I chanced upon Coach Fabian at a random meeting at RDRC in Aug 2019 where we had a short chat about running and training. I had zero idea who he was, or what FWCC has achieved prior as I did not run before 2018. I didn’t even know what the National School Games were. The next thing I knew, I bought entirely into his philosophies as it was very much aligned with mine - To be nothing but the best, and to aim for the stars - and here I am today running full-time for FWCC.
The coaches at FWCC (Fabian, Kabilan, Lionel) are the best coaches that I could have ever hoped for, and I truly am grateful that I went down to RDRC back in Aug 2019.
He took me under his wing after that one meeting, even after I told him that my 5000m then was a mediocre 17:53 - which is what secondary school students were capable of running.
What I like the most about him and what made me stick with FWCC was his sheer confidence in his ability to get athletes to the highest level, which was exactly what I wanted. My parents brought me up with the mindset of - if I ever decide to do anything in life; do it once and do it well. Coach Fabian and I never once talked about winning the local meets, instead, the only thing we ever talked about was the national records and SEA games. Who in the right mind will ever pick a 17:53 runner to gun for the best when there are kids running faster. Will I ever get there, I’m not too sure, but I truly enjoy working with him toward it.
Coach Fabian carries nothing but the purest of hearts for athletes that are willing to put in the effort. It was never about the money. He has never once asked me for coaching fees, but instead, he has put so much of his own money into me - whether it is through training gear, physiotherapy treatment, rehabilitation, strength and conditioning, and lab tests. Even after I sustained a partial tear in my quads in Oct 2020 and could not train at all, he still made sure I got all the treatment I needed to get me back running.
Lastly, his curious mind and willingness to learn and try different things. Over the past 4 years, he has personally experimented with and designed training profiles that are individualized only to me. He understands that in order for me to become the best, I am willing to do anything to make it happen. This is why I enjoy training under Coach Fabian as every 1-2 months, training can turn in an entirely different direction.
Coach Kabilan and Lionel
Kabilan and Lionel are my former strength and conditioning (S&C) coaches. I have never
believed in S&C for runners or running drills prior to joining FWCC. But when I first joined the team as an athlete that Coach Fabian picked up randomly, they were willing to take their personal time out to teach me everything from scratch - how to do basic things like squats, high knees, a-skips, etc. They made me feel like family to FWCC as I am the oldest athlete on the team. However, I prefer to train exclusively alone and am not a fan of team settings. Our outlooks toward training and performance is also largely different. I have since shifted back towards training solely under Coach Fabian.
But through our limited interactions and seeing how they interact with other athletes in the team, they are also individuals that do it selflessly to see athletes succeed. They are willing to go out of their way for their athletes that are willing to put in the effort, coaching athletes during their already limited break time.
• The little things like buying lunch for me while I train, helping me take out the heavy weight plates, and carrying the heavy stuff. Allowing me to train, rest and sleep whenever I need to, even though I’m working as a full-time coach for FWCC as well.
All in all, the three coaches at FWCC are fully onboard and committed to my athletic journey and I am forever grateful to be part of FWCC as an athlete and family.
