Dedicated to Greatness: A Gleam of Hope for SAS Athletes

Eight. Eight student athletes have gone to college on sports scholarships in the past three years at Singapore American School. Eight out of roughly 900 graduates in the past three years. It’s extraordinary. When the only way to communicate with possible coaches is through the internet, it's nearly impossible to show you’re more skilled than players that coaches can see with their own eyes. They’re forced to go all the way to the US just to get recognition. That’s the experience our athletes have at an international school. Senior baseball player Matt Yeh defied these odds, and junior swimmer John Liu is looking to follow in his footsteps. 

When Matt received his offer to play baseball in college, he was filled with excitement and appreciation, “I was very grateful to the program. I'm very excited for the future when I attend the school and very hopeful for all the things to come.” Receiving this offer wasn’t just a sports scholarship for Matt, but also the culminating validation of his lifetime of hard work and symbol of hope for his future. 

John, the number one ranked swimmer in Singapore for his age and a junior with collegiate aspirations, had mixed emotions about the opportunity to swim at the next level. “I would be over the moon…but I also know it's a big commitment,” he said, “it's almost like professional athletics.” Being a college swimmer means days consisting of multiple swimming and lifting sessions compounded with a full day of classes. Walking the halls with the unforgiving sourness and aches of swimming and hardly staying awake in lectures at noon because you’ve been awake since 5 for practice. It's a big commitment, but it's one he's ready for. His hard work can’t end in high school. He has to continue improving and refining his craft to achieve the success he hopes for.

  Expanding on his collegiate aspirations, Matt exclaimed, “ I'm very grateful to all the coaching staff for giving me this opportunity… to play this sport I love for another four years in college and maybe even beyond that.” Working with college level coaches and facilities can transform your game, giving you new skills to reach that next level. College coaches have expertise working with higher level players and sending them to the next level. Additionally, the jump from high school facilities to college ones is exponential. They have cutting edge equipment that puts the athletes at the forefront of sports training while they're still in college. John takes comfort in being able to know his college would be paid for, as it “is expensive.” He’s not wrong; the average price of college per year is $38,000. The average student loan borrower takes 20 years to pay off their student loan debt. Even if you don’t continue your sport after college, not having college debt frees you up financially for life.

A scholarship isn’t the only thing that can support John and Matt financially anymore. As of July 1st, 2021, a US Supreme Court case ruled that college athletes were allowed to be paid for their name, image, and likeness (NIL). As a result, players have gained the ability to make money in numerous ways such as being in commercials or signing endorsement deals. It compensates them for their skills and acclaim.This verdict changed the way college athletes viewed college commitments: when deciding where to attend, it used to be about which coach is best for the athlete, now it's also about who can provide the most money. 

It's yet to be seen how much athletes can gain from this. Every year since its introduction, the total amount of NIL money in college sports has only increased. It's an ever evolving environment that can affect each athlete in a unique manner. For instance, Matt sees it as a good tradeoff and positive step forward, “ I think it's a good way for athletes at the collegiate level to get paid and get recognized for their abilities.” 

Despite the obvious advantages, John had different opinions on the subject. Colleges prioritize spending their money on bigger, more popular sports, so swimming gets left out. Therefore, as some athletes are drawn to NIL opportunities at bigger schools, this leaves smaller schools without the talent they once had.  They’ve had to cut roster sizes or even eliminate the whole program in some instances. NIL can definitely help athletes and give them resources, but it can also lead to hopelessness and despair when teams can no longer prioritize the quality of their programs over money.

John and Matt see that as motivation to keep pushing to secure their spots in situations where it might be harder than before. A motivation to be in the 7% of high school athletes that play their sport in college. Waking up early and going to bed late, John has swimming training 6-7 times a week for 13 hours per week. He comes to school everyday as a talented student in the classroom and finds himself stretched thin. Spending time with friends and going out is a luxury. Most of his time is spent on school and striving for excellence in his sport. He hopes this dedication eventually pays off in the same way it did for Matt, who played summer baseball in the US to get attention from scouts. He sacrificed his summer to play 4-5 times a week for 15 hours per week. This dedication resulted in the rare opportunity for an SAS student to continue their sport collegiately.

Both express gratitude, motivation, and optimism for their futures because of their hard work and dedication. “It does give me hope, I don't want to drop my sport.. I want to continue,” John said. “I would be excited and very hopeful for the future with the opportunities available,” Matt echoed. It's not just about the money or the scholarship, but their innate love for their respective sports. The love they’ve had since childhood that has guided them throughout life. Despite coming from a disadvantaged sports background like Singapore, they’ve sacrificed time and major parts of their lives in pursuit of a nearly impossible goal. They have chased this fantastical dream simply to have the chance to see their hard work and dedication pay off, whether it be in recognition for their sports as a whole or just themselves, in the prospect of continuing to do what they’ve loved their whole lives.