Panthers of ISKL #263: The IASAS Season 2 Stars
The IASAS Season 2 event for the 2024-2025 academic year was an unforgettable three-day showcase of skill, resilience, and camaraderie. Our varsity athletes in diverse sports, including Basketball, Rugby, Swimming, Tennis, and Touch, embodied the true Panther spirit, competing fiercely while demonstrating sportsmanship and teamwork. Beyond the competition, they forged lasting friendships and created memories that will stay with them for years.
In this feature, we catch up with our inspiring ISKL-IASAS Season 2 athletes as they reflect on their remarkable personal growth, share their most memorable moments, and offer insights on teamwork and valuable advice for future participants. Their journey of growth and self-discovery is truly inspiring and serves as a testament to the transformative power of sports.
Here are their stories:
BOYS BASKETBALL
Words by Aidan P.(‘26)
Reflecting on your experience at the IASAS tournament, what was your most memorable moment?
The most memorable moment of the IASAS tournament was winning the first Varsity Boys Basketball gold medal in 31 years. Not only this, but doing it at home, with the home crowd and fans, it was surreal to see the whole community come together to cheer, support, and want it just as much as we did. Lastly, winning with such an amazing group of guys who have become family, and I am glad to share a memory with them that will last a lifetime.
How did participating in a competition like IASAS challenge you as an athlete, and what personal growth did you experience throughout the tournament?
The hardest thing about playing in a tournament like IASAS is the balance of it all. There are so many factors that you need to control emotionally, physically, and mentally. Making sure that you fuel yourself for your next game, that you stay level-headed during your games, and keep on pushing yourself even when things get tough. It is not easy to play seven games in 3 days, but I learned from it that anything is possible by staying focused on your goal.
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?
Our team is like a family; we all look out for each other, love each other, and want the best for one another. When someone is having a bad game or day, we are there to lift each other and to make sure to support one another. To overcome these challenges, we keep each other accountable and to a high standard in everything we do. We call each other out when someone doesn’t do something right because we have built that relationship to tell a teammate when they need to work on something because of that care for them. It’s all about trust; when you trust your teammates, you will go very far as a team.
As for students wishing to be selected for IASAS, my biggest tip and advice is to work hard and have the integrity to work hard when no one is watching. The effort you put into it will show even if people don’t see it right away.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Words by Sabrina H. (‘26)
How did participating in a competition like IASAS challenge you as an athlete, and what personal growth did you experience throughout the tournament?
IASAS has boosted my physical endurance since we continuously played for 3 days without much rest. During this time, my mental endurance was off the charts because there was so much pressure due to IASAS being at home, which meant more people I knew were watching me play. This gave me more anxiety, which caused me to overthink my shots. As a shooting guard, I was expected to make a lot of outside shots, but I was missing most of them. However, when I stopped overthinking my shots, my 3-pointers started to fall in. I managed to sink three three-pointer shots in a row against Jakarta Intercultural School (JIS) in less than a minute, which closed the score gap by a huge amount.
A personal growth I experienced throughout the tournament was not to feel defeated after losing a game but to get up, be more resilient, and move on. By that, I used that feeling as a motivation to play my hardest in the next game.
BOYS RUGBY
Words by Yan Son N. (‘25)
Reflecting on your experience at the IASAS tournament, what was your most memorable moment?
My most memorable moment in the IASAS tournament was our match against the Singapore American School (SAS). In the first half, our team was down 26-0. We were losing a tough, one-sided battle. Within the short five minutes of halftime, we regrouped and collected ourselves. We put in a massive effort to come back, tying the game 26-26. Every single soul on our team gave it their all, putting their bodies on the line in the process. I will never forget the boys all crying and hugging at the end of the game; this was a moment of unforgettable happiness. That game ultimately gave us the confidence to compete in the bronze medal match, allowing us to bring home bronze!
How did participating in a competition like IASAS challenge you as an athlete, and what personal growth did you experience throughout the tournament?
