squash team. This year, they brought home an impressive 5-0 win against NYJC during the 3rd/4th playoffs.
Squash
Behind the sparkling trophy and glory of the significant win, however, lies the hardships the team had to go through. Chloe Ng, Captain of EJ Squash herself explained the vigorous training sessions and PT they had to go through.
“For the past few months, we increased our trainings to three times a week, largely 3 hours each session to prepare for this pivotal match. We had undergone very intense trainings, sometimes having to do hundreds of jump-lunges, sit ups, and box jumps all at once. Our coach, Coach Yuki, pushed us to our limits and there were many times where we felt extremely fatigued, having to balance academics and CCA.”
Despite the sacrifice they made, the team had just barely lost 3-2 to ACS(I) in the round robin matches. Such is the nature of sports — an unlucky lineup had cost the team their chance to enter the (1st/2nd placing) finals for the first time in EJ history.
True sportsmanship, however, shone through the team members of EJ Squash. Together, they pushed through despite the bitter loss, continuing their rigorous training schedule throughout the tough NSG season. Especially for the five playing members, the NSG season was ruthless. They had to juggle academics with multiple training sessions that lasted long after other team members went home while grappling with the heartbreaking loss against ACS(I). Thankfully, the members still had one thing: they had each other to rely on.
“Throughout the entire period of CCA in the past year, we have developed very close relationships with each other, and are very bonded together as a batch. When the trainings would get difficult, we would make each other laugh and encourage each other to keep going. We would always play even after CCA ended, with our Coach and teachers-in-charge, Mr Ng Boon Hong, and Ms Ng Yi Xin would do the physical trainings with us and play with us in court as well. EJ Squash is a very strong support network in and of itself, and none of us would change what we have.”
With each other’s support, the members were encouraged to keep going — they showcased their resilience, their commitment, their passion, and the most important thing of all, their love for one another.
Finally, ending off the first segment are Chloe’s words to her team.
“I’m very proud of you guys and what we have accomplished as a team. We have come so far and I hope you guys know that although the outcome isn’t what we hoped for in the beginning, ultimately it doesn’t matter because we’re doing it together. Whether losing or winning, nothing can take away the memories we have training, crying, yapping, or just having fun. Love you guys so much and am eternally grateful to all of you for going on this journey alongside me.”
And isn’t that what NSG is all about? To allow athletes to shine, but also to forge meaningful, once in a lifetime bonds on the court.
Netball
“I had to learn how to walk again.”
Jamie had been stripped of a dream in netball right at the edge of making it a reality. She had gone into the OCBC Arena for the National Under 19 netball trials with a fighting spirit, but had come out limping on one side.
“I heard a pop sound but I didn’t realise I tore it because the initial feeling was quite painful but I could still limp off court with some help. Only after getting an MRI scan i realised I completely tore my ACL and partially tore my meniscus”
The MRI report came with the heavy news that Jamie might not be able to play, for the final time, with Eunoia Netball for the 2026 NSG season.
But despite this she tried to walk and she tried to run. She went from leaning on crutches to being on court again– with her team, once again, at the match she thought she could never have played.
We asked what her support network had been like. To that she answered:
“My parents, constantly sending me to and fro to physio and telling me that everything will be okay in the end; my friends, understanding how hard it had been on me mentally and physically, helped me around school when I had been in crutches and always took care of me – they knew how; my coach for never giving up on me and always had hope i would return in time”
Seeing teammates take the court and worrying you will not be the same as before had been the most challenging. Jamie may no longer be the same person stepping into OCBC Arena, but that’s just how life goes. We should, we must fight, for your loved ones, for your team, and most importantly for ourselves.
Taekwondo
“Taekwondo was my driving force that kept me going”
For Chervel, Taekwondo was more than just a sport. Her inspiring journey with this sport truly exemplifies what it means to be an athlete.
Chervel’s first introduction to Taekwondo was at the age of 6, after she pivoted from ballet. She dove in head first into the sport, earning her black belt at the age of 9, one of the highest ranks. “It was my whole life,” says Chervel. “I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.”
It all came crashing down the same year she received her black belt. Chervel’s grandmother noticed that the left side of her jaw looked bigger than the right. Alarmed, she was admitted to KK Women's and Children's Hospital for an X-ray. It was then that she was diagnosed with a rare, non-cancerous tumour, ameloblastoma.
“When I found out about the tumour, I was devastated.” She underwent 3 rounds of surgery over the course of 2 years, juggling her academics with her health complications.
As a result of the surgery, Chervel was unable to continue with Taekwondo as her jaw had become too thin to do so safely. “I was devastated, it was almost as if my entire support system was taken away from me” She recounted. Seeing herself improve and grow in the sport was what kept Chervel living, bringing joy to her life despite the long hours of training.
Over the next four years, though unable to partake in the sport, Chervel resolved to join Taekwondo once again when she was in Eunoia and fully recovered. She recalled practicing secretly in her room, practicing her oversplits and patterns so she wouldn’t forget it.
In the CCA trials this year, Taekwondo was the only CCA trial she went for. It was the only CCA she could see herself in. Chervel remembered feeling extremely nervous throughout the interview, overthinking her performance during the trial. “I was so scared I wouldn’t get it.” She laughed. Ultimately, her efforts came to fruition. She was accepted into her dream CCA, and now serves as the captain of Taekwondo.
