The annual Public Service Sports and Family Day (PSSFD) returned on 27 July 2025 at the Singapore Sports Hub with a variety of activities for public officers and their families. Among the highlights were the inter-agency team sports , where public officers from the various government agencies took part in dragon boat race, G.O. Venture, dodgeball, tchoukball, pickleball and indoor rowing competitions.

 

Dragon boat thrills by the river

 

Amid the calm waters and morning breeze at Kallang Riverside, excitement was building for the dragon boat race. Months of preparation came down to this moment as 41 crews from 11 agencies  dug deep for every stroke.

 

 

In a hard-fought final, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) edged out long-time rivals, the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF), to clinch the championship trophy. It was a fitting end to a rivalry that sees both sides jostle for pole position each year.

 

For Mr Ching Zhi Yun of MHA, the victory was a testament to team’s dedication. “It feels great to come out on top, knowing how much work everyone put in,” said Mr Ching, who serves in the Police Coast Guard. “We trained on weekend mornings, and many of us put in extra work at the gym. Balancing training with work wasn’t easy, but the commitment and consistency really paid off.” 

 

 

The adrenaline and rhythm of rowing in unison is what keeps Mr Ching returning to the sport. “On race day, when everything clicks and the boat moves in sync, it’s an incredible feeling. That sense of unity and shared momentum stands out the most,” he shared.

 

Beyond the competition, the bond forged through tough training sessions was what made the journey meaningful. “It brought all of us closer despite coming from different Home Team agencies. You build a bond through shared effort and grind,” Mr Ching said. Post-training meals and coffee sessions also helped strengthen ties. “It gave us a chance to relax, catch up and enjoy each other’s company outside of the water.”

 

 Ministry of Home Affairs team

 

Looking ahead, the MHA team has its sights set on defending the title. “We’ll start preparing earlier and do our best to return as champions,” said Mr Ching.

 

 

G.O. Venture challenges mind and endurance

 

The Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) emerged champions in G.O. Venture, an Amazing Race-style game that sent participants across Singapore with a digital map, solving puzzles and collecting flags along the way. Formerly known as the Explorer Challenge, the competition was renamed in celebration of SG60 — with the letters “GO” resembling the number 60 when capitalised.

 

 

Ms Ek Xin Rong, who was part of the winning team from the National Council of Social Service, a statutory board under MSF, admitted they had not expected the result. “We were quite surprised to have won, especially seeing how competitive the other teams were last year,” she said.

 

 

About 14 teams took part in the challenge, which tested endurance, navigation and problem-solving skills. Starting from CSC @ Tessensohn at 8.30am, teams set off on a route that took them through familiar landmarks and off-the-beaten paths. “At one of the last few stations, we overheard another team jokingly comment that it was ‘down to outrunning us’, which increased our competitiveness!” Ms Ek recalled.

 

Despite the light-hearted moments, the challenge was no easy feat. With public transport banned, participants had to complete the entire route on foot while tackling puzzles, snapping photos and managing their roles as navigators, solvers and recorders.

 

“The prize was a bonus, but for us, it was about bonding as a team and soaking in the competitive energy from the other groups. It was a great mix of fun, fitness and spending time together,” said Ms Ek, who said that the only downside was having aching feet the next day.

 

Ministry of Social and Family Development team

 

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The Scoreboard
Champions – Ministry of Social & Family Development
2nd: Ministry of Education (1)
3rd: Government Technology Agency
4th: Ministry of Education (2)

 

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Dodgeball makes its PSSFD debut

 

For the first time at PSSFD, dodgeball was played at the OCBC Arena, drawing 10 teams eager to test their reflexes and strategy. The fast-paced game sees players dodging foam balls hurled by opponents — with eliminations happening when someone is struck, or when a throw is caught.

 

 

The Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) clinched the honour of being the first PSSFD dodgeball champions. Team captain Mr Mark Bernaldez, a long-time enthusiast who has played and promoted the sport locally and abroad for more than a decade, was thrilled by its inclusion. “When it was announced that dodgeball would be included for the first time, I was incredibly excited!” he said, adding that MINDEF has been actively introducing the sport through workshops across the Army, Air Force and Navy.

