SEAG volleyball training starts this year

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Volleyball Association (PBVSI) plans to start its women's and men's indoor team training program this year for the September 2001 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Kuala Lumpur.

PBVSI secretary general Sutardiono said on Friday that the women had to start their program earlier than the men because they needed more time to improve their skills.

"The women's team has to start sooner because they need more time to prepare, although not all players will immediately join the program. The women's team has to retain its position as runner-up in next year's Games. The men's team must win the gold," he said.

At the 1997 Games, Indonesia won gold in the men's indoor event and silver in the women's. In the beach volleyball, the male and female teams each won gold. Last year, host country Brunei Darussalam decided not to include volleyball.

The association has scheduled the women's team to start training in September. The men will begin in December.

Sutardiono said in order to meet these targets, the association would hire a Japanese coach to train the women's team. The Japan Foundation will help to pay the coach's wages.

Two names -- Kouzi Tsuzurabara and Michio Fujiwara -- have been submitted by the Japan Volley Association (JVA) but PBVSI has yet to choose one.

"JVA has found coaches who can help Indonesia prepare for the SEA Games. The coach's salary is affordable. We also asked JVA and the Japan Foundation to help pay his salary, but the Japan Foundation can only support us starting from April 2001. In the meantime, PBVSI will pay him," he said, adding that the association had yet to name the men's coach.

The association eyed prospective trainees during the 2000 National Games (PON) and last year's first Indonesian indoor volleyball league.

"We have registered their names. We will invite a maximum of 22 players to take part in the program."

Sutardiono also announced that the first series of this year's volleyball league would be held in Surabaya, and would carry the name of the Samator volleyball league.

It is scheduled to take place from Sept. 24 to Sept. 30. The second series will be held in Jakarta from Nov. 13 to Nov. 19.

Sutardiono said the association was still considering the venue.

Ten teams, top 10 in last year's league, will participate in the event. The men's team include defending champion Yuso (Yogyakarta), DPPK (Jakarta), Bank BNI 46 (Jakarta), host Samator (Surabaya), PLN (Jakarta), DLLAJ (Bandung), Perhutani (Bandung), APAC INTI (Semarang), Bank BTPN (Bandung) and Bimantara (Jakarta).

The women's teams are defending champion Petrogres (Gresik), Bank BNI 46, PTPN 10 (Surabaya), PLN, Perhutani (Bandung), POPSIVO (Jakarta), Citra Muda (Jakarta), Mabes TNI (Jakarta), Yuso and TOVO (Jakarta). (ivy)