Unlocking potential through sport

At CIS, sport has always been about more than winning games.

Sport is a major part of life at CIS.

Across Junior and Senior School, more than 1,200 student athletes participate in CIS athletics each year.

Students compete as CIS Huskies across a wide range of sports, developing confidence, leadership, teamwork, resilience, and healthy habits that support lifelong wellbeing.

It is where students discover confidence, learn resilience, build friendships and challenge themselves in ways that stay with them long after the final whistle.

The Academy of Sport (AOS) brings all of this together into one connected programme designed to support students from Grade 3 through to U19.

The CIS  Academy of Sport creates opportunities for students throughout their school journey  to participate, improve, compete and grow — whatever their starting point.

The Academy of Sport supports students across a wide range of sports including:

• Football
• Basketball
• Volleyball
• Netball
• Rugby
• Touch Rugby
• Badminton
• Swimming
• Cross Country
• Track & Field
• Golf
• Ultimate Frisbee

Students are encouraged to participate in different sports throughout the year. Some students may be stepping onto a court or field for the very first time. Others may already be competing at a high level and looking for the next challenge. AOS is designed to support both.

A whole-school approach to sport

The Academy of Sport creates clear pathways, structured development and strong connections between participation, performance and wellbeing.

Sport is not treated as something separate from school life, it is woven into the broader student experience.

It works alongside:

• Physical Education (PE)
• ECAs and recreational sport
• Competitive school teams
• Athlete development programmes
• Strength and conditioning support
• Student wellbeing initiatives

The goal is simple: to create an environment where students feel motivated to stay active, try new things and continue developing over time.

What makes AOS different

A clear pathway for students

One of the biggest challenges in school sport can be knowing what comes next.

The Academy of Sport creates a clear pathway from Primary through to Varsity-level competition so students can continue progressing as they grow.

The programme is designed to:

• Encourage wide participation across all year levels
• Help students build confidence
• Support long-term athletic development
• Create opportunities for both recreational and competitive athletes
• Offer progression for students with high-performance ambitions

At CIS, every student  has a place within the Academy of Sport

More training opportunities

Students improve when they have consistent opportunities to train, compete and learn.

The Academy of Sport provides structured weekly training across both Primary and Secondary school. 

Primary programme

• 1–2 training sessions each week
• Foundational movement and skill development
• Confidence-building through participation
• Early exposure to team sport and competition

Secondary programme

• 2–3 training sessions each week
• Tactical and technical development
• Competition preparation
• Strength and conditioning integration

The focus is not only on performance, but also enjoyment, consistency and long-term growth.

Coaching that builds culture

The Academy of Sport is built around a staff-led coaching model that prioritises consistency, relationships and student development.

Students thrive when they are coached by adults who know them, understand the school community and genuinely care about their growth.

The goal is to create sporting environments where students feel:

• Stronger team culture
• Greater consistency across programmes
• Positive relationships between students and coaches
• Coaching environments aligned with CIS values

Students are encouraged to compete hard, support each other and represent the school with pride. You will often hear our teams talking about effort, attitude and teamwork just as much as results.

Global experiences and opportunities

Some of the most memorable moments in school sport happen beyond campus and Singapore.

Through the Academy of Sport, CIS provides students with opportunities to travel, compete and represent CIS internationally through tours and competitions across Asia.

These opportunities may include:

• Overseas competitions across Asia
• International sporting exchanges
• Expanded fixture schedules
• Exposure to different coaching styles and competition levels
• Cultural learning through travel and sport

For many students, these trips become defining memories of their time at CIS.

Supporting the whole athlete

Strong athletic programmes look beyond results.

The Academy of Sport is designed to support the student through programmes that focus on wellbeing, recovery, confidence and healthy performance habits.

Alongside team training, students may benefit from:

• Strength and conditioning support
• Athlete wellbeing initiatives
• Recovery and injury-prevention education
• Nutrition and sports psychology workshops
• Individual support for scholarship and high-performance athletes

CIS also  develops various  support systems around:

• College and university athletic pathways
• Connections with external clubs and organisations
• Alternative sporting pathways beyond school competition

The aim is to help students develop healthy habits and positive relationships with sport that continue well beyond school.

Facilities that match ambition

CIS has a wide range of excellent sporting  facilities, training environments and competition spaces across campus.

Students currently train in world-class facilities including a 50m Olympic-sized swimming pool, a 25m covered heated training pool, a competition-sized football field, three gymnasiums, a fully equipped training gym, four tennis courts, four pickleball courts, a futsal field and an outdoor basketball court.

These spaces are used daily by students across all ages and ability levels — from recreational participation through to high-performance training.

Swimming at CIS

A signature sport

Swimming continues to be one of the flagship programmes at CIS. 

The programme provides a clear pathway from beginner development through to high-performance competition.

Swim programme pathway

• Learn to Swim Programme
• Pre-Competitive Squad
• Entry-Level Competitive Squad
• Performance Squad

Students can access opportunities ranging from:

• Intra-club/school meets
• Friendly competitions
• ACSIS events
• National qualifying championships
• International travel meets

Training is available before school, after school and on weekends.

Performance swimmers may also access:

• Up to seven training sessions each week
• Gym support
• Recovery guidance
• Nutrition support

Official recognition

The CIS Swim Team is officially registered:

• As a swimming club with the Singapore Swimming Association (SSA)
• As a school team within ACSIS

Through SSA affiliation, qualifying swimmers may access recognised national and international competitions.

By the numbers

CIS athletics at scale

The 2024–25 school year highlights the scale of athletics at CIS:

• 1,200+ student athletes
• 80+ competitive teams currently competing
• Potential growth to approximately 140 teams annually
• Over 400 games, fixtures and sporting events played
• Multiple weekly training sessions across Primary and Secondary programmes
• Year-round sporting opportunities across all divisions

Behind every number is a student building confidence, learning resilience and finding connection through sport.

Frequently Asked Questions