Inaugural Homeschool Swim Meet 2023

Veil Ng
Leader of the Inaugural Homeschool Swim Meet 2023

Can you describe your vision for this event and what inspired you to organise it?

I had the idea for a Homeschool Swim Meet when COVID restrictions were tapering off. But it was not possible then, as safe distancing measures and conditions such as the number of swimmers in a lane were still in force. With the restrictions removed this year, I decided to revive the idea. 

Homeschoolers in Singapore have had Sports Day before but have yet to have a swim meet. This should not be the case in a country whose only Olympic Gold medal came from swimming! Athletes in schools get to participate in the National School Games, but homeschoolers do not have this opportunity; hence, I wanted to give homeschoolers a taste of competitive swimming and inspire the next generation of competitive swimmers.

What were some of the challenges faced in conceptualising the event?

Conceptualizing the event was relatively easy. Although I have never organised a meet before, as a family, we have been to (and participated in) so many that I know the flow of the event well.

The first step was to check if there was sufficient interest. I sought out fellow homeschoolers to register their interest. Surprisingly, over 60 signed up as potential participants! That was much more than what I had expected! I then took steps to make the event a reality so as not to disappoint the strong demand.

What challenges did you encounter when organising the event? How were they resolved?

Securing a pool was the most challenging step. Initially, I wanted to use the same facility as Aquatech (ATS) at Raffles Institution (RI), but RI turned down our request. Subsequently, I approached the Singapore Swimming Association (SSA) to enquire about renting public pools. However, renting a public pool would cost thousands of dollars, and we needed a certain number of swimmers to cover the cost. Fortunately, one of the homeschooling mums connected me to the Sports Lifestyle Center, and the centre was willing to rent us the pool at a very affordable price.

The other challenge I had was to retain enough swimmers to cover costs. The event date was not confirmed when I gathered interest for the swim meet. A substantial number of swimmers pulled out for various reasons, and we were down to a smaller but reasonable number. It was disheartening initially, but I pressed on to not disappoint the others. 

I resolved to make do with the bare minimum to run a meet, doing away with the need for technical officials and starting equipment like buzzers and even stopwatches. Eventually, I used a whistle as a starting signal and had volunteers use their phones to time the events. I sought out equipment like microphones, stools, clipboards and pens from parents involved in the meet. I also decided to charge a flat fee per swimmer that allowed them to race up to three events instead of charging them based on the number of events they were participating. These turned out to be good decisions because we managed to offset the cost of the pool, procured high-quality medals for the participants, and even engaged a professional photographer to cover the event.

I assume that more than half of the participants have never participated in a formal swim meet. This is a wonderful opportunity for the children, but do you also find this a challenge when organising the event? What were some of the steps taken to help the parents and participants?

Because of the lack of competition experience, parents were unfamiliar with the requirements of competitive swimming and some of the infractions which would lead to disqualifications. To help participants, I shared the SunSwim YouTube videos that my boys and I made on common disqualifications for all four strokes. I also gave a free training session for the registered swimmers to help improve their strokes. To further aid the newer swimmers, I advised them on the proper use of goggles, the advantages of using swim caps and keeping up with nutrition pre-meet, etc.

Some parents requested for their children to swim on the outer lanes so that their children feel safer. Given that this was a first for many children, I obliged, even though participants would not have a choice in a sanctioned meet. Ultimately, the swimmer must research their participating events and how to do their best. We must teach our kids this life skill – to take ownership of their lives, exhibit sportsmanship and rise again from setbacks.

Any fun and exciting moments you would like to share?

I particularly enjoyed the moments of sportsmanship when I saw swimmers give a thumbs-up to each other or clap for each other, no matter who won. That would be the character we want to develop in our children. I was also thrilled by the beaming faces of proud parents as they put the medals on their children. For many, it might have been their first swim medal. Watching my kids succeed in swimming was exhilarating, but bringing joy and opportunities to others made organising the event even more purposeful.

How do you think the Homeschool community can continue to promote physical activities (including swimming) and healthy competition among homeschoolers?

It is essential to change our mentality and approach towards sports.

Firstly, we must regard sports as a vital aspect of a child’s learning and character-building, and it should not be secondary to academics.

Secondly, we need to facilitate our children’s commitment to regular training. There is a vast difference between the trained and the untrained swimmers. We should have swimming and other sports classes for homeschoolers. When the children train and compete in a group, they will be more motivated to continue than when they train alone.

Thirdly, we should spotlight successful homeschoolers in the sports world. Let them inspire, as well as hold clinics for the rest.

It has been a lonely journey for me, raising two homeschooled athletes. We are always the only homeschoolers at elite levels in Singapore swimming. I hope to see more homeschoolers rise because we have a more flexible schedule to train our athletes. If your child is willing and talented, don’t let their youth window for sports go to waste.

Any last words for the community?

Be the change you want to see.

Avel Chua
Competitive Swimmer & Homeschooler

Avel has participated in and won at regional and international meets, such as the National Age Group Championship 2023 and Speedo Meet 2023 in Dubai. He was selected to be part of the Emerging Talents Program to train at the National Training Center under the High-Performance Team.

Avel, this is your first swim meet with the homeschool community. Can you share your experiences and thoughts about participating in the meet and swimming with fellow homeschoolers?

It was a fun experience seeing other homeschoolers, especially the younger kids. I enjoyed cheering them on. I felt more relaxed because it was not a sanctioned swim meet, and I was not pressured to perform. So I just enjoyed the races! I am glad to be able to participate in the first-ever Homeschool Swim Meet.

What are some of your goals for the Homeschool Swim Meet?

I did not have any goals for the Homeschool Swim Meet; it was organised to raise awareness about swimming in the homeschool community and that it can be a career, not just an activity for fun. Competitive swimming has taught me many lessons, such as gratitude to the people who gave me a chance to train and compete, consistency and discipline can get you far, and how to deal with setbacks. These are lessons that prepare me for life. Hence, I encourage fellow homeschoolers to try it, especially when they are still young. You will only be young once.

Can you share some insights into your regular training regimen?

At seven years old, I started learning to swim at a club in Johor, Malaysia. When I moved to competitive swimming, I started with three times a week, gradually increasing as I moved up squads. Then, when I joined Aquatech (ATS) in Singapore, I trained eight times a week. I attend training at the National Training Center at OCBC Aquatic three times weekly under the Emerging Talents Program. I train under Coach Marcus of ATS at the Performance Development Center at Hwa Chong Institution for another seven sessions a week for another seven sessions a week. Some of these sessions are strength & conditioning sessions. On other days, we work on our techniques. But most days, we do things like race simulation, fast swimming and other skills.

Any words of encouragement for your fellow homeschoolers?

Don’t expect results immediately. Improvements take time. I believe there are many undiscovered talents among homeschoolers! Most importantly, enjoy the sport! Swimming can teach many lessons in life.