Of Sports and Studies

Mike Lam (L) and his brother, Joseph

His 7-year-old, Jeriel, chirped, “Ladies first, right Dad?”

And Dad proudly beamed at the boy, “That’s right.”

This incident hints at the values the thoughtful father hopes to impart in his three sons and the 55 students under his care. But it was a long journey before Mike realised how much he wanted to impact lives.

When Mike himself was a lad, all he wanted was to be like his brother, Joseph, who excelled in his pursuit of a degree in Accountancy at the Nanyang Technological University. Yet, when Mike followed the trail that big brother had breezed through, he found himself falling behind.

It took Mike three years of plodding through pre-university education before he could secure a place in a local university. Even then, his results were not good enough to read Accountancy. Mike had to humbly accept a position for a less popular degree.

However, through those long years of struggling with academic rigours, he had one bright spark - he shined in the sport of bowling and received mentorship from the late Coach Victor Tham.

Coach Victor, Mike’s Mentor

Coach Victor believed in Mike and threw his energy and passion into moulding Mike’s character through his impressionable teenage years from 13 to 18.

“Victor gave his own time to train me personally, and he gave his own money to help fund my participation in tournaments,” Mike recalls.

In the end, Mike would emerge to make both his coach and parents proud.

In bowling, he would represent Singapore and continue to wear the national colours for the next 15 years. Among his many achievements was winning the prestigious “Team of Five” Bronze Medal at the 1998 Asian Bowling Championships in Taipei.

Nudged Towards a New Direction

In studies, he would graduate with a degree in Economics and Social Work and received an “A-“ in his school report.

“It was the first time I’d seen an “A” next to my name!”

There was more. As a student of Social Work, he had an interesting work experience at the Singapore Prisons Service where an inmate he counselled turned over a new leaf. The man is now the owner of a successful air-conditioner repair and installation business.

All these would nudge Mike towards a new direction in his future career, but not yet.

Upon graduation, Mike followed his brother’s path, taking the traditional route, of course. He became an executive at a statutory board. It was a sensible job with a sensible pay to fund a sensible lifestyle. It was, also, a job that would most likely have paved the way for a secure future.

But, Mike struggled to be content with being an executive… for life. He left almost as soon as he had started, and began what was for him, a more interesting career working with youths – first with young offenders at the Reformative Training Centre, then with future national sportsmen and sportswomen as the General Manager of the Bowling Academy at SSS, where he still is today.

Keeping a Close Eye on Each Child’s Growth

Mike Lam with his charges at the Singapore Sports School

“Our students are passionate about bowling. They are self-motivated and all we need is to provide them with the resources to excel. But, when it comes to studies, it is a different story. Some need to be pushed a little.”

Mike works closely with a team of coaches, teachers and counsellors to keep a close eye on each child’s progress in all of these areas.

To build character, Mike often reminds them to perform acts of kindness. He also organises parent-child activities so that students get to grow close to their parents.

“Every family has its own set of values, and I want parents to be able to pass these on to their children.”

Mike’s Proudest Moments

When asked about his proudest moments, Mike shared two poignant memories:

One was when a friend from a non-profit organization, Life Anew, asked if Mike could provide bowling training for the children of prison inmates during the holidays. Mike asked his students, then numbering 30, for help.

“At that moment, more than 20 of them stood up and volunteered,” he said.

Another memory was when he was offered the opportunity to establish the Bowling Academy.

“It was Victor’s dream to establish an academy like this, where students can pursue both bowling and studies. I knew that this was my chance to help him establish a bowling legacy in Singapore.” Mike said that if Victor was around, he would “be really proud to see where we are now.”

One timeless advice from the Mike, “Study hard. I’m glad I persevered in my studies. I wouldn’t have had this opportunity to achieve my mentor’s dream had I been purely focused on bowling.”

About the Author: The Dads for Life Resource Team comprises local content writers and experts, including psychologists, counsellors, educators and social service professionals, dedicated to developing useful resources for dads.

Comments (0)

Show/hide comments

Show/hide comment form