How Young Sportswoman Yeo Jia Min Stays on Top of the Game

Miss Yeo Jia Min’s first brush with badminton came at the age of seven. She followed her parents to the former Vincent Hall along Upper Bukit Timah Road where they played badminton recreationally.

She too picked up the racket and played occasionally with her parents’ friends. To occupy her time there, her mother, Madam Judy Wong, asked a badminton coach she knew if Jia Min could take lessons under him.

The once-a-week training under Jia Min’s first badminton coach, Mr Tan Eng Han, an ex-national doubles player, led her to enter her first competition in the Cheers Age Group (Singles) Under-11.

Jia Min, who was eight, played against a ten-year-old and though she did not win, it was the start of her keen interest and passion for the sport. “I just feel good whenever I play badminton. Playing badminton is more like taking a break from my studies while having fun at the same time,” she says. “Although trainings may be quite tough at times, I still enjoy it because I love the game.”

Over the years, Jia Min has won these games and awards:

• The Under-11 championship title at age 9, when she played in the 2008 Cheers Age Group (Singles) Badminton Championships.
• The Under-11 singles title in 2009 at age 10, when she represented Singapore at the Li-Ning Youth International.
• The Under-14 Berita Harian/Pilot Pen/Ashaway Youth Badminton Championship.
• The Under-15 Singles of the 2010 Li-Ning National Age Group quarter-finalist at age 11, and clinched the title the year after in 2011.

Last year, Jia Min was selected into the National Intermediate Squad (NIS) at the age of 12 and was its youngest member. In March this year, Jia Min triumphed again with the Under-19 singles title for the National Junior Championships.

As part of the NIS, trainings took on a different intensity for her. She trains an average of 4.5 to 5.5 hours daily, except on Sundays. How does the 13-year-old juggle school and a hectic training schedule? “I learnt how to manage my time better, prioritise and make use of the free time that I may have,” she says.

For this self-motivated young badminton athlete, movies and shopping with friends are some of the sacrifices she makes. “As I have to spend so much time attending competitions or trainings, I have to work doubly hard within the limited time. I have to get homework and revisions done in order to get the grades that I would be able to get if I had the time to study as a normal student.” However, she adds that juggling both her studies and badminton has made her stronger, mentally and physically. “I am better able to take the stress and difficulties which I face, deal with them and overcome them,” she says.

Jia Min, formerly a student of Nanyang Girls’ High School (NYGH), entered the Singapore Sports School last month where she will balance an intensive training schedule and competitions along with her school work. “We considered long and hard before deciding on the transfer of schools,” says Madam Wong. “Jia Min enjoys the learning at NYGH and her teachers have been so patient and helpful in her studies as she pursues her sport.” Jia Min is grateful for the times when her NYGH teachers extended the homework deadlines. They also gave her extra classes upon her return from competitions overseas so that she could cope with her studies.

The biggest credit goes to her parents who have played an instrumental role in encouraging, shaping and making an impact on her when it comes to badminton. “They have been supporting me tirelessly, taking care of my nutritional needs and providing me with moral support at every competition local or overseas,” she says. She also learnt to place greater importance on being a person of good character above her sporting achievements. “My mum stresses to me that I should be a champion of character and to be humble and respectful, whether I am a sports person or not.”

“My mum stresses to me that I should be a champion of character and to be humble and respectful, whether I am a sports person or not.” –Yeo Jia Min

Madam Wong, a lawyer, and her architect husband, take turns to send Jia Min to her training sessions daily and they are present for all training sessions in the evening. Madam Wong also ensures Jia Min has family time with her second elder brother over weekend dinners at home.

For now, as she begins a new term at the Singapore Sports School, Jia Min’s goal for this year is to win the ANA Asia Youth Tournament in Japan in October. “I see myself pursuing a career in badminton and my dream in the future is to represent Singapore to get a gold medal in the Olympics,” she says.