Her inspiration behind running for captain was her previous captain Gareth Cheong. She wanted to serve the CCA as well as he did, and be an encouraging and disciplined leader like her predecessor. Today, she continues to grow in her sport, helping her batchmates new to Taekwondo with her past experience.
In the 2026 National School Games, it was her first time competing since the surgery. Chervel described emotions as a complex mix throughout: nervous, as she was up against people who have been consistently training their entire life and even national team members, but competing also felt like homecoming, returning to where she belonged.
Chervel attributes her growth in the sport to her friends in EJ Taekwondo, who were her support system that kept her going through the rigour of training.
Volleyball (girls)
When Volleyball (Girls) lacked a substitute for their main libero, Joelle had to switch from taking a more offensive role in the team to taking charge of defense. This meant going from being in action for most of the game to staying behind her teammates and covering for them when the ball fell behind.
“Throughout A Div, I started to lose confidence in my skills.”
Naturally, this sudden change came with its difficulties. At the start, Joelle had assumed that her new role would be an easy one, having to just defend the ball. However, Joelle’s performance during games fell behind her expectations. She frequently made mistakes, such as forgetting to move up to cover for her teammates. Her inability to score points to redeem herself due to her defensive position only further contributed to her mounting guilt. Under immense pressure and being so new to her position, Joelle started to lose confidence in her volleyball skills.
Instead of the usual physical challenges faced by athletes, Joelle’s largest obstacle was her high mental pressure. Aware of this fact, Joelle did not give in to stress, but rather worked on overcoming it. Knowing that she worked best without pressure, during seasons and training, she would constantly tell herself to take things easy. That, coupled with words of self-encouragement such as “you can do it!” helped her get through the difficulties she had been facing.
Slowly but surely, the entire experience became a positive one for Joelle. Her volleyball skills, which she had been so unsure of in the past, ended up being further improved by this. The situation might have looked grim at the start, but through being her own biggest supporter and best friend, Joelle overcame her challenges and emerged stronger. In the end, this opportunity of playing libero ended up becoming one that Joelle was grateful for, and forever shaped her as a volleyball player.
Track
“It’s not something you usually see, having sports and arts mixed”
Nathaniel did the unexpected in a way that surprised even himself. A dedicated member of his secondary school choir, he was seeking a change and had his mind set on a sports CCA upon entering EJ. His pursuit was successful and he soon found himself in Track, a scene he described himself as being a “newbie” to, before Choir sought him out with an offer.
“Why not? It’s only an extra day?”
Nathaniel shared that despite his unusual journey, he never had a preconceived notion that he will end up taking on dual cca, one sports and one performing arts no less. Like many of us, he dabbled with other ambitions such as external commitments and leadership positions before the opportunity for dual CCA presented itself when he was approached by Choir. His decision was unwavering. He wanted the novel experience in Track while still staying true to his developed passion and commitment to his vocal talent.
“It was a new routine that took getting used to”
Undoubtedly, the power of “just” an extra day is not to be underestimated. Nathaniel shared the need to adapt to his newly packed schedule, having to develop the discipline to complete his academic work during breaks, which contrasted largely with his secondary school days that were much more carefree. However, he also demonstrated determination to make the most of his commitments.
He shared his experience of rushing from the track at 630 just to make it for the last full hour of choir which ends at 730 on HBL Tuesdays, showing his utmost dedication and forward looking attitude: since the decision has been made, the most must be made out of what follows the decision.
“It definitely had its stresses at times, but looking back…I really enjoyed it.”
Nathaniel reflects upon the challenges of his NSG event, the 800m sprint. It looks unassuming on the surface, with its distance measurable as 2 rounds on the track. Yet it means that every bit of timing shaved off is hours of training, and consistency can only be attained with built trust in that training. The athlete must stay in tune with the limits of their body, trying to outrun the demanding physicality while maintaining ental endurance.
Track is both a mental and physical game, and so were the obstacles that followed his journey.
On the surface, he gained the outstanding achievement of having participated in both NSG and SYF within the two short years of JC. But behind the scenes, he had to learn his own pieces in choir and cope with the physical exhaustion that came from intense training. He questioned his place on the team when he received low rank on meets, toeing the line between making the most out of his position of both an athlete and a performer, and stretching himself too thin.
But he is spared from wondering what could’ve been.
It never takes a mastermind to do the extraordinary, just someone who holds onto the opportunities presented, and makes the very most out of them.
Nathaniel extends his heartfelt gratitude to his coaches, who have been of great guidance. He shared that he felt reassured by their constant emphasis on their biggest opponent being the track itself rather than other runners, believing that it uplifted him to keep bettering his ability without fixating on comparison.
One can only imagine what it’s like to be a student athlete: the pressure to excel, interwoven with the passion and love they have for their team and sport. They put their all into NSG, with the hopes that their team would be the one taking home the championship title, bringing endless glory to their school — their second home.
And so, the next time you see a student athlete clad in their jersey, coming back from NSG, or an athlete that just finished a vigorous day of training, reach out to them and offer a ‘good job’ and ‘jiayou!’
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