1,543 athletes join centralized training programs<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A total of 1,543 athletes are being groomed in
\ncentralized training programs for the 19th Southeast Asian (SEA)
\nGames which will be staged here next year.<\/p>\n
The National Sports Council's spokesman, Ishadi SK said
\nyesterday that there will be three selection phases to pick the
\n700-member national squad for the biennial event.<\/p>\n
\"The phases are scheduled to take place in April, July and
\nOctober. Following the selection trials we will pick 700 of the
\n1,543 athletes to don the national colors in the SEA Games,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Ishadi said Indonesia's contingent for the Games will comprise
\n1,200 members, including athletes, coaches and officials.<\/p>\n
He said so far only athletes from 10 of the 31 sports
\nassociations have joined the programs. \"These include badminton,
\nboxing, track and field and volleyball.\"<\/p>\n
He hoped that the fasting month and Idul Fitri celebrations
\nearly next year and the general election in May will not disrupt
\nthe training sessions too much.<\/p>\n
Ishadi said, quoting the council's chairman Wismoyo
\nArismunandar, that national athletes do not have any problems
\nwith their physical and technical skills.<\/p>\n
\"Pak Wis stressed that their mental skills need more
\nattention. In the last Games in Chiang Mai, Thailand, he said,
\nmost of the Indonesian athletes lacked the necessary fighting
\nspirit and so they gave up without putting up much of a
\nchallenge,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"We should emulate what the Thai athletes did. They kept on
\nfighting till the end. Their fighting spirit was boosted when
\ntheir coaches and officials showed them a picture of their king,\"
\nhe added.<\/p>\n
Regain title<\/p>\n
Thailand dethroned Indonesia from the top spot by grabbing the
\noverall championship title at last year's Games. This time,
\nIndonesia, which is hosting the Games for the third time, is
\ndoing everything to regain the title.<\/p>\n
\"Each sports organization has proposed that the council
\nincrease the frequency of overseas training stints for its
\nathletes,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Ishadi said most sports bodies have hired foreign coaches and
\nadded more local coaches for the programs.<\/p>\n
Although there might be cross-cultural problems and language
\nbarriers between the Indonesian charges and their foreign
\ncoaches, particularly those who come from East European
\ncountries, the role of the foreign trainers is crucial to help
\nenhance the athletes' performances. He said the council will use
\nthe services of interpreters to help the coaches and athletes
\ncommunicate better.<\/p>\n
\"We realize that communication is the biggest problem between
\nforeign coaches and our athletes. Therefore we'll hire
\ninterpreters to overcome the barriers,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Twenty doctors and several psychologists will cooperate to
\nhelp solve athletes' personal problems that might impair their
\nperformances, he said.<\/p>\n
The training programs are financed by the underwriting
\nconsortium chaired by President Soeharto's second son Bambang
\nTrihatmodjo, and will cost about Rp 35 billion (US$14.8 million).<\/p>\n
According to Ishadi, the council is urging sports
\norganizations which have adequate funds to hire foreign coaches
\nthemselves instead of asking the council to pay for them.<\/p>\n
The council will also ask the Gelora Senayan management board
\nto provide free training facilities for athletes.<\/p>\n
The council also announced the names of the officials in
\ncharge of the training programs. They are Togi M Hutagaol, who
\nwas named as chairman; Indra Djati Sidi, the chairman's deputy;
\nDjoko Pramono, the executive director and Aribinuko
\nTjiptoadhidjojo, the deputy to Djoko.<\/p>\n
\"The organizational structure is much better because sports
\norganizations, the program's chairman and the program's director
\nwill have to coordinate all programs,\" Ishadi said. (yan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/1543-athletes-join-centralized-training-programs-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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