KONI plans to hire foreign coaches

KONI plans to hire foreign coaches

JAKARTA (JP): The National Sports Council (KONI) plans to hire
foreign coaches in preparing its athletes for the 2001 Southeast
Asian (SEA) Games in Kuala Lumpur.

KONI deputy chairman Arie Sudewo said on Thursday that foreign
coaches were badly needed in the short term as local coaches, who
were still few in number, lacked knowledge in sports science and
technology which was crucial for sports development.

"We will hire foreign coaches for the Kuala Lumpur Games. Up
to the 2006 Asian Games, we hope the local coaches will be able
to improve," he said after a meeting with KONI officials.

He said KONI would decide which sports organizations would be
allowed to use foreign coaches after the council discussed the
matter with them.

"Certain sports still need foreign coaches while coaches from
sports like badminton and pencak silat are hired by other
countries," he said.

Arie said past experience showed local coaches did not benefit
from overseas training.

"We have given opportunities to the local coaches to attend
training overseas but they have language difficulties," said the
retired three-star Army general, adding that KONI would open
language classes for the coaches.

Although KONI planned to reduce its dependency on foreign
coaches before 2006, Arie said that the council would approve if
any organization would still hire the coaches.

"We hope that local coaches can absorb their foreign
compatriots' knowledge so we don't have to hire foreign coaches,"
he said.

"But I don't have any assumption that we will no longer use
foreign coaches until 2006. We often exchange coaches with our
neighboring countries."

Speaking at the training center for the SEA Games and the 2000
Olympics, Arie said that KONI would review the functions of
special teams who were set up to supervise the training
procedure.

In the past, the teams would usually visit and give advice on
the training. The teams would oversee several sports.

"We want to clarify the team's function. We planned to
minimize its responsibility so the teams would not have to
consult on many things, including the technical factors in
coaching," he said.

"But the teams will focus more on consulting the sports
officials and athletes of their needs and bringing up their
requests so we could help support these sports." (ivy)