Meet the Coaches - Joan Yeo (Nurture Kids)

Woman of many talents now nurturing young children

Written by Soh Yu Xi; Artwork by Tanya Shroff.

This article is part of Active Parents’ Meet the Coaches series, brought to you in collaboration with Republic Polytechnic, School of Management and Communication. 

A huge part of Joan Yeo’s career evolves around sport and teaching. Before working at SportSG, Joan, 48, was an Outward-Bound instructor and a corporate trainer. Currently, as a Nurture Kids Programme trainer, Joan is committed to igniting a passion for sport in young children.

To her, people take up sport to either seek a career in sport or to better themselves. She said, “Some people have very simple motivations, such as to improve their physical health, mental health, social emotion. Some could have a little more ambition in sport achievements.” 

However, neither is not the case for the children aged around four to six at the Nurture Kids programme where she coaches. “My audience are usually the very young ones; they might not be very clear about what they want yet,” she explained. As such, creating a positive learning experience, as she puts it, is crucial to develop a sincere passion for sport in them.

Joan dedicates her time ensuring that she achieves her goal of finding methods such as close observation of children and flexibility in coaching, to help children discover a suitable sport for them. Her personal belief in sport comes not just from her experience as a coach, but also as a mother of two.

From a mother’s perspective, parents must maintain a relaxed mindset when it comes to sport. “Don’t force them into anything that you perceive is good for them,” she said. To her, every child has a special gift to offer to the world, and it is every parent’s duty to discover their potential.

To Joan, her children’s happiness and good health hold more weight than any gold medal ever could. The value of virtues such as responsibility and commitment from pursuing sport is what matters the most.