Sport Singapore (SportSG) is driven by a deep passion for leveraging the power of sport to inspire pride and excellence in people’s lives. By harnessing the synergy of collective strengths and working with care and respect, SportSG inspires and empowers individuals to achieve their full potential. These core values serve to motivate its team to serve the community through sport with passion, care and teamwork.

Among SportSG’s dedicated team are Sim Ju-Ee Tabitha and Muhammad Shakir Bin Juanda. Tabitha serves as the Assistant Director, Design and Planning, leading programme development for children and youth. She leads a team of officers and interns to design and implement initiatives such as the Active Parents movement, a nationwide effort aimed at empowering and equipping parents to play an active role in their child’s life and sporting journey.

Shakir is Manager, Sport Performance under the Singapore Sport Institute at SportSG. A key aspect of his role involves ensuring a holistic and integrated approach is taken to enable National Sports Associations (NSAs) to systematically identify, develop and optimise the performance of athletes across the development pathways.

We speak with Tabitha and Shakir to learn about their impactful roles and experiences.

Tell us your motivation for joining SportSG.

Tabitha: I joined SportSG in 2014 as a fresh university graduate and was part of the 28th SEA Games Organising Committee to deliver the 2015 Games. It was the draw of being part of this momentous event that got me excited to be part of the organisation. With the completion of the Games, I transitioned to an ActiveSG members engagement role and did various job rotations within SportSG.

Shakir: After representing Singapore as a national Pencak Silat athlete for over a decade, I developed a deep appreciation for the holistic support system that underpins Team Singapore’s success. This led me to sport performance management following my retirement in 2019, with the goal of leveraging my experience to professionalise sports and to support the development of athletes within NSAs.

Could you describe a typical workday?

Tabitha: My workday usually begins with a double shot of Starbucks vanilla espresso (my current obsession!) and then checking for any urgent emails. There are typically two to three meetings for team/project alignment and cross-functional/agency collaborative discussion. Between these scheduled sessions, I spend time with individual team members to check in on them and work on my own tasks.

Shakir: Beyond administrative tasks, a portion of my time is dedicated to engaging the NSAs to foster a collaborative partnership. This involves gaining a deep understanding of their specific sports and operational needs.

A typical day for me involves working closely with them to provide support across four key pillars—High Performance, Capabilities and Development, Pathway Development, and Governance. This support may take the form of strategic planning, resource allocation, talent development and ensuring adherence to governance standards.

Shakir, could you elaborate on collaborating with NSAs to identify, develop and optimise athlete performance?

I adopt a philosophy akin to Nokia’s (I hope young people reading this have heard of this brand!) tagline of “connecting people.” In this context, my role involves serving as a bridge, connecting NSAs with relevant experts and resources tailored to their specific needs.

The support system encompasses a wide array of resources such as nutritionists, physiotherapists, strength and conditioning coaches, and more. This collaborative approach ensures that the support provided is tailored to the specific requirements, ultimately contributing to athletes’ holistic development and performance optimisation.

When it comes to NSAs’ adoption of enhanced constitutions and compliance, the process begins with NSAs sharing their draft constitutions with me. Subsequently, my team and I will conduct a comprehensive review of the draft, meticulously assessing it against the criteria and guidelines stipulated by the Registry of Societies and the Singapore National Olympic Council.

Tabitha, could you explain the design and implementation of offerings for the Active Parents movement?

The Active Parents movement was born out of a moment of profound change in early 2020 when Covid-19 disrupted our daily lives. Overnight, parents were thrust into working from home, children faced the challenge of home-based learning and community activities came to a halt. It became clear that in this new, isolated reality, keeping families active was more crucial than ever.

Driven by this urgency, our team poured our hearts into creating innovative virtual programmes. We developed parentchild sport and fitness workouts that creatively utilised everyday household items as equipment. Through focus group discussions with parents from various backgrounds, we gathered invaluable insights into their needs and tailored our approach to provide the most relevant support. Our digital resources aim to ignite a passion for active parenting, showing how parents can foster their children’s active start, healthy development and love for sport.

As life gradually returned to normal, we eagerly reintroduced sports in stadiums, on waters, and inside indoor arenas with our newly designed parent-child sport programmes. The joy and enthusiasm from families were encouraging, and witnessing parents actively engaging as coaches, teammates, and cheerleaders to their children was incredibly rewarding.

Since then, we have continued to innovate, creating unique programming and event experiences to strengthen family bonds through sport. Our annual FunFam SportFest has become a beloved highlight for families.

That’s inspiring! What’s a rewarding aspect of your job?

Tabitha:It is in knowing that my contribution can make a real difference in the lives of the people we serve. My job allows me to work with stakeholders in the public-private-people sectors, including preschools and educators, coaches, and parents and children through a wide range of initiatives and partnerships.

Shakir: Witnessing the success of our athletes at major games, particularly when they were awarded Gold medals, is incredibly rewarding. While I may not engage directly with the athletes, knowing that my support in facilitating the creation of an ideal training environment has contributed to their success brings me immense happiness and pride.

Any advice for fresh graduates who aspire to work at SportSG?

Tabitha:Keep an open mind and approach every learning opportunity with sincerity. There is so much to gain from your peers, bosses, and most importantly, the people you serve. Each interaction is a chance to grow and understand the true impact of your work.

Shakir: I often share a mantra that has guided me throughout my time as an athlete and now, in my career—the 3 Ds: Discipline, Dedication and Determination. By embodying these qualities and giving your ultimate best, you can make a difference in anything that you do or pursue.