The Sinda Tutorials for Enhanced Performance (STEP) awards are not for top scorers or best achievers. They are for improved scores. This year, Bala is among 32 students receiving it. He is also one of three who are getting the best overall improvement award-for showing marked improvements in Maths and Science. The other two-Sharon Maniam and Parveen Abu Hanifah-are in junior college.

He gave up soccer and scored (THE NEW PAPER: Sunday, July 19, 1998)

He also ended up in the extended stream and took his PLSLE Primary 8 when he was 14. "I played soccer everyday then. After school, we all met under the block and played. My parents nagged but I didn't listen," said the 19-year-old who is doing hiis O levels at Woodlands Secondary School.

He didn't do his homework and, despite getting caned by his parents, he failed: "I felt really bad about failing. My parents disappointed. I decided not to let them down and work harder."

His father, Mr R Subramaniam, 46, is a Staff Sergeant in the army. His mother, Mrs S Rajamani, 46, is a factory operator. His brothers aged 17 and 13. BaIa managed to pass and go on to secondary school-and stuck to his word about not going overboard with his soccer... until his group of soccer buddies formed a football chub when he was in Secondary 3.

"We had to train and then play it with other teams. The problem was, we were winning the games we played! So that made us even mores excited. So I didn't concentrate on my school work again," he said sheepishly. This time, he was lucky. He managed to scrape through. But his borderline passes woke him up.

"I didn't want to fail again. I already went through that before and because of that I've wasted two years. When I was in Sec.1, the others were younger than me, I felt as if I was in the same class as my younger brother! So I pulled myself out of the team.

It was not easy. But he managed, consoling himself by playing soccer at the basketball court only on weekends.

Sacrifice Pays 0ff

The following year, in his N-level exams, Bala scored six aggregate points for three best subjects-and got an A2 for Maths and Science. And, for this leap in scores between his Sec 3 and Sec 4 exams, he gets the Sinda STEP Award (see report above) for showing a marked improvement in Maths and Science.

Bala, who now plays for his school soccer team, was shocked when he heard of the award: "I know there are so many others who have done much better than me. But I feel very proud. That's why I've already started studying for my O levels at the end of the year.

His mother, understandably thrilled, has big plans for him: "I hope he studies hard and goes to poly." Even his teachers are full of praise. Mr T Thirumaran, 38, head of mother tongue at Woodlands Secondary, said: "Bala is a very quiet and hardworking boy. He's weak but he puts in a lot of effort and is very serious about doing well.

But, for Bala, the biggest compliment comes from his parents.They let him play soccer twice a week!

(Reported by Crispina Robert and Picture by Mohd Ishak)