RI hires U.S. coach for national bowlers

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia has hired American coach James Gordon to help its bowling team boost its performances and therefore match its opponents during the 19th SEA Games here next year.

Chairman of the Indonesian Bowling Association, Oka F. Supit, said yesterday that Gordon will start coaching in January. He will polish the skills of 12 bowlers named for the SEA Games during an eight-month intensive training program.

Another 12 players from North Sumatra and East Java and Central Java have also been picked to act as the national team's sparring partners.

"We have to employ a foreign coach otherwise we cannot keep up with our opponents. Teams like Singapore and the Philippines have improved so fast in the past four or five years, while at the same time we have not made any steps forward," Oka said.

Gordon signed with the bowling association earlier this month, but was not available to begin his program then due to Christmas and New Year commitments.

"We expect from a lot James, although we do not have as good facilities as neighboring countries do," Oka said, adding that the national team will work out in an old bowling center built in the 1930s.

Oka said that given Indonesia's unimpressive performance in the last SEA Games he would not place too much burden on his athletes. "We are not going to exaggerate. Winning one gold medal will be great," he said. A total of 12 golds are on offer in next year's Games.

Indonesia managed only a bronze in the last meet in Chiang Mai, Thailand, last December.

Oka said that Singapore's world-beaters would probably maintain their supremacy in the bowling lanes next year. They romped home with five golds, three silvers and three bronzes in Chiang Mai. (amd)