 

 

Part of dodgeball’s appeal lies in its simplicity. “It’s a fast-paced, high-energy sport that emphasises agility, coordination and strategic thinking,” Mr Bernaldez explained. 

 

 

Amid busy schedules, his team trained regularly and organised friendly matches — preparation that paid off when they secured the historic win. “Despite our varied backgrounds, ranks, ages and genders, we came together with one common goal: to bring home the first championship for the Singapore Armed Forces Sports Association,” he said, thanking his teammates for their commitment.

 

Ministry of Defence team

 

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The Scoreboard
Champion: Ministry of Defence
2nd: Ministry of Home Affairs (2)
3rd: Ministry of Health (2)
4th: Ministry of Home Affairs (4)

 

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Tchoukball champ’s steady climb to victory

 

After finishing third in last year’s tchoukball challenge, the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) returned with renewed determination and clinched the top spot, defeating defending champions the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore.

 

 

The win came as an unexpected triumph, shared MINDEF team member Ms Dominica Tan. “We only had three training sessions – it was challenging to train more frequently due to differing schedules, commitments, camps and appointments,” she said.

 

The matches were not without hurdles. “During the game, we faced challenges with strong players from the other teams and made some careless mistakes ourselves,” she recalled.

 

 

Despite the obstacles, the experience proved rewarding. For Ms Tan, the real prize was the camaraderie built along the way. “The best part was having fun and becoming a stronger team, which I believe was the true reward of the competition.”

 

Ministry of Defence team

 

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The Scoreboard
Champion: Ministry of Defence
2nd: Ministry of Health (2)
3rd: Ministry of Health (1)
4th: Ministry of Health (3)

 

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Pickleball grows in popularity 

 

The Ministry of Education (MOE) fended off fierce challengers to claim the championship title at this year’s pickleball tournament. The sport saw a surge in the number of participating teams from last year’s 17 teams to 47 teams this year. With the growth in popularity, MOE was able to gather more members and strengthen its line-up, says Ms Michaela Tam.

 

 

“With the growing popularity of pickleball, I reckon that there were many other staff members who play the game but couldn’t form a team. That was why I set up a pickleball interest group within MOE at the beginning of 2025— to gather players and train together every Saturday,” Ms Tam explained.

 

 

The effort paid off. MOE fielded 12 teams, with six advancing to the second round and another securing second place in the challenge.

 

 

Riding on the momentum, Ms Tam hopes next year’s pickleball competition will expand. “We’re definitely coming back again. And this time, I hope this non-championship STAR Game can eventually become a championship sport,” she said.

 

Ministry of Education team

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The Scoreboard
Champion: Ministry of Education (1)
2nd: Ministry of Education (2)
3rd: Ministry of Manpower
4th: Ministry of Health

 

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Finding the rhythm in indoor rowing

 

Indoor rowing was newly introduced at this year’s PSSFD. Champions, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), dedicated months of training to prepare for the competition, says team member Mr Izzaz Luqman Zainal. Beating out strong opponent from Ministry of Defence, he noted that the road to victory came with unexpected challenges.

 

 

“Initially we thought everyone had to row individually, but the actual format of the race showed that all four athletes had to row simultaneously as a team with proper synchronisation to achieve optimal speed. That caught us off guard as we did not practise for such a scenario,” he said. Nonetheless, the team adapted quickly. “As a team we managed to find a technique to help us. Eventually rowing simultaneously felt like a breeze for us.”

 

Beyond the competition, Mr Zainal valued the connections forged. “Though we battled against each other, we still cheered on our fellow MHA teams when it was their turn to race. It embodies the true spirit of one Public Service,” he shared.

 

 

Grateful for the victory, he added: “I would like to take this chance to thank my team, my coaches and everyone who assisted with the win. Everyone contributed effort, and we would not have emerged winners without them.”

 

Ministry of Home Affairs team

 

 

CSC congratulates all the winners of the Pulbic Service Sports & Family Day 2025 games, and applauds the dedication shown by every participant. We look forward to welcoming everyone back for the next edition!

 

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