Joseph Schooling Does Singapore Proud!

[cool_hi]

zbear:

What is the big deal of passing a motion in Parliament to officially recognize JS achievement? What is the significance of this act? Does it change anything?


Why is it mandatory for JS to give back 20% ($200k) back to the Association when they didn't do anything for him? Isnt his training all these years in USA n will be for the next 4 years?

Ya man!!
So meaningless.

Talk is cheap+FOC..
Real Action speaks louder than words!

To people who criticise us for criticising,
We are merely speaking up for the Schoolings whom we observe
To be extremely gracious,&been fighting a silent battle..
We may seem to be ungracious in cirticising but it's for their sake..
Coz there is another important 4 years ahead..
&By then,His dad is 72 years old!!his mum 65!
Some of u people discussing & worry about retirement,
what about these 2 highly respectable elderly who made our 1st gold possible!!?
Shouldn't we let them age with less worries??
& let JS focus on training with no financial worries for his parents?!?
国宝国宝叫到这么好听！
请用实际行动表示支持！
No lip service please!!

[Sutton]

zbear:

cool_hi:

https://www.facebook.com/nicholas.lee.16940/posts/10153632748626415


Hope some companies can step out and sponsor him..
Though No support from the beginning..
But now is still not too late..esp his parents are getting older..

Thanks for the link. It's sad that our garmen does not support local talent as much as foreign talent.

At the end of the day, our local talent brought in the Gold solely on his own self unlike a Bronze from foreign talent who costs more to support.

Is that why Quah doesn't want to try for 2020 Olympics anymore?

I find it appalling that the Schoolings have actually spent US$1mil to nurture and fund their budding swimmer son to realise his dream of becoming an Olympic medallist. And that money has to come from Joseph's aging parents' pocket? What has the G been doing for him all these years in terms of financial support?

Now that Joseph's dream has come to fruition, his gift money of SGD1 mil has to be taxed and so forth, such that he is left with only 2/3 of the money. To begin with, has the G or Sports association granted him with at least $300k to support his exploits in swimming all these years? Our foreign imports have certainly received much much more in comparison from the G for their sporting talents. What a shame! How could the G not identify such a gem in JS right from the start and do all possibles to facilitate his journey and pursuits in education and swimming? Instead he was granted a scholarship from the Texas university. It takes a foreign institution to spot our local rare gems and our G is probably good at spotting foreign talents.

The coming of Joseph Schooling has certainly shed some light into what our local talents have been going through in order to realise their dreams and for us to seriously reflect on exactly how much and how far we can do for them to facilitate and make their journey less complex, but more enriching and fulfilling. Needless to say, financial support is topmost.

It takes extraordinary leaders to make ordinary people extraordinary.

Colin and May Schooling are undeniably the most extraordinary leaders in the life of Joseph Schooling.

[floppy]

Why is people surprised by the 20% rule?

Ok, I understand no one really follow sports until something big like JS comes along, but the ploughing back to NSA rule has been there since the http://www.singaporeolympics.com/multi-million-dollar-awards-programme-map/ was incepted.

It isn't the first time that JS is receiving http://www.singaporeolympics.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/MAP-2012-to-2015.pdf so he definitely understand the rules. $10k for his first gold in a SEA Games, $200k for his first gold in the Asian games are some examples of what he has received (before deductions) over the recent years. Add them all up and I would expect no less than $300k.

[jtoh]

zbear:

[


Yes, I am referring to Quah Zheng Wen. I see he has potential n like u said, if given support all the way, I believe he can also produce a medal. I read that he didn't apply for NS deferment, that is why I concluded he doesn't want to try the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Not every family can afford financial support like JS, so it's really a loss to our nation.

Maybe Zheng Wen is going to focus on uni? He has a place in medicine.

