SINGAPORE — At the end of a regular workday, it would not be unusual to find netballer Premila Hirubalan making a quick dash from the Singapore General Hospital (SGH) to the Sports Hub’s OCBC Arena for evening training sessions with the Singapore team.

The veteran defender is a medical officer at SGH’s Department of Anaesthesiology and may be involved in as many as five operations a day. Her experience is typical of what the 12-strong national netball side goes through as players juggle training, work and school ahead of the South-east Asian (SEA) Games.

And managing part-time instead of full-time athletes has turned out to be the most tricky aspect of national coach Ruth Aitken’s job since she took up the role in August 2013.

“I have never coached part-time netballers before this and what I think is the hardest for Singaporean netballers and a lot of the Singapore athletes who are not full-time is the late-night training sessions,” said Aitken, 58, who coached her native New Zealand to victory at the 2003 World Championships.

“Taking the MRT after 10pm, then getting up early the next morning to go to work bright-eyed — I certainly realise the commitment these girls preparing for the SEA Games are giving to be part of the squad.

“For example, Kimberly (Lim) has exams in the week leading up to the tournament on Sunday and, luckily, they will finish just before it starts. We also have teachers in our team who are preparing their students for exams. I have to get the team pumped up and competition ready soon.”

When Aitken notices that some of her charges look worn out at training sessions, she would introduce games as part of their warm-up. Some would also approach her for advice on school and work, and she would provide a listening ear.

“I believe you coach the person and not just the netballer. Often, you can see some are tired or just down (when they arrive for training),” she said.

“So I start with something light-hearted such as different ball games — probably those that primary-school children play — and then progress to more strict and intensive training.”

Not that the team need much encouragement, as being selected to represent Singapore at the SEA Games has been a huge source of motivation for them.

Singapore begin their SEA Games campaign on Sunday at the Sports Hub’s OCBC Arena, where they face Brunei in their opening group game, followed by Thailand (June 1), Malaysia (June 2), the Philippines (June 3) and Myanmar (June 4). Only the top four sides in the round robin group advance to the semi-finals on June 6, with the final on June 7.

Captained by Lin Qingyi, 29, the team train up to six times a week and three hours each time, but Aitkentakes care to ensure that they manage their hectic schedules well.

As reigning Asian champions and the continent’s representatives at the World Cup in Sydney in August, hosts Singapore are the gold-medal favourite. Aitken, who also coached New Zealand to two Commonwealth Games gold medals (2006 and 2010), has been showing video clips of the Malaysian team to her charges, as they have identified their rivals across the Causeway as their biggest threat.

“Gold is certainly our aim, but that is also the aim of Malaysia,” she said. “My players are confident in themselves and one another, but also mindful of what a big task it is ahead. Everyone’s reminding one another that the Asian Championships was last year and this is 2015 — we have to keep our heads down and just keep working towards gold.

“Other teams besides Malaysia are pretty unknown at this stage. A lot of the teams have been recruiting from the basketball and volleyball cohorts, so there could be some unexpected height. It is about us doing our analysis fast once the teams arrive.”

Hirubalan, who at 32 is the oldest player in the Singapore side, is the only one from the squad who competed at the 2001 SEA Games — the only other time netball featured at the Games. She said she is still haunted by the 42-35 loss to Malaysia then.

“I told my team-mates that I don’t want to experience that again. I am quietly confident that we can get gold. We play a very fast and furious game, because there are a lot of quick players in our team. But sometimes, we get carried away (in this aspect).”

Added Hirubalan: “We are like a big family ... It is a very exclusive group, and the communication we have only improves teamwork on court.”

SEA GAMES NETBALL COMPETITION: May 31 to June 7, OCBC Arena Hall 1