Isabelle Li (pictured), along with Pang Xuejie, will benefit from Republic Polytechnic’s new programme that caters to their training regimen. (Photo: SSC)

Finding the right balance between sports and studies has always been a major headache for young athletes. But for paddlers Pang Xuejie and Isabelle Li, evening out the scales has become easier thanks to a new programme pioneered by Republic Polytechnic (RP).

RP, together with the Singapore Table Tennis Association (STTA) and the Singapore Sports School (SSP), have designed a tailor-made programme that caters to the paddlers’ demanding training schedule while still allowing them to pursue a diploma in Sports and Leisure Management.

“This move shows we are committed to grooming local talent,” stated Er Lee Bee Wah, president of the STTA. “Whether or not they can make it to the 2016 Olympics is up to them, but they have a very good chance if they fulfil their potential.”

This new development comes not a moment too soon as the duo is up for a busy year of table tennis, with the World Championships in May and the South-east Asia Games in November.

Both Pang and Li will be able to undergo training full time while still attending their lessons. Their three-year diploma will involve trainings in the morning with the rest of the national team at the STTA headquarters, before going on to the SSP for lessons, followed by more trainings and lessons until 9:30pm.

While the schedule may seem more cramped than that of the average teenager’s, signing on means the duo have a better chance of getting into a university, as both Nanyang Technological University and Beijing Sports University have agreed to accept them once their diplomas have been completed.

This is good news for the parents of these rising table tennis stars. It have given Richard Pang, father of Xuejie, piece of mind as “With this programme in place he can ensure that he can still have an academic future while pursuing his passion for the sport.”