[zbear]

jtoh:

zbear:

[


Yes, I am referring to Quah Zheng Wen. I see he has potential n like u said, if given support all the way, I believe he can also produce a medal. I read that he didn't apply for NS deferment, that is why I concluded he doesn't want to try the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Not every family can afford financial support like JS, so it's really a loss to our nation.

Maybe Zheng Wen is going to focus on uni? He has a place in medicine.

Oh really? Then it's better for him to build his career rather than swimming. He has to take care of himself since Ah Gong is not going to do anything.

DH told me that a Malaysian medalist (silver) received cash award n pension for life. That is really something!

[jetsetter]

floppy:

Why is people surprised by the 20% rule?

Ok, I understand no one really follow sports until something big like JS comes along, but the ploughing back to NSA rule has been there since the http://www.singaporeolympics.com/multi-million-dollar-awards-programme-map/ was incepted.

It isn't the first time that JS is receiving http://www.singaporeolympics.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/MAP-2012-to-2015.pdf so he definitely understand the rules. $10k for his first gold in a SEA Games, $200k for his first gold in the Asian games are some examples of what he has received (before deductions) over the recent years. Add them all up and I would expect no less than $300k.

I don't understand what's with the fuss either, floppy. Michael Phelps and many US Olympians have to pay \"Victory Taxes\" too. Maybe the critics are just ignorant?

http://time.com/money/4452870/2016-rio-olympics-michael-phelps-taxes/?xid=time_socialflow_facebook

Will critics make noise if it was the foreign imports that had to set aside the 20%? Won't they applaud the policy? :siao:


There's another misconception among Singaporean critics which is that American Olympics sportsmen are fully sponsored by the Federal Govt. No, not true at all. Perhaps in socialist countries like China and Russia, but not the US. Many resorted to crowd funding as well, like our Rower.

http://www.teamusa.org/us-olympic-and-paralympic-foundation/team-usa-fund
[quote]The U.S. Olympic Committee, unlike its competitors around the world, does not receive funding from the federal government for its Olympic programs. Instead, Team USA athletes rely on the generosity of the American people to achieve their dreams.[/quote]Why should anyone be surprised that JS' folks had to sponsor his professional training from age 14-15 onwards in the US? Won't taxpayers raise hell if the Govt had to sponsor a teen who hadn't - at that point - shown any tangible results or broken any significant records yet at age 14? The Govt will only sponsor when there're results and potential has been identified/guaranteed by talent scouts and renowned Olympic-level coaches/referees. And indeed after results had been produced, the Govt did award the \"spexScholarship\" to JS in 2013. The stipend isn't a lot, compared to the hundreds of thousands his folks forked out since he was 8, but good enough and I think JS' family is appreciative. They aren't complaining, so why should those annoying keyboard warriors? :scratchhead:

[jetsetter]

zbear:

cool_hi:

https://www.facebook.com/nicholas.lee.16940/posts/10153632748626415


Hope some companies can step out and sponsor him..
Though No support from the beginning..
But now is still not too late..esp his parents are getting older..

Thanks for the link. It's sad that our garmen does not support local talent as much as foreign talent.

At the end of the day, our local talent brought in the Gold solely on his own self unlike a Bronze from foreign talent who costs more to support.

Is that why Quah doesn't want to try for 2020 Olympics anymore?

Quah and hundreds of sportsmen, both local and foreign, had received the spexscholarhip award.

http://www.straitstimes.com/sites/straitstimes.com/files/20130924/spexScholars%202013.pdf

[lynntan15]

zbear:

jtoh:

[quote=\"zbear\"][


Yes, I am referring to Quah Zheng Wen. I see he has potential n like u said, if given support all the way, I believe he can also produce a medal. I read that he didn't apply for NS deferment, that is why I concluded he doesn't want to try the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Not every family can afford financial support like JS, so it's really a loss to our nation.

Maybe Zheng Wen is going to focus on uni? He has a place in medicine.

