Maris Stella High

[beanstalk]

Are the boys on the school team or training to be on it? From what I hear, this type of frequency - considered low by some - is normal for kids on school/niche CCAs. I know of kids on school teams who practise 5x a week, including Sundays.


The fees are rather high though. Can they get sponsorship since they have potential?

[bigfoot]

VVJJ:

Hi parents,


Not sure if anyone shares the same sentiments as me. My P3 boys are taking badminton as cca. Trainings are now conducted thrice weekly which I felt excessive as my boys have homework/enrichment/spelling and long list of tingxies to learn weekly. I wonder if it's a must to have thrice weekly trainings. Presumably if my boys have remedials at later stage, that would means they would need to stay back in school more frequently. Yesterday, they came back with a letter from badminton coach. The charge for the training is now at $8 per hour. That means around $200 per month for each child. Personally, I feel it's expensive (I have 2 boys!). I wonder why it has to be charged at an hourly rate rather than flat rate. Besides, it's not competition season. To me, thrice weekly training literaly means more $ for the coach. I spoke to the coach earlier but he doesn't sound helpful. Keeps pushing responsibility back to the school and said he's being stressed by the school as well.

Anyone can share your views/thoughts?

Just sharing my thoughts on the Badminton Development Programme for P1-P3. My DS was in the programme. However, I withdrawed him this year. He is in P2 and I find the twice a week training too taxing for him, especially on Thursday. We also find that the cost is too high given that it's a group training. If DS can pick up badminton on his own, then we would let him go for the trial in P4/P5. Usually coaching fee is supposed to be paid by school but since this is not exactly a school training (it's a development programme), the arrangement is between the parents and the coach (or his company). I personally find the cost high because it is group training. I believe the coach was also pressured by the school to produce results and thus he has to increase the frequency of his training. I suggest talking to the CCA HOD instead of the coach if that is the case.

DS used to attend Berries on a weekday evening when he was starting P1. We had a hard time getting him to complete his schoolwork before getting him ready for Berries. We are very sure that we do not want to go through that nightmare again and thus the decision to withdraw. Having said that, every child is different. I believe there are many other child who can cope with such arrangement. At the end of the day, do what you think is best for your child. If he is really interested in badminton, he must make it a point to complete his homework and learn all the spelling. Make a deal with him.

[bigfoot]

beanstalk:

Are the boys on the school team or training to be on it? From what I hear, this type of frequency - considered low by some - is normal for kids on school/niche CCAs. I know of kids on school teams who practise 5x a week, including Sundays.


The fees are rather high though. Can they get sponsorship since they have potential?

Normally the intensity of training will increase before the tournament starts. Once the national or zonal championship is over, the training should be back to normal, ie about twice a week training. For those really good players, I believe they do have additional training outside school. They maybe under some youth development training by the badminton association of singapore.

[cherrygal]

The timing of the CCA is disrupting DS’ study/ tuition schedule and we parents also need to fetch here fetch there. Why must there be so many training sessions for pple not on the school team? I am tempted to take him out but fear that when it is compulsory to take up a CCA, the club may be full by then (since badminton is such a popular club).


hi beanstalk, the training is free for school team members. For others who want to learn, they must pay.

The fee is $126/mth for P2 (twice a week). The refundable deposit of $105 is one-time only right?

[VVJJ]

Hi Beanstalk, my boys are not in the school team. They are in the badminton youth development programme. Honestly I really see no reason why it has to be thrice training once the boys hit P3.


Hi Bigfoot and cherrygal, I certainly do agree that the training sessions are taxing for the kids. In fact when my boys were in P2 last year, the trainings on Sat clashed with their English enrichment class. In the end, there are certain days they missed the trainings or they will leave their enrichment class earlier just to attend the trainings. You can imagine how my hubby and myself had crazy Sats last year with all those ferryings within 10 mins between enrichment class and trainings!
This year, I supposedly scheduled their English lessons to a weekday class so that they can attend badminton trainings at ease. Who would have know that the coach increases the trainings to thrice weekly! The moment I saw the hourly rate, I was like \" this is an increase of at least 30% in fees\".

Cherrygal, I'm also having a dilemma now. Cracking my head whether to drop them from badminton trainings. In fact, last year they are in the wushu school team but after speaking to the badminton coach, we dropped wushu so that boys can concentrate on badminton. The frustating part is the coach did not tell me that effective P3, it will be thrice weekly session. Felt cheated in a sense. I did a rough calculation. The coach might be earning a lot just by judging the number of students they are currently coaching. I can't imagine myself paying abt $400 per month for my 2 boys badminton fees

And now, they are collecting deposit! wonder how they keep record of the deposit and how long it will take for them to refund should we withdraw in the end. I decided to talk to the teacher in charge of badminton next week though I know chances of them reducing the fees are slim.

[beanstalk]

Maybe they’re being prepped for the school team?


If this is purely recreational, I agree 3x a week is too much. And the fees are high. The school should take some responsibility and help manage this, especially if badminton is a key sport.

[beanstalk]

cherrygal:

The fee is $126/mth for P2 (twice a week). The refundable deposit of $105 is one-time only right?

Yes, the $105 deposit is refundable. Signed up my P1 boy for badminton and just read the terms and conditions.

[photoelectric]

Any parents here have kids who joined the string ensemble? Is there some kind of pre-requisite to join? Are they required to do a lot of performance? ie the boys have to stay back to practice very often? Thanks

[24hr-mum]

any idea whether there are still parent volunteers or sch staff to help direct the kids to the gen office when they alight from sch bus in the morning? esp if the bus doesnt stop exactly in front of the office but just close to it or worse, at the exit lane where there’s a traffic warden to direct traffic? is such help available the whole year round or jus during p1 orientation week whc is over?


for dismissal time, do the drivers still wait for the kids at gen ofc benches or do the kids have to locate the bus themselves and go up themselves?
concerned abt the safety.

[Learning Dad]

24hr-mum:

any idea whether there are still parent volunteers or sch staff to help direct the kids to the gen office when they alight from sch bus in the morning? esp if the bus doesnt stop exactly in front of the office but just close to it or worse, at the exit lane where there's a traffic warden to direct traffic? is such help available the whole year round or jus during p1 orientation week whc is over?


for dismissal time, do the drivers still wait for the kids at gen ofc benches or do the kids have to locate the bus themselves and go up themselves?
concerned abt the safety.

Hi 24hr-mum, I sent DS1 to school today & they were still there to help the kids & direct them. There are 2 drop-off points, 1 near the Gen Office, & the other on the right of water feature/fountain.
Can't answer the after school part as DS1 goes to ASC.