I believe that I have changed a lot, not just as an athlete in this competition but as an individual, too. Since this was my first IASAS rugby competition, I was extremely nervous. And as one of the team's captains, I felt the pressure. As an athlete, pushing past my mental and physical limits was always challenging. Whether it be taking a massive hit and wanting to stay down or letting up an easy try, my mental fortitude was challenged.
Throughout the competition, I gained confidence. I became a better communicator and a leader. Leadership under pressure was crucial. I learned to be adaptable, face different teams, and utilize various strategies that the coaches applied. Decision-making under pressure was also extremely important; sometimes, I’d have to put faith in some of my teammates by allowing them to step up to kick for points or kick for a penalty. IASAS was truly an emotional rollercoaster, my emotional resilience was truly challenged as handling wins and losses were both difficult.
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?
In IASAS, athletes often face the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. Even the strongest teams seem to succumb and break under pressure when faced with tough circumstances and losses. After our razor-thin loss to the International School Bangkok (ISB), our team was heartbroken. However, several team members decided to step up and bring the boys together. We decided to sit in a circle and reflect on the game. Rather than avoiding our troubles and mistakes, we collectively confronted the errors we had made. Through this 20-minute talk in the athlete rest area, our goals were clear, and our mistakes had been identified. Furthermore, we decided to say one positive thing about what we did in that game. We did our best to keep our spirits high and stayed hungry. In our next game against Taipei American School (TAS), we were down 17-7 in the first half. However, using the same reflection technique to analyze our first half, we finished the game by winning 24-17!
I believe hard work matters the most for anyone wishing to be selected for IASAS. That means putting in the work when no one wants to. Scheduling morning preseason training, going to the weight room daily, and doing your best in every practice. As an athlete, you sacrifice so much for your sport. Therefore, you need to understand the importance of dedication to your discipline. I believe one little thing could help students increase their chances of being selected for IASAS. I believe relationships with teammates and coaches are extremely important. Firstly, you foster a good environment with one another. You build positive relationships with one another, slowly learning each other's habits and building chemistry. Secondly, trust: the better the relationship you build with your teammates, the more faith they’ll have in you. When you foster this environment, you become family, and you will certainly succeed. Coaches will select like-minded players that work well with one another.
BOYS SWIMMING
Words by Seungmin W. (‘27)
Reflecting on your experience at the IASAS tournament, what was your most memorable moment?
There were many memorable moments at this IASAS tournament, such as winning my first individual gold or winning a relay gold with my teammates, but I believe that the most memorable moment for me in this tournament was meeting and talking to my Grade 12 friends or general friends from other schools. Although winning felt great, I had fun because of the community around me. The IASAS swimming community is something else compared to the other IASAS events. Over the 5 days of IASAS, meeting my friends from the other schools was memorable. We watched the other IASAS events together, went out together, ate together, and had fun overall. I exchanged caps with the Grade 12 students I knew, which was definitely the best since we’d known each other for long periods. It was the final IASAS together. Sadly, they are leaving, but it makes me smile, as I have known them and shared many memories with them over the years during IASAS. IASAS swimming is definitely always an event to remember every year.
I look forward to it every single year, and I will make even more friends when I move into the upper years and lead the Grade 9 and Grade 10 students to a great IASAS.
GIRLS SWIMMING
Words by Ivy VDB. (‘28)
How did participating in a competition like IASAS challenge you as an athlete, and what personal growth did you experience throughout the tournament?
IASAS challenged me to see my sport in a different light.
Last week, I learned the importance of team energy. I have always greatly valued and appreciated my team, but I saw them separately from my races; swimming is, after all, an individual sport. I remember so distinctly, though, during some of the most challenging events I have ever taken part in – with every part of my body burning, turning my head to breathe, and seeing my teammates and coaches screaming for me and waving at me to swim faster, and it made such a difference.
