Within Wildcards Cheerleading, the sport is just the entry point. The meaning runs deeper. It’s a constant through the changing seasons of life. “Wildcards has seen me through all of my phases,” Kimberly Chen shared. “It’s the one consistent thing that has always been there.”
Founded in 2008, current under Bishan Youth Executive Committee, Wildcards has grown into one of Singapore’s most successful open cheerleading teams. With over 100 members past and present – from full-time national servicemen to working adults and university students – the team embodies inclusivity and excellence. Anyone above 18 can join, and once they do, they find themselves part of what Chen describes as a “dysfunctional family.”
“You get into your arguments, you get into disagreements, you shout at each other, you get angry with each other, but end of the day, they are still your family and you still love them,” said the 29-year-old social media marketer and Wildcards coach who has been with the team for 12 years.
In spite of the disagreements, what binds them is deeper: love, trust, and an unyielding drive to succeed. That spirit has brought Wildcards 12 national championships, including six consecutive titles with the most recent one in August.
A culture of legacy and mentorship
What sets Wildcards apart is not just their skill, but their culture. The team’s founder Chaang Ru had a clear vision from the beginning – to build a winning team with discipline, resilience, and heart. Over the years, that vision has been protected by senior members who continue to pass down knowledge, values, and technical expertise to every new generation.
During off-peak periods, Wildcards trains twice a week, with sessions ramping up significantly to four times a week during competition season. Training is rigorous, but the focus is always on what athletes bring to the mat today, not their past experience. “It doesn’t matter if you’ve cheered for 15 years or three. What matters is the skill you bring for the routine,” software developer Isaac Kua, 28, explained.
Chasing excellence
For many, joining Wildcards was about the pursuit of chasing excellence. Nigel Sim recalls watching the team dominate and wanting to be part of that legacy. The 30-year-old civil servant said, “I saw how they were tough. Their training was rigorous. I wanted to challenge myself.”
More than a decade later, he stays not just for the sport, but for the family he found. “You can be lost, broken, at your highest or lowest. There’s always a group of people here waiting for you,” Sim said. He even found his wife through this team – and he’s not the only one.
Wildcards vice-chairman Owen Quek also met his wife on the team. “This team is a part of my life since 18, now I’m 30. I met my wife here on this team and a lot of my close friends come from this team,” the financial consultant shared.
Champion mindset
Despite their success, Wildcards isn’t standing still. Head Coach Lum Zheng Yao envisions taking the team overseas to compete, further contributing to the growth of the cheerleading community in Singapore.
“Everybody has a champion mindset. Everybody comes here with only one reason, to win. My vision as the head coach is to be able to bring Wildcards overseas to compete and continue to grow this team even bigger,” the 29-year-old financial consultant elaborated.
With year-round training for a single annual competition, the demands are intense. But the team thrives on that challenge.
“It’s one of a kind,” Wildcards flyer and lawyer Celeste Lee, 27, described. “To defy gravity, but still be in control of it.” That unmatched passion fuels Wildcards’ winning mentality – a shared drive to push limits, uplift one another, and embody what it means to be champions, both on and off the mat.
What keeps the Wildcards together isn’t just cheerleading, but the community that has become their anchor.
