The IASAS Season 1 event for the 2024-2025 academic year was an unforgettable, thrilling, and fun-filled three-day journey. Our varsity teams in Climbing, Cross Country, Soccer, and Volleyball embodied the true Panther spirit, showcasing resilience and sportsmanship. They not only competed fiercely but also created lasting bonds and friendships with peers from other IASAS schools.
In this piece, we catch up with our inspiring ISKL-IASAS Season 1 athletes to hear about their personal growth, their most memorable moments, and working as a team, plus their advice to future participants.
Here are their stories:
BOYS CLIMBING
(Words by. (Heathcliff PV. (‘26))
Reflecting on your experiences, what was your most memorable moment for climbing this season?
One of many memorable moments would have to be realizing the progress I was making during this season. Thanks to my coaches, despite the intense training, I gained confidence and strength as a climber. That feeling that I had improved and was improving is one that I won’t forget. With that confidence, in the most recent competition, I felt I had done better than in previous competitions.
It’s hard to choose, but if I had to pick one, maybe it was the moment I got selected, but not to say, “Oh, I made varsity,” but it was rather knowing I was now representing The International School of Kuala Lumpur which gave me pride. After all, this place has taught me and been my home since the age of 4, and now I am able to try my best to repay and represent the school with climbing, and to achieve this feeling it wouldn’t be possible without my coaches who would often push me to my limits (in a good way). This work paid off, and representing ISKL would not have been possible without them.
How has participating in climbing competitions challenged you as an athlete, and what personal growth have you experienced?
The first competition we had this year wasn’t my best. Even though I tried hard, I came out of the competition not fully satisfied. I felt like I should have done more despite my fingers being numb.
Despite this, I remembered that disappointing feeling from the recent competition two days ago. With that attitude in mind, I said, “I’m not feeling that after this competition.” I didn’t bring home any medals, but something just as important to me: accomplishment. I had done my best, and every atom in me knew.
GIRLS CLIMBING
(Words by Sofia NB (‘26))
Reflecting on your experiences, what was your most memorable moment for climbing this season?
My most memorable moment was one particular morning training. We were all so tired, and the climbing wall was so warm because the air-con was turned off. Even though we were all sweaty and tired, we still climbed. Everyone was still there, and we were all still supporting each other on the routes. It was a nice moment to see people crack jokes while swaying from lack of sleep, and it was nice to walk out of the wall room with sore fingers and see the sunrise. I liked that training session.
Can you share how your team has worked together to overcome challenges? What advice would you give to other students who wish to be selected for the climbing team?
Climbing is both a collaborative and individual sport. The spirit of lifting each other and helping each other on difficult routes with tips and encouragement is how we overcome challenges. Some advice I would give to other students is to encourage others and themselves. Fear is a huge obstacle in advancing in climbing; being able to move past it – even while scared – is so important but very valued.
BOYS CROSS COUNTRY
(Words by Ashan B. (‘25))
Reflecting on your experience at the IASAS tournament, what was the most memorable moment for you, both on and off the course?
My most memorable moment on the course was crossing the finish line in the 5 km race and achieving a long-term goal: getting an IASAS medal. This was memorable for me because of all the work that’s gone into it and how I fell just short of medals in track and field last year. Hopefully, I can upgrade this bronze medal to a gold medal in track and field this year.
My most memorable moment off the course was seeing the difference between all the teams before and after our 5 km race. Before the race, everyone was very tense, and the teams were all mainly keeping to themselves. But after the race, it was completely different. Everyone was talking to each other, and I got to know my competitors better, which was great. This is what IASAS is all about: creating memories with people from other schools as well as your teammates.
How did participating in a competition like IASAS challenge you as an athlete, and what personal growth did you experience throughout the tournament?
Having IASAS as something to work towards has helped me immensely as an athlete, giving me a deep desire to improve and perform well. At this IASAS, I dealt with pressure better than ever. I felt a lot of pressure before our race to perform to help our team place well. Previously, this may have gotten to me, and I would have done something stupid, like going out too fast. But this time, I could control my nerves and stick to my race plan.
IASAS is known for fostering sportsmanship and team spirit. Can you share how your team worked together to overcome challenges? What advice would you give to other students who wish to be selected for IASAS?
The team encountered several challenges throughout the course of IASAS. One was that two of our runners, Keats and John, were unwell before our 3 km race. The way they worked together to push through this and still compete was remarkable and deserves a lot of credit.
There was also the challenge of nerves and how to manage them. Being clear with our communication and what we thought were the best things to do before and during the race was key. Understanding that different people deal with nerves in different ways and allowing people to do this was also important. The biggest advice I would give to students who wish to be selected for IASAS is to put the work in before and during the season. IASAS is a difficult competition with no shortcuts to doing well in it. You will enjoy IASAS a lot more if you come prepared and know that you’ve done everything you can to set yourself up to succeed.
GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY
(Words by April H. (‘25))
Reflecting on your experience at the IASAS tournament, what was the most memorable moment for you, both on and off the field?
As a team, the most memorable events at IASAS were the precious moments we shared while suffering on the course. Despite our extreme pain, we all went through the same 100 m elevation, the same sun shining down on our backs; I don’t think we’ll forget Yangmingshan National Park any time soon. I will never forget the guys’ team, especially Zhi Hong, shouting motivation at us. We all came together as a team to warm up, cool down, and cheer for each other, even the volleyball teams.
