Quest Alumni Journeys Series

Running the First Lap

For Queenstown Secondary School alum Mavis Lo, movement was never simply about sport. It was about discovery, discipline, and the quiet joy of growing stronger with others.

During her years at Queenstown Secondary, the track and court became places where friendships were forged. Representing the school in badminton and cross country, she spent many afternoons training alongside teammates, learning that progress rarely arrives overnight. Instead, it comes through shared effort and steady commitment.

“Every training session brought different challenges,” she recalls. “But those moments also built strong bonds with my teammates.”

Her curiosity about the science behind sport deepened during Physical Education lessons, especially when she chose to pursue the O-Level Physical Education subject. Practical sessions made the subject come alive, connecting theory with real physical experience. Suddenly, sport was not just something she loved doing. It was something she wanted to understand.

Teachers played a quiet but important role in shaping that curiosity. Her Physical Education teacher, Mdm Heng Siok Pheng, encouraged her to take on leadership roles as a sports leader and house captain, experiences that expanded both her confidence and her interest in the field.

Meanwhile, mathematics teacher Ms Lau Lay Cheng offered steady encouragement in a subject she found more challenging. Her patience reminded Mavis that perseverance mattered just as much in the classroom as it did on the track.

These lessons would stay with her long after graduation.

Finding the Science of Movement

Mavis had been involved in competitive sports since the age of nine, so extending her interest in Physical Education during secondary school felt like a natural step forward. What surprised her, however, was how deeply science could shape the way people train, recover, and improve.

“PE opened my eyes to the science behind training and performance,” she reflects. “It helped me understand why we train the way we do, not just how.”

After leaving Queenstown Secondary, her educational path did not move in a straight line. She first pursued a diploma in Food Science and Technology at Singapore Polytechnic and worked in that industry for a year. Yet the pull of sport and health never truly faded.

Eventually, she followed that instinct back to where her passion lived. She enrolled in a Diploma in Sport and Exercise Science at PSB Academy, before completing a Bachelor’s degree in Sport and Exercise Science from Edinburgh Napier University.

During her final semester, she began coaching youth badminton while continuing to upgrade her knowledge through exercise-related courses. Those experiences helped shape the path that would eventually lead her to her current role.

Today, Mavis serves as an Active Health Coach with Sport Singapore, supporting healthier lifestyles across the community.

Moving the Community Forward

In her daily work, Mavis draws heavily from her training in sport and exercise science. Her focus is not on elite performance but on the well-being of the wider population.

Source: https://www.instagram.com/reels/DAUyCGfSwGn/

She designs safe and effective exercise programmes for different groups, helping participants understand how movement can strengthen their bodies and improve daily life. At the same time, her background in food science allows her to explain how nutrition supports energy levels, recovery, and sustainable lifestyle habits.

For her, the goal is always long-term change rather than short-term results.

“I take ownership in guiding participants towards behaviours that are practical, achievable, and sustainable,” she says.

Among the most meaningful moments in her work are those of building relationships with participants, particularly seniors in the community. Watching them grow stronger, more confident, and more active over time brings a quiet sense of fulfilment.

“The most rewarding part is bringing sport science out of textbooks and into programmes for the community,” she shares. “Hearing participants say their daily activities have improved gives real meaning to the work we do.”

A Journey That Starts Within

Looking back, Mavis sees her days at Queenstown Secondary as the starting line of a longer journey. The training sessions, the supportive teachers, and the lessons about perseverance all helped shape the path she walks today.

For students and young alumni considering careers in health, sports, or wellness, her advice is simple and heartfelt.

“It starts with yourself,” she says. “Stay curious and open to learning, both in and beyond the classroom.”

In many ways, that spirit captures the essence of her journey. A Queenstown Secondary alum who continues to move forward, not only for herself, but for the health and well-being of the community around her.