Raeka Ee Pei Ying is a tenacious netballer from Singapore Sports School who leads by example on and off court. 

After surviving an earthquake that claimed the lives of four classmates, Raeka Ee Pei Ying experienced flashbacks that would keep her awake at night for months.

In 2015, the 12-year-old Tanjong Katong Primary School pupil was on a trekking expedition with her fellow Primary 6 schoolmates at Mount Kinabalu in Sabah, Malaysia, when the region was hit by a 6.0-magnitude earthquake.

Three of the seven pupils who died were her netball teammates. A total of 10 Singaporeans perished in the tragedy.

“For a while, I was so scared of sleeping alone. I kept recalling the episode: How we couldn’t find our friends and our guide, and later, realising that I’ll never see some of those friends again,” recalled Raeka, now 16.

“The tragedy left a big hole in my life. But knowing that the others around me were going through the same trauma made me feel less alone.”

A month after the Mount Kinabalu tragedy, Raeka had to pull herself together for the nationals.

The loss of three teammates left a gaping hole in the team, but Raeka and her team kept them in their thoughts and fought on to reach the top 16 that year through sheer grit.

The following year, she was accepted into Singapore Sports School – her dream school since she was 10, due to its strong netball team and nurturing sport culture.

Her rapid progress led to a breakthrough – she was promoted to the National U17 team in 2018 after playing in the National Schools “B” Division that year.

This year, Raeka was awarded the inaugural EW Barker Scholarship for her commitment to netball and community service. The scholarship aims to recognise well-rounded student-athletes who enrol into Sports School.

The EW Barker Scholarship is made possible by the EW Barker Endowment managed by Temasek Foundation. The endowment is a tribute to one of the pioneer leaders of Singapore, Mr Edmund William Barker, who was a statesman, scholar, sportsman and supporter of sport.

As part of the Scholarship, Temasek Foundation provides full subsidy of school fees for two years. Scholarship recipients are also expected to contribute to society by planning and performing community services work.

Physical and mental fortitude

Rebounding from adversity has been a constant theme in Raeka’s life. At 1.57m-tall, the petite Sports School netball captain, who has played since Primary 3, constantly rises to the challenge in a sport where the average height of players is between 1.7m and 1.9m.

Drawing inspiration from national netballer Kimberly Lim Wei Yan, who is just 5cm taller at 1.62m, Raeka finds strengths in being vertically challenged.

“Kimberly is known as the ‘Pocket Rocket’, which is also the nickname my coach gave me. I think we have similar playing styles – using our speed and agility to make up for our lack of height,” said Raeka.

“Last season, I felt like I was at my peak, and my hard work paid off when I was selected for the National U17 team,” said Raeka, who is comfortable at wing attack or centre.

A leader on and off the court

Her leadership is not confined to the netball court. Off the court, the EW Barker Scholar recently spearheaded an annual carnival jointly organised by Sports School’s Netball and Fencing Academies for Fei Yue Family Service Centre.

Originally an annual food donation drive, the student-athletes decided two years ago to add a carnival with games for residents in the local neighbourhood. To encourage active participation, participants earned points, which they could use to redeem dry foodstuff.

As head of the event, Raeka managed her fellow student-athletes and ensured logistical needs were met. In the midst of running the event, she even found time to help a wheelchair-bound resident get safely home in the rain.

“I liked how this project wasn’t just restricted to donations. We also saw how the student-athletes gave back to the community in their own ways,” said Raeka.

“I feel honoured to be associated with the scholarship because of its prestige. I don’t come from a well-to-do family, so the funding has helped me pay for things like overseas training camps,” said Raeka.

Raeka plans to collaborate with the other EW Barker Scholars in more community initiatives in the future. For now, she has her sights set on a place in the national squad and becoming an inspiration for younger players.

“Watching Team Singapore play at the Netball World Cup makes me want to be there as well. Just like how the national team has inspired me, I hope to inspire others to believe in themselves,” she said.