More soccer coaching clinics needed
By Primastuti Handayani
JAKARTA (JP): Nearly 500 boys packed South Jakarta's Soemantri Brodjonegoro stadium wearing colorful soccer costumes. Some even wore colorful shoes.
They all there for the same reason - Alan Kennedy's soccer clinic.
Kennedy, a Liverpool player from 1978 to 1985, said "I see the boys are smiling everyday and it pleases me. Look at them, they are very enthusiastic in joining my school. It makes everything I do worthwhile."
Kennedy was invited to hold a two-week Coca Cola International Football School. He is being assisted by Clive Walker, who played for Chelsea from 1973 to 1984 and David Johnson, who was with Liverpool from 1976 to 1982, and David Fairclough, a Liverpool player from 1975 to 1983.
They are being assisted by 12 local coaches from the Pelita Bakrie club.
Kennedy divides the boys in groups for some basic skill tests. The tests are for juggling control, shooting, passing, dribbling, heading and lofted passing.
"Some of the kids here are very talented, some not so talented. It's normal. The most important thing is to make them enjoy soccer first," he said.
In the first week, Kennedy has coached almost 7,000 boys from 270 elementary and junior high schools in Jakarta.
Alan Matthews from Pacific Challenge sports organizers said after the first week between 500 and 600 boys would be chosen to join the program's second week.
Matthews said he hoped to stage the program regularly during school holidays.
"I've talked with Bakrie Pesona Rasuna about inviting Kennedy three or four times a year to stage the program. It's a long term program. If we can do it regularly, I believe in 10 years, Indonesia will have a good pro footballer," he said.
Boys are wearing a tag named after top English teams, based on their ages. Chelsea is for 10 year olds to 12 year olds, Newcastle (13-14yrs) years and Liverpool (15-16 yrs).
"Giving them top team names will motivate them to learn hard," Matthews said.
Each boy has a skill test card hanging around on his neck. If he is good, the coach will mark the card red. If he is not very good, the coach will mark it blue. Boys will also receive a certificate for finishing the program.
"When their friends look at the certificate, they will be very keen to join the program. Moreover, it's signed by me, a former Liverpool player," he laughed.
Kennedy, who started his football school in 1993, has held clinics in Singapore, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia.
Young talents
"I believe that in Indonesia the space is limited but it has many young talents," he said.
Baharuddin, a policeman, had his two sons in the program.
"The younger one wanted to join the program after seeing his big brother playing. Well, they both usually play soccer, sometimes inside the house. There's nothing to lose to join it, it's free anyway," he said.
Jimmy, a local coach, said the program was a positive influence for boys.
"They can learn juggling, heading and dribbling skills which are rarely done when they play with friends," he said.
Kennedy said the teams would have a mini world cup competition in the afternoon.
"We'll divide them into several groups with names like Brazil, Italy, England or Germany," he said.
Kennedy said his program in Indonesia "is the biggest and longest program I've ever made."
He said he wanted to return to Indonesia soon to continue the school.
The question is this. Why should a foreigner stage a free program for Indonesian boys?
Indonesian coaches can hold such a program with the support from major companies as sponsors.
The government will also have to provide more soccer fields instead of building malls and shopping centers.
If Indonesia wants a good national soccer team, the Indonesian Soccer Association will have to hold regular coaching clinics throughout the country to find young talent.