The ball is in your court, they say. Meet Radiance Tan, a 16-year-old student-athlete who chose to learn valuable life lessons through her experiences in competitive volleyball. For Radiance, the court is not just a place to win or lose, but a platform to grow as a person.

“I still vividly remember the first time I saw my captain cry,” she recounted. That happened after Radiance’s team lost a key competition narrowly. “Before that day, I had always been focused on myself — my skills and my wins. I didn’t think team morale was my responsibility. After that match, I realised there was more to the sport. I wanted to care for my teammates. I wanted to become a person who was not just focused on the game but also on the people around me.” This pivotal moment has shaped Radiance’s approach to sports today.

Radiance is a member of the ActiveSG Volleyball Academy, which is supported by Tote Board’s Sporting Singapore Fund. The Fund aims to promote sporting activities for social bonding and healthy living among Singaporeans of all ages and abilities. Through initiatives like these, young athletes like Radiance can continue to grow and develop both on and off the court. Radiance’s love for volleyball began at the age of eight, inspired by her older siblings. She learned the value of perseverance from her brother’s “unyielding and persistent spirit” and adopted her sister's approach of using sports to connect people. Radiance has since reached out to friends to join volleyball and has witnessed firsthand how sports can bring people together and create lasting memories.

From cheering during matches, to affirming her teammates, Radiance (centre) now does her best to encourage and bring the team together to keep morale high.