Badminton body asks advice from former champions
Badminton body asks advice from former champions
JAKARTA (JP): Past heroes will be recruited to help the
national Thomas Cup and Uber Cup badminton squads rebuild their
fighting spirit ahead of the world team championships in May.
Deputy chairman of the Badminton Association of Indonesia Agus
Wirahadikusumah said yesterday the nation's badminton greats
would share their experiences with their successors whose
nontechnical troubles could threaten their bid to retain their
titles.
"We will bring together former national shuttlers, officials
and coaches to encourage our players to fight it out in the
championships," Agus said on the sidelines of the National Sports
Council's congress.
He said a meeting of renowned players had once been held at
the residence of the association's chairman Gen. Subagyo
Hadisiswoyo.
"We considered another meeting prior to the Thomas Cup and
Uber Cup finals," Agus, a major general who is now posted at the
Armed Forces Headquarters, said.
Old hand Ferry Sonneville, runner-up in the 1959 All England
and the world's top shuttler in the 1950s, said yesterday that he
and fellow veterans such as Tan Joe Hok responded positively to
Agus' appeal.
"I suggest that coaches and shuttlers form a well-knit team
and work together," Ferry said.
Agus complained that the association had a lack of coaches
while its new recruits increased.
The unequal ratio has caused communication troubles between
them, he said.
"Ideally, a coach must handle only four athletes. But in our
badminton training center, a coach has to take care of more than
five shuttlers.
"Sometimes, the coaches are unaware of their athletes'
personal problems, which may affect their performance in a
tournament.
"We hope that regular counseling by officials and coaches will
prevent our shuttlers, who are professional athletes, from being
prone to small disturbances, such as girlfriend problems or
stomach aches. The players must be able to take care of
themselves."
Agus said shuttlers who could not get along with their coaches
must speak to the center's director, Christian Hadinata, or other
coaches or officials when they face personal problems.
Head of athlete development for the association Mangombar
Ferdinand Siregar said Monday the association would ask for help
from psychologist Singgih Gunarsa.
Agus said the association also planned to take athletes for a
pilgrimage "to ask for God's blessing". However, he failed to
elaborate on the location of the pilgrimage.
The association will name 10 players for each of the badminton
team championships after the Swiss Open which is now underway.
Siregar said the Thomas Cup and Uber Cup squads would play
simulation matches in the first or second week of April. (yan)