PBSI to give coaches a language lesson in upgrading skills<\/p>\n
Bruce Emond and Moch. N. Kurniawan
\nThe Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
National badminton coaches will no longer be able to mutter a
\nfew words of English and expect it to pass muster.<\/p>\n
The Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) is devising a
\ncomprehensive plan for coaching standardization, with a major
\nemphasis on improving English-language proficiency so the coaches
\nunderstand can badminton terminology and communicate.<\/p>\n
\"It's not enough simply to have talent if we want to compete
\ntoday,\" PBSI head of research and development Tan Joe Hok said
\nduring a meeting at PBSI's office in Senayan, Central Jakarta, on
\nWednesday.<\/p>\n
\"And not least among the needed skills is English -- we can't
\nuse 'Tarzan-speak' to get by.\"<\/p>\n
The problem of language comprehension was underscored at a
\ncoaches' workshop during last month's Asian Badminton
\nConfederation junior tournament in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
With the materials in English, all of the local coaches failed
\nthe final test for regional certification.<\/p>\n
With badminton powerhouses China and Korea far ahead of
\nIndonesian in using sports science, PBSI secretary-general MF
\nSiregar said upgrading of skills was needed among all levels of
\ncoaches.<\/p>\n
\"We are facing an extraordinary process of development ... If
\nwe don't improve, we will continue to be left behind.\"<\/p>\n
As well as English, the coaches will receive training in
\nnutrition, psychology, sports injuries, doping controls as well
\nas the rules of the sport and the association to improve the
\nperformance of their athletes.<\/p>\n
Unlike Tan, who went on to study science at Baylor University
\nin Texas after his career in the late 1950s, many coaches are
\nformer players with a high school or junior high school
\neducation.<\/p>\n
Tan said the grounding in the subjects would be thorough but
\nsimple enough for laypeople to understand.<\/p>\n
\"We eventually plan to collect all the materials into a
\nhandbook for distribution to our provincial chapters, with
\ncoaches able to take part in a certification test,\" Siregar said.<\/p>\n
Retno Kustiyah, a former champion women's doubles player who
\nnow coaches at Jaya Raya Club, said the plan would help coaches
\nget more from foreign coaching clinics and English-language
\nmaterials.<\/p>\n
\"Anatomy books are written in English. If our coaches
\nunderstand the books, they would gain more scientific methods to
\nselect shuttlers.\"<\/p>\n
Tan said coaches and players needed to overcome their
\n\"inferiority complex\" to converse in English.<\/p>\n
\"Perhaps it's part of our colonial legacy, but we still have
\nthat mentality that, when we see a Westerner, we suddenly feel a
\nbit reticent if we have to say something in English.\"<\/p>\n
Doping will be another focus of the training, with coaches
\nconsidered vital in educating their players about avoiding
\nmedicine that may contain illegal substances.<\/p>\n
At least three Indonesian players -- Hastomo Arbi, Minarti
\nTimur and Sigit Budiarto -- have been sanctioned after testing
\npositive for banned substances in the past 20 years.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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