by Raffles Softball’17
Softball is a sport that puts one’s physical and mental strength to the test. A fast-paced sport, almost everything occurs at breakneck speed.
Playing softball requires one to have extreme focus at every point in time; to eye the pitch, to swing the bat accurately, and to throw the ball to make the right plays as runners advance from base to base.
This may seem like an arduous task, but Raffles Softball ensures that every member of the team, regardless of his or her abilities, is able to achieve the skills to do so. Spending three afternoons every week under the merciless sun, we train to stretch ourselves beyond our potentials in order to play our best for the team.
Some see softball purely as a sport of hitting home runs and throwing someone out; but we believe that softball has the ability to teach us more than meets the eye.
Teamwork is critical for the success of such a sport, where we try our best not just for ourselves but for the team. Every member plays an essential role in ensuring that we persevere through the hardships that come along with this sport.
Through ups and downs, we celebrate everyone’s successes and push through the difficult times of our teammates as if it were our own. Working towards our common goal of a grand slam title in the annual inter-school competitions, our camaraderie goes beyond the physical entity of the sport, and inculcates important values of true friendship, respect, and communication.
Raffles Softball’s rich history dates back to 1960, with RI principal (1988-2000) Mr Lee Fong Seng initially spearheading RI Softball as its first teacher-in-charge. After it was founded, the team worked hard to establish itself and so began the team’s streak of success, attaining 82 championship titles since 1970. In 2016, the A division boys and girls team attained 1st and 3rd respectively at the National A Divisions, and 2nd and 1st respectively at the Singapore Recreational Club (SRC) Softball Carnival.
To further increase our exposure to the sport, the Old Rafflesian Association (ORA) formed by the alumni of Raffles Softball, has been giving back to the school by constantly providing support to the team, even until today. In organising mini tournaments and overseas competitions, they gear our teams up for our inter-school tournaments.
Despite consisting of very different individuals, Raffles Softball comes together as an extensive family with unwavering support for one another. Our dedicated teachers and coaches ensure that we reap the most from our training sessions. We have teachers-in-charge who ensure that all our players are well taken care of, and coaches who drive us to do our best and unleash our passion for the sport. We are also privileged to have a large field and plenty of equipment, which allow us to optimise our training sessions.
Through the years, Raffles Softball has become more than just a team in a CCA. To us, it is family. It is undeniable that softball is a challenging sport and along with it comes enormous pressure to train hard and do well.
But after the blood, sweat and tears, there will always be joy and laughter which makes softball meaningful. This journey is worthwhile for everyone to experience, and if you are up for the challenge, join Raffles Softball.
