Seven national softball players were named as the first batch of recipients of the Singapore Baseball and Softball Association (SBSA) Community Scholarship, an award that recognises athletes (tertiary student or adults) who have demonstrated excellence, resilience, and commitment to the Women Softball.

Supported by our community crowdfunding efforts, the Softball Women team received a committed pledge donation of $50,000 over 5 years ($10,000 annually). The Scholarship aims to provide opportunities for our athletes to gain exposure and develop their skills through overseas trainings; give recognition of the athlete’s commitment and contribution; and lastly, to lower their financial burden.

Our 2025 inaugural cohort comprises:

§  Youth Award winner with $300 Cash:

·    Kirthana d/o Ganeson

§  Stewardship Award winners with $800 Cash:

·    Chua Si Ning

·    Stefani Choong

§  Platinum Award winners with $2000 Cash:

·    Adelia Koh Rui Wen

·    Andrea Lim Ying Hui

·    Charlize Goh Yun Fang

·    Liow Wan Yu

For the athletes, the scholarship serves as both validation and motivation. “Being one of the first recipients feels like recognition for every early-morning training, every bruise, every mistake I learned from,” said Andrea, who first picked up the sport at nine years old.

Stefani and Charlize, recent NUS and NTU graduates, delayed job-hunting to focus on training, and added that the award helped to take some weight off their shoulders, signalling local support for softball athletes is growing.

Athletes often highlight the financial challenges of competing internationally while studying or working. Wan Yu, who has worked part-time for a year to fund her trips, said that she believes that “this scholarship will provide a significant financial support for future athletes who aspire to travel overseas to develop themselves.” Si Ning echoed this, noting that the support helped offset some costs of travelling to six countries for training and competitions just alone this year in preparation for SEA Games 2025. Reflecting on key experiences that shaped them, the recipients consistently pointed to the people around them. “The support from my parents, coaches, and teammates through the years is what has kept me going,” said Si Ning.

As the first cohort, the scholars also spoke directly to those who will follow in their footsteps. “Make the most of this opportunity and continue growing every day,” encouraged a young Kirthana. Adelia also urged future recipients to define success for themselves: “Live for yourself, trust your journey, break the norms and don’t be afraid to take that leap of faith.” Wan Yu added, “There is always a place for you to shine if you put in the effort.”

Finally, Adelia spoke as the athlete representative of the awardees. In her acceptance speech, she emphasised that this scholarship was significant for her as it gives recognition and serves as a reminder that our journey: the time, effort and sacrifices we have chosen to make truly matters. “Even though these may be individual awards, our journey would not have been possible without our team. We will continue to support each other and build a stronger, more united softball community. We also hope to pay this forward by supporting younger players and being role models for the next generation. Thank you to the generosity of our donors and SBSA for believing and supporting our women athletes.”

She added, “Thank you to our coaches who push us, our teammates who train alongside us, and our families who support us in ways big and small. Because of you, we are able to pursue training opportunities, both locally and overseas, that enables us to compete at a higher level.”

The SBSA Community Scholarship marks another milestone for the softball development in Singapore. For its inaugural recipients, it is not just support for their athletic and academic pursuits, but a powerful affirmation of their journeys — and a beacon for the next generation of players.

We'd like to congratulate our award recipients and we look forward to more applicants in the coming years.

Applications open 1 April (2025 – 2029) and closes 31 Aug (2025 – 2029).

For more details, please visit our website at https://www.sbsa.org.sg/sbsa-community-athlete-scholarship-sgw or contact SBSA staff admin.ops@sbsa.org.sg

New article reference of the launch: https://www.sbsa.org.sg/post/launch-of-sbsa-community-athlete-scholarship-sg-women-softball