Sook Ting is a national volleyball player while Katrina is a synchronised swimmer and both emerged as top scorers in the 2009 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) and Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR) examinations respectively.
Their success epitomises the very foundation that the BJSS is build on – to help athletes reach for the sky in sports and studies.
But the juggling act is not something that came naturally for the 465 students of this school.
Class act: Under the committed group of BJSS teachers, the students have done well academically despite their heavy sports schedule.
After a hard and tiring day at the training field, athletes would look for ways to skip classes. Attendance too was poor due to heavy competition schedules and there was generally a glaring lack of interest and attentiveness among the students in class.
The mindset, however, has changed over the years, according to BJSS principal and former track queen Marina Chin.
“In fact, last year was a fantastic one for BJSS. We improved in all the Key Performance Index (KPI) areas by two per cent,” said a beaming Marina, a former national hurdler.
“Our students did well in sports, thanks to our better working relationship with the National Sports Associations (NSAs).
Time out: BJSS principal Marina Chin having a chat with (from left) netballer Norashikin Kamal Zaman, student head Farah Ann Abdul Hadi, Lee Wan Yin and Elaine Koon. Farah, Wan Yin and Elaine are national gymnasts.
“Some of our athletes also did well at the Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games last year. They are also big medal contributors at the SEA Games.
“Thankfully, under our committed group of teachers, the students also did well academically despite the heavy sports schedule last year.
“Usually, the parents send their children here because of their talents in sports. Now, they also look at this school as a place to attain sound education.”
BJSS vice-principal Suhaimi Sun Abdullah, who attends to the students’ affairs, hit the nail on the head when he spoke on the changes in the atmosphere of the school, saying in jest: “The students used to crawl to classes but now, they practically run.”
The students’ disciplinary record too is turning to be exemplary.
In fact, when a group of junior hockey players were reportedly bullied by their seniors, the school took immediate action.
Said Marina: “It was simply a case of the younger boys being disrespectful to the seniors. It was settled amicably.
“Those found guilty were suspended and had to miss a game. It was just one small incident that has been taken care of.”
The use of demerit systems and suspension from competitions seems to have kept the students on their toes and have taught them to respect and obey rules.
Marina said that the students in BJSS were also taught to channel their focus on both sports and studies.
“Yes, I would love to see all my students achieve great heights in sports and studies but I also believe in giving a child the right to choose,” she said.
“I keep reminding them that both sports and education are important.
“Sporting success makes one marketable and opens up a host of job opportunities. There was a Form Two boy who decided that his calling was in medicine and I had to let him go.”
The success of the BJSS athletes is also due to the good communication and great understanding shown by Marina and her team of teachers.
Rhythmic gymnast Elaine Koon was allowed to defer her Form Five examinations last year so that she could focus on the New Delhi Commonwealth Games.
The move paid dividends when Elaine bagged the gold medal in the hoop event.
Diving star Pandelela Rinong insisted that she wanted to sit for the SPM despite competing in both the Commonwealth and Asian Games and her teachers ensured that she was given the best assistance possible in her studies.
“We have to be flexible in the way we deal with the different athletes from different sports. Each athlete has his or her own needs. At the end of the day, we want only the best for them,” said Marina.
“We are happy that we continue to receive strong support from the Ministry, parents and the National Sports Council (NSC). This year, our goal is to produce more talents and champions both on the sporting and education fields.”
While BJSS may be heading on the right path in striking a balance in sports and studies, the same, however, cannot be said about other schools.
Asked to comment on the dwindling role of schools in promoting sports in all the states, Marina said: “Honestly, I think the schools are doing just fine. This is evident from the big number of entries in the national schools (MSSM) competitions.
“Times have changed and there are so many distractions, yet the schools have done their best to keep the interest going in sports.
“Every state has been allocated fund and land to start their own sports school. BJSS have limited seats and those who do not make it to this school will now have other options.
“Personally, I think we seriously need to look into those aged between 18-23 years old. Some of them do not know where to go after school to pursue their sporting careers.
“We are losing these talents because we are neglecting this age group.”
Marina firmly believes that schools can once again be the bedrock for Malaysian sporting talents if the right balance is given.
But, are the other schools ready for the job?
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