More sports added to new competition format for National School Games
There will be more playing opportunities for student-athletes at 2024’s National School Games (NSG), as part of an expansion of the new competition format introduced in 2023.
While table tennis, tennis and water polo were introduced in 2023 under the new classification and league system, the number of sports offered in 2024 will be increased to 10 (badminton, basketball, floorball, football, hockey, netball, rugby, softball, table tennis and volleyball) for the senior division in primary schools.
The Secondary School C Division, meanwhile, will have nine sports (basketball, floorball, football, hockey, sepak takraw, softball, table tennis, tennis and water polo) under the new scheme.
Student-athletes in these sports are now guaranteed at least six games in the NSG season, up from the previous minimum of three.
Jason Chua, teacher-coach of volleyball at Xingnan Primary School, said: “For some schools who are placed in the same group with the powerhouse ones, the students’ confidence will be affected.
“They get demoralised as they know that they’re likely to lose and will have a short NSG experience.”
Before 2023, the NSG format featured geographical-based zonal competitions, with schools seeded accordingly in groups of four to five teams. Those who did not qualify for the next round were eliminated, marking the end of their season.
The new pool-and-league system pits schools of comparable skill level against each other in a classification round, with their seedings determined by results from the previous NSG.
Teams that do well in the pool stage will then compete in a higher-standard league, while those that fare poorly will move into a lower-level league.
Medals will be awarded across all various league levels.
Education Minister Chan Chun Sing, who officially opened the NSG on Jan 30 at the OCBC Arena, said in his speech: “At the NSG, we have made modifications to the competition format in the spirit of providing more equitable competition opportunities for our student-athletes...
“Competitions are only one part of an athlete’s journey. What sets an athlete apart from others is the set of values cultivated from many hours and years of hard work in training. Determination, resilience, respect and teamwork.”
- Additional reporting by Kimberly Kwek and Tan Wei Xuan
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