No lessons, no pay: Sports coaches hit by haze cancellations, facility closures

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SINGAPORE: For senior swim coach Grayson Ong, the worsening haze has meant cancelled lessons and lost income.

“If we don’t have lessons, it means we don’t get paid,” said the 36-year-old, whose swim school conducts classes at public, condominium and private pools across Singapore.

He estimated that more than 80 per cent of its lessons have been cancelled over the past one to two weeks as air quality deteriorated.

Coaches like Mr Ong, already grappling with falling attendance and cancellations over parents’ haze concerns, now face another setback – the temporary closure of ActiveSG facilities, leaving them with fewer venues to conduct lessons and further threatening their income. 

As of 12pm on Friday (Oct 16), outdoor and non-air-conditioned facilities at all ActiveSG sports centres are temporarily closed, according to its website. 

Indoor and air-conditioned facilities at all ActiveSG sports centres remain open. 

Freelance athletics coach Priscilla Boon, who runs children’s athletics classes at ActiveSG outdoor spaces in the west, said that while the closures are necessary to protect public health, the uncertainty over how long they will last remains a concern for her and her fellow coaches. 

"We don’t have any clue when this will end. Definitely, in the long term my income will be greatly affected," the 30-year-old told CNA on Friday following ActiveSG’s announcement of the closures of all its outdoor spaces. 

She added that two of her Friday’s classes have already been cancelled. 

ActiveSG, an initiative under the government agency Sport Singapore, operates public sports facilities across the island, including swimming complexes, gyms, stadiums, fields and courts. 

CNA has reached out to ActiveSG for comment on the facility closures and its duration. 

Separately, in response to CNA’s queries, the National Instructors and Coaches Association (NICA) said coaches and instructors who conduct outdoor classes are among those most affected by the haze, particularly freelancers whose cancelled lessons “can mean a direct loss of income”.

"To ensure fair treatment, service buyers should provide full payment for last-minute cancellations, as coaches and instructors would have already committed their time and may have turned down other work," said the association on Thursday. 

"The extent of the impact would depend on their contractual arrangements with service buyers, including provisions for compensation when classes are cancelled or rescheduled.”

Even rescheduled classes could disrupt coaches' schedules and other work commitments in the weeks and months ahead, it added.

"NICA also urges service buyers to work with coaches and instructors to explore practical arrangements that minimise disruption and ensure fair compensation," said a spokesperson.

UNCERTAIN TIMES AND INCOME LOSS

For part-time swim coach Timothy Ting, who teaches in a mix of public and private pools, nearly all his classes have been cancelled over the last two weeks, with parents citing safety concerns over the unhealthy air quality. 

Finding alternative venues for swimming lessons is particularly difficult, the 21-year-old said, given the limited number of indoor pools available. 

"Those indoor pools are already overwhelmed with existing classes there," he said.  

For Mr Ong, the uncertainty has made the current situation particularly difficult to navigate. 

Drawing comparisons with the COVID-19 pandemic, when outdoor activities were restricted, he said the haze is more unpredictable because decisions on whether classes could proceed could vary from venue to venue. 

"COVID-19 was, in a way, certain. A lockdown is a lockdown. Now, some condominium pools may decide to close, so it’s up to us to monitor the PSI and follow the guidelines," he said. 

Beyond swimming, football and athletics coaches have also seen attendance fall and classes cancelled as parents grow concerned about the haze. 

Flair Football Academy managing director Ibrahim Chemad said his classes – usually full with 20 children – have seen attendance drop to about 13 or 14 students. 

With outdoor facilities becoming unavailable, finding alternative venues has become another challenge.

“Facilities are very hard to get for football especially,” the 38-year-old said. “Where else can we play?”

For track-and-field coach Jing Jie Wong, who frequently uses ActiveSG stadiums for classes, the fluctuating air quality has made it difficult to plan his schedule.

Classes can be called off at short notice as air quality fluctuates, while parents may choose to keep their children home even when sessions are allowed to proceed.

Mr Wong said coaches sometimes find out whether their classes can proceed only two hours beforehand, depending on the latest air quality readings.

"For example, today my class at 4pm is dependent on the PM 2.5 reading at 2pm, so the organisation I work for will make a decision two hours before to cancel the class," he said on Thursday. 

Ms Boon said she had lost about two to three hours of classes a day over the past few days because of cancellations.

As she is paid per class, each cancellation means a direct hit to her earnings. 

"That's the downside of being a freelance self-employed coach," she said. "It's quite stressful, on the financial side.”

DISRUPTED ROUTINES AND DISAPPOINTED TRIPS

While coaches grapple with lost income, some regular users of ActiveSG facilities are left frustrated by the closures.

ActiveSG first closed outdoor and non-air-conditioned facilities at sports centres in all regions except the north on Wednesday, following a sharp increase in 1-hour PM2.5 readings.

It issued at least two updates on its website and social media on Thursday, with different closures as the haze situation evolved.  

At ActiveSG Clementi Sports Centre, a software engineer who wanted to be known only as Mr Tan told CNA on Thursday evening that he had checked the website a few times before leaving home, only to find the swimming pool closed when he arrived.

“I’m a little irritated, but it’s okay because I live nearby,” said the 49-year-old, who swims there four times a week. 

At ActiveSG Sport Park at Teck Ghee, several people who approached the swimming pool entrance reluctantly turned away after reading the sign announcing its closure.

Among them was Ms Wong, a healthcare worker who wanted to be identified only by her surname. She was disappointed to have made the trip on Thursday, only to find the pool closed.

Ms Wong said she had not seen any information about the closure beforehand, and suggested that users be notified through the ActiveSG app instead.

“The app didn’t prompt me when I bought an admission ticket just now, and I’m not sure if I can request a refund,” said the 27-year-old, who works in the healthcare industry.