kwun
11-18-2002, 09:30 PM
Hock Kin gives up coaching
By RAJES PAUL
KUALA LUMPUR: Former national men’s singles shuttler Yong Hock Kin has ended his short stint as a coach to return as a player. But he will not neglect developing the players in the back-up squad.
The 28-year-old Hock Kin handed in an official letter of resignation to the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) yesterday. The southpaw quit competitive badminton in February and took up the BAM’s offer to coach the back-up squad in March.
Hock Kin said yesterday that he found no joy in coaching.
“My passion is still to play badminton. I gave a shot at coaching but I did not find it to my liking. I still find that I can play for the country now that I have recovered from my knee injury,” he said.
But Hock Kin has no plan to stop sparring with the back-up squad’s players.
“My plan is to spar with them three or four times a week. The BAM are agreeable to my plans but they said a decision on whether I can spar with the back-up squad will be made by the next coach of the national team,” he said.
In the last eight months, Hock Kin had taken part in several tournaments. His best result was a win over Busan Asian Games runner-up Lee Hyun-il of South Korea in the second round of the Dutch Open.
Hock Kin is aware that the BAM would not include him as a member of the national team but said that he would find his own sponsors to compete in overseas tournaments.
On his short coaching career, Hock Kin added: “It was a good experience for me. It has certainly made me a better person and I am able to analyse the game better.”
He also said that the players under his charge still had a lot of catching up to do. Among the players he trained were Yeoh Kay Bin, Kuan Beng Hong, Mohd Salleh Suwandi, Choo Gee Chang and Ong Huck Lee.
“They have improved but they still lacked in their ability to kill the shuttle in a game. They need to think more on court,” he said.
He attributed the weaknesses to the comfortable living in the BAM.
“They get everything they need here. They do not go through hardship and there is no real desire to excel in their game. These players have to experience some hardships to make them better players,” said Hock Kin.
On his comeback as a player, Hock Kin said: “I will certainly go all out to try to win tournaments. Previously, I used to train very hard and got myself injured. Now I work hard on court and I try to play smart. I still feel I can contribute to the country.”
Hock Kin became the first Malaysian to win the Indonesian Open men’s singles title in 1998. Last year, when he made a return from a long break because of knee and hamstring injuries, he won the Thailand Open.
By RAJES PAUL
KUALA LUMPUR: Former national men’s singles shuttler Yong Hock Kin has ended his short stint as a coach to return as a player. But he will not neglect developing the players in the back-up squad.
The 28-year-old Hock Kin handed in an official letter of resignation to the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) yesterday. The southpaw quit competitive badminton in February and took up the BAM’s offer to coach the back-up squad in March.
Hock Kin said yesterday that he found no joy in coaching.
“My passion is still to play badminton. I gave a shot at coaching but I did not find it to my liking. I still find that I can play for the country now that I have recovered from my knee injury,” he said.
But Hock Kin has no plan to stop sparring with the back-up squad’s players.
“My plan is to spar with them three or four times a week. The BAM are agreeable to my plans but they said a decision on whether I can spar with the back-up squad will be made by the next coach of the national team,” he said.
In the last eight months, Hock Kin had taken part in several tournaments. His best result was a win over Busan Asian Games runner-up Lee Hyun-il of South Korea in the second round of the Dutch Open.
Hock Kin is aware that the BAM would not include him as a member of the national team but said that he would find his own sponsors to compete in overseas tournaments.
On his short coaching career, Hock Kin added: “It was a good experience for me. It has certainly made me a better person and I am able to analyse the game better.”
He also said that the players under his charge still had a lot of catching up to do. Among the players he trained were Yeoh Kay Bin, Kuan Beng Hong, Mohd Salleh Suwandi, Choo Gee Chang and Ong Huck Lee.
“They have improved but they still lacked in their ability to kill the shuttle in a game. They need to think more on court,” he said.
He attributed the weaknesses to the comfortable living in the BAM.
“They get everything they need here. They do not go through hardship and there is no real desire to excel in their game. These players have to experience some hardships to make them better players,” said Hock Kin.
On his comeback as a player, Hock Kin said: “I will certainly go all out to try to win tournaments. Previously, I used to train very hard and got myself injured. Now I work hard on court and I try to play smart. I still feel I can contribute to the country.”
Hock Kin became the first Malaysian to win the Indonesian Open men’s singles title in 1998. Last year, when he made a return from a long break because of knee and hamstring injuries, he won the Thailand Open.