30 companies and two new initiatives to boost support for Team Singapore athletes

30 companies and two new initiatives to boost support for Team Singapore athletes

The future looks promising for Team Singapore athletes, as the Sports Excellence Business (spexBusiness) Network continues to grow and roll out new initiatives to support their sporting and career pursuits. This came just over two years following the launch of the Network, which is today represented by a vibrant community of 30 companies from 19 different industries.

Welcoming new companies to the fold

In welcoming the nine new companies on-board and thanking the existing partners, spexBusiness Network Advisor and Minister of State for Manpower Teo Ser Luck reiterated the vision and directions of the Network, “The best recognition for the national athletes is not another medal, or another award or monetary grant. But it is about providing the opportunity for them to apply the life skills that they have honed through sport and thereby becoming valuable members of society. We want to deepen our engagement with companies so that Team Singapore is growing stronger with Corporate Singapore. At the end of the day, what we want is to make sure that while the athletes train hard for Singapore, they are also able to do well in other aspects of life. Whether it is towards their current or next job, setting up business, or life in general, we want athletes to be able to benefit through this ecosystem that we have built through the spexBusiness Network.”

Among the new partners that came on-board is Hyflux Limited, whose Executive Chairman & Group Chief Executive Officer Ms Olivia Lum said: “As a home-grown Singaporean company, Hyflux believes in lending our support by providing career development opportunities for local talents. It is a mutually beneficial arrangement as we’re able to recruit and nurture local national athletes whilst providing them with a platform to shine and develop their career through our diverse business units. This unique talent pool of sportsmen also provides diversity in background and will hopefully bring fresh perspectives to our business.”

A total of 62 Team Singapore athletes have been emplaced with the spexBusiness Network partner companies either on internships, apprenticeships, part-time or full-time employment. Expecting more support from the partners and more companies to join the Network, Chairperson of the Network’s Advisory Panel Tan Yen Yen said, “I see immense potential for Corporate Singapore to play an even greater role in the development of sport in Singapore, beyond the recent Southeast Asian Games and ASEAN Para Games. Our new vision for the spexBusiness Network is essentially about forging stronger and more sustainable partnerships between Corporate Singapore and our athletes, so much so that when companies think of Team Singapore athletes, they think ‘spexBusiness Network’. I am confident that the spexBusiness Network is well-positioned to develop the new foundational pillars of this new vision.” Ms Tan is also the Regional Vice President & Managing Director, Asia Pacific (South), SAS Institute.

Be a Boss and Be Rewarded

The Singapore Sports Institute (SSI), through the spexBusiness Network, has rolled out several initiatives over the years to support Team Singapore athletes. The aim is always to grow our athletes holistically for a successful transition into life after sports - in key areas of education, career, and life skills development. Thus, in its continuous effort to provide the best and relevant support, two new initiatives were launched today.

spexEntrepreneurship Programme

The spexEntrepreneurship programme is designed to empower athletes in becoming successful entrepreneurs, by helping them embark on the Learning Journey of Entrepreneurship and set up their own businesses.

SSI will partner the Action Community for Entrepreneurship (ACE) to empower Team Singapore athletes with the mind-set, skills and knowledge, as well as access to mentorship and resources to set up their own businesses. This would include matching athletes with appropriate entrepreneurs for one-on-one coaching sessions, providing subsidised office space rental, and extending key databases for example.

Team Singapore Swimmer Tao Li recently started her own company, Tao Li Swimming Club, to train the next generation of swimming talents. She lauded the spexEntrepreneurship programme and shared how it can be beneficial to her and fellow athletes. She said: “I see a lot of value in the spexEntrepreneurship programme. We get to acquire business skills, for example in writing business plans. Connections and mentorships are also important, hence I hope to be able to meet up with different kinds of entrepreneurs through networking opportunities and learn under the guidance of experienced entrepreneurs.”

Team Singapore Card

Exclusive to Team Singapore athletes, the first-of-its-kind Team Singapore Card will provide various forms of discounts and incentives at retail outlets around the Sports Hub. Thirteen partners from the food & beverage, fashion, and sports merchandise sectors are currently on-board, which include brands like adidas, StarHub and OSIM. There are plans to welcome more retailers in an effort to provide cost savings for Team Singapore athletes, especially in the Sports Hub vicinity.

Speaking about the Team Singapore Card, Equestrian Maximillian Tan said: “The wear and tear rate of full-time athletes’ sporting attire is higher than the average sportsperson. For myself, my shoes wear off quite often than the average person because of the way I walk. I believe other athletes will have their fair share of concerns with regard to their sporting-related expenditure and will appreciate the Team Singapore Card.”

The card will not only benefit existing Team Singapore athletes like Maximillian. All former athletes who had represented Singapore in a major games, from as early as the 1st Southeast Asian Peninsula Games in 1959, are also eligible for the card. Team Singapore alumni athlete C Kunalan can be contacted at kunalan_canagasabai@sport.gov.sg for more information.

Ongoing support for Team Singapore athletes

The spexBusiness Network has played an instrumental role in supporting Team Singapore athletes in recent years. This is part of SSI’s ongoing effort to support and prepare our athletes beyond their competitive years.

“Athlete development and support goes beyond their training and the provision of sports science and medicine support services. Holistic development of athletes, should also take into consideration their successful transition into post-sports careers,” said Sport Singapore’s Chief Executive Officer Lim Teck Yin. “We are committed to assisting our athletes in their continuing journey as leaders and contributing members of their community after retirement from competitive sports.”

The spexBusiness Network is strategically positioned as the primary vehicle for SSI to engage Corporate Singapore to build partnerships and create value to support our Team Singapore athletes.