A photo of Pritheevann and Cripa (a former NYP Basketball team member) during an interview for the article.
Why Basketball?
What makes Pritheevann and other people, continue playing basketball?
Comfort
After a moment of pause, Pritheevann replied,
“I found basketball comforting. Like— when you bounce the ball, it bounces back up. It’s always there for you. And the people I played with gave me confidence. It gives me peace. I felt like I was part of a family.”
Character Development
Basketball also had a critical impact on Pritheevann’s leadership and character. He was a pessimistic and close-minded person.
His Secondary School Coach played a significant role in Pritheevann’s growth by allowing him to play in the school’s team despite being a previously flawed player. Having been given a chance to prove his worth, Pritheevann did additional training after classes to hone his skills.
Pritheevann highlights harmony and camaraderie outside or during games by sharing a story from Secondary 3: In a game where he had one of his highest contributions (28 points, 10 rebounds, 4 blocks and 2 steals), one of his teammates got injured. Pritheevann subbed out and tended to his friend.
Basketball is played on a small court. Subsequently, quick reflexes and decision-making skills are important. Making quick and optimum decisions during games also helped Pritheevann look from a broader perspective and work closely with his teammates using effective communication.
“I realised that being close-minded and pessimistic gets you nowhere.”
“I struggle a lot with my studies. Especially mathematics!!” | Pritheevann’s struggles
Having a clear goal of joining biomedical engineering in Year 1 and working in the healthcare/engineering field, Pritheevann fights tooth and nail to juggle his responsibilities and battle exhaustion from late-night practices after classes.
Maintaining both his CCA, external club, and studies has its drawbacks. He never had the time to hang out with his friends due to an overwhelming schedule.
Despite it all, Pritheevann holds hope regarding his future.
“If you like something very much, you won’t give up that easily.”
Takeaway
Just like how Basketball taught Pritheevann lessons on developing himself and gaining discipline. I am sure there are other sports that can be and have been influential for other PFP students.
We can use the additional year to gather experiences and gain interpersonal or leadership skills, such as being responsible for our mistakes and working closely with our teammates.
PFP students, or all students alike, should manage their time suitably and be flexible. By creating and following a schedule or finding time after classes to finish our work, we can have enough time to enjoy our day while still being productive in working towards our future.
Pritheevann’s story tells us that sports like Basketball can help develop our confidence, build better habits, and give us experiences that will teach us values which don’t always come from book learning. If you wish to try that sport or join that CCA, just try it. You will learn skills like time management and have unforgettable experiences along the way.
Chong Xinyu 
Austin Ho 
Ian Ferguson