Swimming may be an individual sport, but at IASAS, it felt more like a team sport. A win for each individual was like a win for the whole team and that was really reflected in our team energy. Participating in IASAS challenged me to do the best I ever have, as I was not just swimming for myself; I was also swimming for my team.
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?
If I had to give one piece of advice to someone who wanted to be selected for an IASAS team, it would be to make training a positive environment.
I am very lucky to have an amazing and supportive team, but even without that, your mindset determines if training is your happy place or just something else you need to do that day. I think a lot of people see training as what you have to get over with to make the team and get to go to the meets or games at the end, but in my opinion, there is so much more improvement made when you appreciate training for what it is and try to get as much out of it as you can when you are training for yourself, not because your friends do it, or because your parents want you to, or because your coach told you to.
So my advice is to train hard and with discipline but always have fun doing it; there will always be teammates and coaches there for you, so take every opportunity you can and keep smiling.
GIRLS TOUCH RUGBY
Words by Jaz G. (‘25)
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?
Although we didn’t win every game, our team was always filled with joy and laughter, making IASAS an unforgettable experience. We improved together, always encouraging each other and building trust on and off the field. In touch, teamwork is everything - each player must rely on and uplift their teammates to succeed. Our positive attitude helped us push through challenges and keep going no matter what.
My advice to future IASAS athletes is to build a strong bond with your teammates because a united team will get you through anything, win or lose!
BOYS TENNIS
Words by Adam C. (‘27)
Reflecting on your experience at the IASAS tournament, what was your most memorable moment?
My overall experience at my first IASAS tournament was exciting. Tennis hosted at International School Manila (ISM) was very well set up and organized, especially with the ball boys and girls we had in every match; the tournament felt professional.
However, the most memorable moment would be my first IASAS game ever. It was a close game at first, but then I took the lead and was up 7-4, one game away from a win (in IASAS, the games are first to 8). I sat down during the switchover to swap sides and drank my water and energy drink. I smiled because victory felt so near. I played the next few games out, and I was completely unable to win a game. The score was 7-7, and now, it’s a tiebreaker of first to 7 points. Now, at the switchover before the tiebreak, I am mentally exhausted. I am in shock because I haven’t finished the match, and my opponent mentally has all the momentum as he has just bought himself his place back into the match. The tiebreaker plays out, and it is very close; it gets to 5-5, but then my opponent plays two very good points and wins the tiebreaker at 7-5 and the overall match 8-7, but surprisingly, I was not too emotionally affected because I knew that in the end I played good tennis and to me, that’s what’s most important out of every match. This was my most memorable moment of the tournament as it was not only my first IASAS match ever, but it was a match that proved the famous saying that the game is not over until the very final point, even though it didn’t end how I hoped it would, I want to take it as a lesson and learn from it for the future.
GIRLS TENNIS
Words by Angela Y. (‘28)
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?
Going to the Philippines for the first time for IASAS was an unforgettable experience that allowed me to bond with many others who shared my passion.
Over the five days, many of us on the team faced injuries or illness, but our determination to represent our team kept us going. It was challenging to get back on our feet after each game, especially when we lost a match, but there was never a dull moment with the team. We were there to lift each other mentally and physically, ensuring we were ready to play at our best. We cheered each other on, supported one another through challenges, and built a bond that felt like family.
Beyond the competition, IASAS also allowed for connection. Through this tournament, I met many new friends, and each opponent I played against showed sportsmanship and camaraderie. Off the courts, we shared moments of laughter, bonding over the randomest topics. These small yet memorable moments made the experience even more meaningful for me.
For students hoping to be selected for IASAS, I believe that your passion and perseverance are key. Training can sometimes be exhausting, with early mornings and grueling sessions, but pushing through these challenges allows you to develop your skills. Your determination during this period will also indicate to your coaches that you are fit to be an IASAS selectee. But most importantly, going into a sport, having a team mindset is important; note that you are not the only player, and your teammates are there to support you.
Do you know of any student, teacher, parent, or staff who always have an anecdote to tell, love to share some insights into their passions and interest, 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.