The most memorable individual moments for me were at the end of my 5 km and 3 km race: despite already huffing and puffing, Coach Ian and Coach Musk yelled at me to pass the people in front of me. I didn’t think I could go any faster, but my legs started sprinting of their own accord, and I overtook a few runners in the last one to two hundred meters.
I’m so proud of everyone who worked incredibly hard to be on the team this year. Even those who weren’t at IASAS still ran the Panther Run and raced their best. As a senior, I’m more than sad to leave this team, but I know you all will do absolutely amazing!
IASAS is known for fostering sportsmanship and team spirit. Can you share how your team worked together to overcome challenges? What advice would you give to other students who wish to be selected for IASAS?
The most obvious physical challenge we worked through was the diabolical hills at Yangmingshan and the 5 km course at IASAS. Cross country, by its nature, is an individual sport because everyone runs their own race. However, we would have never made this much progress without our team pushing each other to our limits during training and IASAS.
For students who wish to be selected for IASAS XC, first of all, yay! In this sport, you’ll meet the most amazing people with the discipline and mental fortitude to run and push themselves. Secondly, you have to work hard to achieve it. There’s no shortcut to improve and win. You have to run your own race, do your best, and compete with yourself. That takes heart and grit, but know that you’ll come out all the better for it.
BOYS SOCCER
(Words by Jason R. (‘25))
Reflecting on your experience at the IASAS tournament, what was the most memorable moment for you, both on and off the field?
My most memorable moment at IASAS was right after our last game against International School Bangkok (ISB). During the match, we were told we were guaranteed a spot in the bronze medal game as long as we won. However, after the 2-1 win, we were told that our place in the third-place match wasn’t certain and that the athletic directors from all schools would need to meet to discuss the technicalities of the tiebreaker. This was obviously bad news, as our fate was out of our hands, and all we could do was hope the ruling would go in our favor. We didn’t know if we had just played our last game as a team or if we would get the chance to compete for bronze later that day.
After the match, we went to the ice baths, where we had one of the most wholesome moments of the entire season. Watching our teammates struggle with the cold brought laughter to everyone and allowed us to still have fun despite the ambiguity. Then, I realized the tournament results didn’t define us as a team. Whether or not we played for bronze, we were together as a team in a tournament away from home, and at that moment, the feeling of brotherhood was unmatched.
GIRLS SOCCER
(Words by Margarida CDA. (‘25))
Reflecting on your experience at the IASAS tournament, what was the most memorable moment for you, both on and off the field?
Looking back at IASAS, I would say that the most memorable moment was definitely our win against Jakarta Intercultural School (JIS). After a loss in the morning, the team’s motivation was a bit down; however, going into that game, knowing we absolutely had to win gave the team extra motivation. By scoring a goal in the first half of the game, we pushed hard until the end, avoiding conceding a goal. The final whistle brought an incredible rush of euphoria, knowing we had secured our first win of the tournament. It was extra special for me; after 2 years of playing IASAS soccer and not being able to bring home a win, finally having that winning feeling was exactly what I wished for, especially in my senior year.
Off the field, there were a lot of memorable moments. However, the moments before our last game were definitely the most special. Through the tournament, our team made a tradition to listen and collectively sing to the same song (“You Look Like You Love Me” by Riley Green and Ella Langley) before every game. Our last game wasn’t any different; while we were warming up, the song was played, and every single member of the team sang in unity. At that moment, knowing we were about to play for a medal in my last IASAS football, I felt an overwhelming sense of pride and happiness, which made it an incredible end to my last season. ”
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
(Words by Martin H. (‘26))
Reflecting on your experience at the IASAS tournament, what was the most memorable moment for you, both on and off the court?
My most memorable court on the court was my round of serves that I had against Jakarta in our play-in match. After losing the first set, the pressure was on us to take the momentum for ourselves and turn the game around. After a weird serve that I somehow managed to get in led to a block from our team, I secured a few aces, which hyped the team up and led to a shift in momentum where we could take back the lead and play our best.
Off the court, it was probably cheering our girls in their match against International School Bangkok (ISB) as they started to have a major comeback, so all the boys got excited and cheered them on.
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
(Words by Zoey Y. (‘25))
Reflecting on your experience at the IASAS tournament, what was the most memorable moment for you, both on and off the court?
One of the most memorable experiences during the 2024-2025 Taipei Volleyball IASAS championships would be earning our place in the championship match through our 3-2 win against ISB. The win was especially memorable considering the effort and mental and physical strength it took to climb back from being ranked 6th seed to defeating the 1st seed. The girls fought hard, and we earned our rightful place in the finals. Tears of pride and happiness were shed as we realized that all our hard work throughout the season had paid off and we would bring back medals to ISKL. In my opinion, the success experienced on the court directly translated to the experience off the court–drawing our team closer than ever before.
How did participating in a competition like IASAS challenge you as an athlete, and what personal growth did you experience throughout the tournament?
In my opinion, IASAS tournaments are some of the most inspiring places to be. You’re constantly challenged while motivated by fellow athletes, coaches, and hosts. This year, IASAS tested me both mentally and physically, pushing me to expand my boundaries. Three days of consecutive competition had my body quickly adapting to a new routine, where balance became key. I learned from my teammates and coaches about the importance of rest and stretching, and from my incredible hosts in Taipei, I gained an appreciation for proper nutrition.
My team and I faced setbacks, but those challenges only made us more resilient and determined. Overall, IASAS showed me the true value of balance—it’s not just about pushing yourself physically but also about taking care of your mental and emotional well-being while building sustainable habits that last beyond the tournament. I’ve come out of the experience feeling more responsible, disciplined, and much more comfortable with routine.
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.
