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)