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)