Local tennis body vows to build stronger team
Local tennis body vows to build stronger team
JAKARTA (JP): The newly elected president of the Indonesian Tennis Association, Sarwono Kusumaatmadja, has vowed to build a strong national team, comprising of talents with equal standards.
Upon announcing his executive board on Tuesday Sarwono said he plans to set up a special department in charge of scouting for talented players, training them and sending them to events where national pride is at stake.
"Our obsession is to have such a large group of world-rated players that it will enable us to make definite choices," Sarwono said. He did not go into details about the special body, called the National Team Board, saying that the association has yet to complete its draft.
Sarwono, who is also Minister of Environment, said the association came to the decision to form the new board after observing a widening gap of skills among national players. "Look how Yayuk stands head and shoulders above her juniors," Sarwono said, referring to the outstanding achievement of world number 29 Yayuk Basuki.
National number two Romana Tedjakusuma lies adrift at 149th in the World Tennis Association computer. Number three Natalia Soetrisno is placed even farther down at 324th.
Sarwono promised that the national team board would pick players in a competitive way. "I guarantee there will be no favoritism" he said.
The board will work under Sarwono's direct supervision, but must involve the association's other departments, in charge of training and development.
Sarwono, after a month of consultation with his close partners Pontjo Sutowo and Eddy Katimansah, named Pontjo as the association's training director. The development, promotion and foreign affairs post went to former secretary general Eddy.
"I didn't accept my new job willingly since I'm a very busy man. That's why I need more staff," Sarwono said. The association's new executive board is made up of 15 people.
Sarwono also picked Rusmadi Siddik, director general of personnel, human resources and veteran affairs at the Ministry of Defense, as head of the provincial role reforms department.
The association, under Sarwono, has a bigger secretariat general, led by Zaenal Abidin. Appointing four deputy secretary generals, Sarwono expects a more professional administration.
"Our long term objective is to create an established tennis society which comprises players, spectators and sponsors," he said.
Sarwono plans to involve former national players in his administration, but will not give them key posts. "Swinging rackets has nothing to do with running an organization," he said. (amd)