The IASAS Season 3 of the 2024/2025 academic year was an unforgettable, thrilling, and fun-filled event. Our varsity teams, which included Badminton, Baseball, Fastpitch Softball, Golf, and Track and Field, showed incredible Panther spirit, resilience, and sportsmanship. Our Panthers formed strong bonds and friendships with peers from other IASAS schools, as well as each other, making the event a true testament to the power of teamwork, dedication, and sportsmanship. The event was not just about competition but also about creating lasting memories and having a great time.
In this blog, we delve into the personal journeys of our very own ISKL – IASAS Season 3 athletes. We discover what they were most proud of, their most memorable moments, and the invaluable advice they would give fellow athletes participating next season. Their experiences and wisdom are sure to inspire and motivate all of us.
Here are their stories:
BOYS BADMINTON
(Words by Alan C. (‘26))
Describe your most memorable moments as a team during the IASAS tournament.
Reflecting on our journey throughout the IASAS tournament, I noticed numerous memorable moments as a team, but one stands out among the rest: Winning the consolation match!
Our path in the tournament had been arduous from the start, with high expectations set by our performances at the AIMS and Sunbear badminton tournaments. There was anticipation for a strong showing in the semi-finals or at least securing a medal. However, the reality didn’t align with our hopes. In the opening match, we faced a tough defeat against the Singapore American School (SAS), a bitter pill to swallow in front of our school community. Yet, we rallied and delivered a resounding victory against the International School Manila (ISM) on the second day, earning a spot in the knockout stage.
Our confidence soared, and we were primed for a rematch against SAS, aiming for a spot in the semi-final. Despite a valiant effort, we fell short once again. The disappointment was palpable—a year of hard work and dedication culminated in another consolation match. Spirits were low, with many questioning the purpose of playing for fifth or sixth place. However, our captain, Nihal, rallied the team with a powerful message: “It was not yet time for us to give up. Do we want to return home with a sixth-place finish, or did we want to show that ISKL could achieve more?”
From that moment, the team’s mindset shifted. Despite the initial lack of focus, Nihal’s words ignited a fire within us. Everyone rallied behind each other, giving their all on the court. Jaydon, our Singles 3 player, epitomized resilience, overcoming early struggles to secure a crucial victory. As Singles 1, the pressure was on me in the decisive match when the score was 2-2. With the entire team’s hopes resting on my shoulders, I trailed late in the game. However, the unwavering support from my teammates reignited my determination. This draws me to my IASAS experience last year, in the same position, at the same moment; I refused to lose; therefore, I held on to the pressure and emerged victorious, securing a win for my team.
As we bowed to the crowd, we showed what our team was about: working together, staying strong, and never giving up. This win wasn’t just about one person’s success—it was a sign of how we all came together. It proved that ISKL’s badminton team is strong and can handle anything on the court, surprising everyone and showing what we’re made of.
As a team, what were you most proud of?
As a team, I am most proud of our unwavering spirit and refusal to give up. Throughout the IASAS tournament, we faced stronger, more skilled, and better opponents than us. However, we never allowed that to deter us. We stepped onto the court in every single match and gave it our all. For example, our Doubles 1, Patrick and Arush, fought valiantly against every opponent, coming close to defeating International School Bangkok (ISB), the IASAS champion. Our Singles 2 player, Nihal, displayed incredible resilience against SAS, rallying from a 3-11 deficit to tie the game at 19-19, refusing to give up any points easily. Similarly, in my match against Austin from Taipei American School (TAS), I refused to be demotivated despite losing the first set 11-21 and trailing 11-17 in the second. Instead, I dug deep and fought hard for every point, eventually winning the set 21-19.
Every team member demonstrated a never-say-die attitude and always gave their absolute best on the court. This resilience is something truly unique. While we may not have been the most skilled or talented players at IASAS, we UNDOUBTEDLY possessed the strongest spirit and mindset. With this mindset and spirit, we can achieve the impossible and surprise other schools. Together, as one team, I am confident that we will perform even better next year and reclaim the IASAS title we lost.
What advice would you give to other students who wish to participate in the IASAS Badminton next academic year?
One piece of advice I would give to other students who wish to participate in IASAS Badminton next year is summed up in one word: Eager. Whether you’re eager and hungry enough to win at IASAS, showcasing the spirit of not giving up, fighting for every point, and also that hunger and eagerness to hunt down the IASAS Gold, a champion team may be skilled, but they need a strong mindset to set them up for success.
GIRLS BADMINTON
(Words by Valerie Y. (‘26))
Describe your most memorable moments as a team during the IASAS tournament.
The most memorable moment during IASAS was the games with International School Manila (ISM). We played ISM twice, and the overall score was close. In the first game, we won two of the five games; one of our games went to three sets, and we lost only by two points (20-22).
