“I never imagined that I would get the opportunity to represent Singapore one day. It was all thanks to my parents and coach who constantly encouraged me to participate in the trial selection for the national team,” A’Fif recounted.
On top of being a national athlete, since 2020, A’Fif has juggled a full-time job as a courier at the DHL Express West service center, where he delivers shipments nationwide.
"Most of my teammates also have full-time jobs. I think that having a responsible mindset is very important for us. We need to be able to provide for our families before we can focus on training, perform well during competitions, and continue pursuing our passion."
Muhammad A'Fif Bin Safiee, Courier, DHL Express Singapore
While painfully shy and quiet in daily life, A’Fif leads his team steadily as captain, taking on an important and aggressive role as the team’s striker on the court.
To ensure that he was in tip-top condition, A’Fif attended all training sessions and even integrated exercise into his day, stretching and clocking steps while working as a courier with DHL Express.
"There were many instances where I had to attend sepak takraw training even after a long and tiring day at work. We trained every weekday night two months before the SEA Games, and training frequency and intensity increased during the lead-up to major games."
Muhammad A'Fif Bin Safiee, Captain, Team Singapore Sepak Takraw.
This took a toll on A’Fif’s physical health as it meant limited rest and family time. Being overseas for extended periods also led him to miss out on important milestones, such as his child’s first birthday.
“I’m now a father of two young children. So, it’s not the same as it was before. Now, every time I leave for competitions, I feel like I am leaving them behind, so I want to prioritize my family more. It is very important for me to strike a good balance between all these aspects of my life for me to do well.”
About a month before the SEA Games, the national team had a two-week in-camp training in Malaysia, which consisted of friendly matches against the Malaysian team, as well as training three times per day with only a two-hour break in between.
Beyond the physically taxing training regimen, it was tough for A’Fif to be away from his family, on top of taking two weeks’ leave for the training camp. Luckily, the DHL management team greenlit his request to attend the training camp and competition, supporting him by rearranging his working shift schedules.
"We told him to go serve the nation, because we know that that’s important. Of course, we had to get approval from HR, and management, and we had to arrange his shift schedules so he could come in earlier and leave earlier and take time off for competitions, so this was a collective effort from the team."
Jaya Kumar Singaram, West Service Center Manager, DHL Express Singapore
Going for the camp was a game-changer for A’Fif’s physical condition. The vigorous regime enabled him to propel his skills to the next level, ultimately leading to the medal-winning performance in Cambodia.
“I really appreciate the flexibility and support given to me by my managers at DHL. I’ve held previous jobs where this would not have been possible, and if I’d known I could have gotten so much support for my earlier sepak takraw competitions, I would have joined DHL Express sooner,” said A’Fif.
A’Fif’s colleagues also showed their support by helping to share his route while he was on leave.
“My colleagues know that I represent Singapore in sepak takraw, so they always tease me by spreading the news around the warehouse and taking videos of me because they know I am shy,” A’Fif said sheepishly. “I don’t say it often, but I am very touched and thankful to have them cheering me on every step of the way. Because of them, I look forward to coming back to work.”
"No doubt it was tough on me but I’m glad I persevered. In the end, it was all worth it because we managed to bring a medal back. I am very thankful to my family and my colleagues for being so understanding and supportive that I can continue chasing my dreams."
Muhammad A'Fif Bin Safiee, Captain, Team Singapore Sepak Takraw.
“When I retire as an active player, I can definitely see myself coaching the younger teams. In fact, I have always wanted to get a coaching certificate so that I can nurture the next batch of sepak takraw players as a part-time job on the weekends.”
To other athletes balancing a day job, A’Fif hopes that they keep their focus, stay confident, and block out all other voices, as it is a tough road ahead.
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