Lax discipline in badminton training

Lax discipline in badminton training

Adequate preparation will be reflected in the competition.
This is true for every sport, including badminton. The poor
result at the just-concluded 2004 Thomas and Uber Cup
championships was the result of the national squad's poor
preparation.

This year, problems had surrounded the team prior to the
biennial event, starting when coaches boycotted a team simulation
in Batam, Riau, and ending with a brawl involving second singles
player Taufik Hidayat on the day he was supposed to concentrate
in an encounter against China.

In previous tournaments, the Badminton Association of
Indonesia (PBSI) had always involved experts, former badminton
players and the media in series of discussions before the event
kicked off, at least three months in advance. However, this year,
the PBSI only had two simulations in Batam and Bandung, West
Java.

Along with the cup events, shuttlers also had to concentrate
on preparations for qualification in the 2004 Athens Olympics in
August. Some struggled to improve their world rankings to enable
them to compete in the quadrennial event.

Involving experts including badminton observers, former
players, physical trainers, sports psychologists, nutritionists
and the media could have helped the national squad in overcoming
their existing problems.

Former players could help boost the athletes' motivation as
well as help analyze other countries' strengths and weaknesses.
They could also have shared tips about how to cope with the huge
pressure on court.

A regular discussion with the media, as in previous years,
could have helped the PBSI gain support from the public and been
a morale booster for the shuttlers.

After the defeat, people questioned the function of the
National Badminton Center in Cipayung, East Jakarta. The center
is supposed to host elite players who are groomed to be ready at
any time to defend the country in international tournaments.

However, as time goes by, the center is no longer a center of
excellence as more and more shuttlers bow down to their
opponents.

It is high time the PBSI is restructured. The association
should return the shuttlers to their respective clubs -- the
players should only gather for training at the center three times
a week and spend the rest of their time in their clubs.

The PBSI must encourage regular interclub and inter-regional
tournaments to increase the competitiveness among clubs and
players. Once they have returned to clubs, our top players must
win as many tournaments as they can to bring home prize money.

Whenever Indonesia is competing in an international
competition, athletes from different clubs should be able to join
the competition without any need to request permission from the
PBSI. The organization should only serve as an administrator for
athletes.

The male and female dormitories at the center no longer
provide a conducive environment for training. Many top shuttlers
have parked their luxury cars outside their bedrooms, prompting
their juniors to follow suit. With cars easily at hand, they can
leave the center and spend all night hanging out with their
friends. This kind of lifestyle will affect their physical
fitness, discipline and -- in the end -- their achievements.

Athletes should also continue going to school and education
should remain a priority. Many of our shuttlers have not gone to
college or universities and some of them are high school
dropouts.

This lack of education was obvious on court. Our shuttlers did
not have enough confidence against their opponents, particularly
when they were under pressure. Our shuttlers tended to look to
their coaches for instructions. They were not independently
intelligent.

However, all the efforts in the world will mean nothing if the
PBSI doesn't have the will to improve badminton in the country.

Shuttlers have complained that PBSI chairman Chairul Tanjung
rarely comes to the center to speak to the athletes. He often
delegates his work to his subordinates and makes the athletes
feel he is out of reach.

As suggested earlier, Chairul should spend more time with the
athletes and treat them like his own children -- not his
employees.

As long as PBSI officials continue to represent the interests
of different clubs and regions, the athletes will remain a
commodity.

If we don't widen our focus, our achievement in badminton --
the only sport that has made Indonesians proud -- will remain
mediocre.

-- Primastuti Handayani