Doubles 1 was also really memorable because we played well on the first set but lost 19-21 (ISM Doubles 1, the same pair as last year, won all of their games last IASAS). We did not perform well in the second set and lost 7-21. Our Doubles 2 team lost 4-5 games by only 2 points every time they got to deuce.
As a team, what were you most proud of?
As a team, we’re most proud of our growth compared to last year and during IASAS. For the first game this year, most players were not focused on the game, as everyone was not used to the courts, crowd, and the vibes of the game. But as we played more games, we all improved our mentality, and everyone did much better. We are also really proud of our team this year as a whole because this year, we had a chance to win some of our games against other schools, compared to last year.
We are also proud that we have such nice coaches; they helped us improve super quickly in such a short time and helped us during our matches with our mentality. Once, my partner and I were losing badly to our opponent, but after Coach Sabrina talked to us during the breaks, we returned and beat our opponent.
FASTPITCH SOFTBALL
(Words by Grace C. (‘26))
Describe your most memorable moments as a team during the IASAS tournament.
Honestly, it is nearly impossible to choose a specific moment. My teammates and I love each other and treat each other like family throughout the season. A few moments stuck out because every minute we spent together felt like cherished memories and laughs.
Some of the biggest highlights during our IASAS trip to Bangkok were doing TikToks in the airports, creating embarrassing dares for one another at International School Bangkok (ISB), and hyping up the ice bath (even though it is just like cold therapy).
The major reason why I love this sport so much at ISKL is because it brings together some of the best girls in the whole school in terms of attitude, friendliness, and politeness. This helps us create a good team environment full of bonding and non-toxicity throughout the season. This is one of the biggest reasons why most of the team and I look forward to the season throughout the school year.
As a team, what were you most proud of?
Speaking on behalf of the girls who attended the exchange, we are all very proud of our performance there. However, I understand that not all of our team members were there, but even if everyone had been there, I’m sure we would’ve had the same or an even better outcome.
Overall, we are very proud of our performance this year, especially in the Women’s League. We beat the Tigresses by one point and won silver against our league teams. We are also very proud that we gave Taipei American School (TAS) a run for their money not just once but twice. I think most of us are very proud of our performance and growth as athletes.
What advice would you give to other students who wish to participate in the IASAS Fastpitch Softball next academic year?
Please come out and join! Want the ball, be aggressive on the field, and be a positive and constructive teammate. If you do that, you will be a great asset to our team in the 2025 Fastpitch season. We will place higher next year, so please come out and join us with your full intensity, athleticism, and humility.
BOYS TRACK AND FIELD
(Words by Nikolai J. (‘27))
Describe your most memorable moments as a team during the IASAS tournament.
My most memorable moment from IASAS is watching the boy’s medley. This was the first and only time the boys got a medal during IASAS, but it was an incredible race to watch. Watching our 400-meter runner move up from 5th to 3rd place, then our 800-meter runner keeping this up, making us come in third and breaking the school record. I remember everyone running on the track congratulating them. It was an amazing moment, showing that track and field is not an individual sport but a team sport.
What advice would you give to other students who wish to participate in the IASAS Track & Field next academic year?
I advise students to start training before the season begins, as there is limited training time before IASAS. Even if you have the best time or distance in your events, you should still train a lot and get better because the competition is tough when you get to IASAS. One last thing is to talk to the coaches and listen to what they say.
GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD
(Words by Daphne L. (‘27))
Describe your most memorable moments as a team during the IASAS tournament.
My most memorable moments during IASAS were all of the relays. No matter who was competing, everyone was cheering on the runners at the finish line. It was so surreal because we were all so proud of our runners when they were competing against the other schools. Whenever someone finished their race and passed the baton, the other runner raced and almost always caught up to the person in front of them.
It was amazing because most of us came into the competition with the mindset that we might need to do better. However, our spirit was amazing in cheering on the runners, which helped boost them. When you were running the relays, you knew that you had to push yourself, and with the help of Coach Ian shouting at you and the crowd cheering you on, it helped push you to the point where you collapsed.
What advice would you give to other students who wish to participate in the IASAS Track & Field next academic year?
A big piece of advice to girls wishing to participate in track next year is to focus on events you feel passionate about early on. This year, many people tried a few events out, and then, only a month before IASAS, they started to focus on and build on those events. However, you should run, jump, or throw at each trial and see what you are the strongest at. Then, with that, really spend the time focusing on those events and outside of training to focus on building and becoming better specifically. Spending your time running or doing the events makes a difference regarding IASAS. Other than that, I always give 100% at every training and make the most of the two months we have training.
Do you know of any student, teacher, parent, or staff who always has an anecdote to tell, loves to share some insights into their passions and interests, or simply is a Panther through and through? Nominate them to be featured in our Panthers of ISKL stories by sending in your submissions here.
