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)