Oh really? Then it's better for him to build his career rather than swimming. He has to take care of himself since Ah Gong is not going to do anything.[/quote]Quah is a winner by himself even though he didn't win any Olympic medal at this moment. The same determination/focus/attitude that he has, I believe he will be a famous doctor/surgeon in the future.

[jetsetter]

zbear:

What is the big deal of passing a motion in Parliament to officially recognize JS achievement? What is the significance of this act? Does it change anything?


Why is it mandatory for JS to give back 20% ($200k) back to the Association when they didn't do anything for him? Isnt his training all these years in USA n will be for the next 4 years?

Passing motion is no big deal as you do that daily too in the loo.

Moving a motion in the House is a big deal. Perhaps people have momentarily forgotten that the Parliament is one of the 3 (sacred) organs of state under our Constitution: Executive (Elected President), Legislature (Parl and law-making) and Judiciary. As it was a historic win, first Olympic Gold in fact, it was only befitting that members accorded him the highest honour possible in the House.

Why did TCJ move that motion? A motion is a proposal for MPs to get something done or to express an opinion on a topic of interest. It's for the House, regardless of political party, to give formal recognition to JS really.

Doesn't JS deserve to be honoured by the EP in Rio, followed by the Parliament elected by the people of Singapore? If the Parliament didn't give him the standing ovation that he deserved on Monday, would critics make more noises again, especially since JS is an SC? :roll:

Would it change anything? I'm not sure, but you can read TCJ's speech delivered in the House on Monday. It's mainly to give him the highest possible acclamation in the presence of the PM and the cabinet ministers, etc, as well as to inspire JS and the next gen of sportsmen I guess.

I think the next platform will be this Sunday's NDR.

[jetsetter]

floppy:

Depending on your definition of \"proving themselves\". Some are brought in young, and solely kept based on their estimated potential. Those who succeed eventually, stayed. Those who don't, say goodbye. It's like a job, with citizenship (that few care about) attached.

However, the Gov does support them from the beginning as they are brought in here to train. So there's a stipend plus accommodation, education, etc that the Gov takes care of.

BTW, while I say the Gov support is appalling in my previous post, it should be noted that there's a spexScholarship available for our athletes. The top tier athletes (which JS also belongs to) can receive a monthly stipend of up to $8,000. While the cash injection is welcome, I am not sure that's the level of support that will ensure our sporting success*

*Off topic: I was thinking about the baby bonus. While the cash injection is also welcome, it didn't really solve our growth rate, resulting in the mass import of abled bodies.

Earlier I mentioned latent talent, DNA, physical attributes, etc. I think the spexscholarship panel must also consider their innate potential and run a professional test (maybe like the bone test that JS underwent in the US), before dishing out millions of bucks to groom our youth athletes, for accountability's sake?

A former provincial table tennis coach from China once told my dh (hearsay hearsay) that the Chinese national team hoards their best young talent and only 'spares'/releases their second tier paddlers for 'export' to other countries. Or in fact, the national paddlers themselves (and parents) already knew their own potential and that they had been relegated to the second tier backup team, before they agreed to sign on with other countries' national teams.

The savvy Chinese coaches could tell from the sportsmen's base stats (or in Pokemon Go's lingo, \"IV\" aka Individual Value aka latent DNA) when they were sent to the national team for professional grooming. A young player may display superb Combat Power (\"CP\") in some early competitions but if one doesn't possess the best \"IV\", they may never be able to reach the same level as those worldclass gold medalists.

In the mid-90s when Team Singapore sent its talent scouts to scout for talented paddlers, the cream of the crop like Zhang Yining, Wang Nan, Deng Yaping, etc. were not offered to us, hence we had to take in the second tier ones like Li Jiawei, Wang Yuegu, Jing Junhong... Was no coincidence nor due to axxluck that our imports could never beat those first tier paddlers from China in the Olympics. Their \"IV\" were just not in the same league as those national treasures hoarded by the Chinese national team. We must be realistic when we import talent from overseas.