NEWS : Lax discipline in badminton training

Lax discipline in badminton training [font=Arial, Helvetica]
Primastuti Handayani, Jakarta Post

Adequate preparation will be reflected in the competition. This is true for every sport, including badminton. The poor result at the just-concluded 2004 Thomas and Uber Cup championships was the result of the national squad's poor preparation.


This year, problems had surrounded the team prior to the biennial event, starting when coaches boycotted a team simulation in Batam, Riau, and ending with a brawl involving second singles player Taufik Hidayat on the day he was supposed to concentrate in an encounter against China.

In previous tournaments, the Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) had always involved experts, former badminton players and the media in series of discussions before the event kicked off, at least three months in advance. However, this year, the PBSI only had two simulations in Batam and Bandung, West Java.

Along with the cup events, shuttlers also had to concentrate on preparations for qualification in the 2004 Athens Olympics in August. Some struggled to improve their world rankings to enable them to compete in the quadrennial event.

Involving experts including badminton observers, former players, physical trainers, sports psychologists, nutritionists and the media could have helped the national squad in overcoming their existing problems.

Former players could help boost the athletes' motivation as well as help analyze other countries' strengths and weaknesses. They could also have shared tips about how to cope with the huge pressure on court.

A regular discussion with the media, as in previous years, could have helped the PBSI gain support from the public and been a morale booster for the shuttlers.

After the defeat, people questioned the function of the National Badminton Center in Cipayung, East Jakarta. The center is supposed to host elite players who are groomed to be ready at any time to defend the country in international tournaments.

However, as time goes by, the center is no longer a center of excellence as more and more shuttlers bow down to their opponents.

It is high time the PBSI is restructured. The association should return the shuttlers to their respective clubs -- the players should only gather for training at the center three times a week and spend the rest of their time in their clubs.

The PBSI must encourage regular interclub and inter-regional tournaments to increase the competitiveness among clubs and players. Once they have returned to clubs, our top players must win as many tournaments as they can to bring home prize money.

Whenever Indonesia is competing in an international competition, athletes from different clubs should be able to join the competition without any need to request permission from the PBSI. The organization should only serve as an administrator for athletes.

The male and female dormitories at the center no longer provide a conducive environment for training. Many top shuttlers have parked their luxury cars outside their bedrooms, prompting their juniors to follow suit. With cars easily at hand, they can leave the center and spend all night hanging out with their friends. This kind of lifestyle will affect their physical fitness, discipline and -- in the end -- their achievements.

Athletes should also continue going to school and education should remain a priority. Many of our shuttlers have not gone to college or universities and some of them are high school dropouts.

This lack of education was obvious on court. Our shuttlers did not have enough confidence against their opponents, particularly when they were under pressure. Our shuttlers tended to look to their coaches for instructions. They were not independently intelligent.

However, all the efforts in the world will mean nothing if the PBSI doesn't have the will to improve badminton in the country.

Shuttlers have complained that PBSI chairman Chairul Tanjung rarely comes to the center to speak to the athletes. He often delegates his work to his subordinates and makes the athletes feel he is out of reach.

As suggested earlier, Chairul should spend more time with the athletes and treat them like his own children -- not his employees.

As long as PBSI officials continue to represent the interests of different clubs and regions, the athletes will remain a commodity.

If we don't widen our focus, our achievement in badminton -- the only sport that has made Indonesians proud -- will remain mediocre. -- Primastuti Handayani [/font]

 

Lessons from our defeats in Thomas and Uber Cup [font=Arial, Helvetica]Primastuti Handayani, Jakarta

A question was raised by many people when seeing Indonesia crash in the 2004 Thomas and Uber Cup badminton championships before a home crowd last week: What is going on with badminton development in this country?



The defeat against Denmark in the Thomas Cup semifinals -- the first in Indonesia's badminton history -- was regrettable, considering the national shuttlers could have won the decisive match in the doubles.

As for the Uber Cup team, the women's strong fighting spirit was not enough for them to even reach the semifinals. They have, however, shown their potential.

Doubts about the Thomas Cup team had been there since the Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) announced this year's lineup. The PBSI did not have many options for the singles, particularly after the retirement of 2001 world champion Hendrawan and Marlev Mainaky.

Deploying Sony Dwi Kuncoro as the first singles player followed by controversial shuttler Taufik Hidayat and newcomers Simon Santoso and Wimpie Mawardi was the best lineup that Indonesia could have.

However, the choice of lineup for the men's doubles, a competition that Indonesia has dominated since the early 1990s with the emergence of 1996 Olympics champions Ricky Subagja and Rexy Mainaky, was shocking.

Luluk Hadiyanto and Alven Yulianto should have been included in the squad not only because of their highest ranking of world No. 7 but also because of the need to give them experience to fight for the country in high-pressure environment.

The selection of Flandy Limpele and Eng Hian invoked criticism. Many people questioned why the PBSI did not pick Sigit Budiarto to team up with Candra -- they won the 1997 world championships -- and Halim Heryanto to partner Tri -- they saved Indonesia in the 2002 Thomas Cup in Guangzhou, China.

Regardless of Flandy and Eng Hian's ranking of No. 8, they had never been selected for the Thomas Cup, not because of their lack of skills but because of their lack of winning form. This deficit of fighting spirit was obvious when they were under pressure from the Danish duo of Lars Paaske and Jonas Rasmussen in a match the Indonesians finally surrendered in three-games.

A duo created to counter European pairs, with a year's experience competing for England, Flandy and Eng Hian failed to show their quality.

The partnership of Candra and Tri also raised questions as they both have a similar playing style. Observers said they did not match each other technically.

It was a contrast when Candra paired with Sigit. They had performed outstandingly during a simulation game in Batam, Riau, prior to the event and so had Halim and Tri. Many predicted these doubles pairs would be the country's most-powerful weapons in the Thomas Cup.

But team manager Christian Hadinata, predictably, had another opinion, saying the lineup was the best choice in the circumstances.

The country's Uber Cup singles team of Silvi Antarini, Maria Kristin and Adrianti Firdasari still needs more opportunities to excel in international tournaments. PBSI chairman Chairul Tanjung's view they should only be sent to one to three star-rated tournaments was the right decision, although this should have been done two years ago.

Once the singles players manage to show a steady performance, they must be given greater challenges and allowed to compete in higher star-rated events. The same applies for the women's doubles.

Sports psychologists -- they are actually registered as officials at the PBSI -- should have been involved in preparing a team for such a prestigious event as the pressure is much greater on each member compared to a regular Grand Prix series.

A physical trainer is also needed to help coaches hone the shuttlers into peak performers while minimizing the risk of injuries.

Other supporting experts needed in a team include nutritionists, masseurs and therapists.

Unfortunately, this year's Thomas and Uber Cup teams did not have any of these supporting experts.

Indonesia should take a valuable lesson from China. Although China has a lot of winners on its team, each of them seriously watched every match during the competition and even took notes.

Only one Indonesian shuttler was known for such behavior: Susi Susanti. She always took notes on her rivals' performances -- their strengths and weaknesses -- so that she could anticipate them in any encounters in tournaments.

National shuttlers must be taught this habit so they can analyze their rivals on court and decide what steps they are going to take, instead of just asking their coaches.

The PBSI must quickly evaluate this recent defeat and work out a short-term game plan to face the 2004 Athens Olympic Games in August. This time around, Indonesia has little chance of winning any golds, even in the men's doubles that it usually dominates. While there is still a little hope, it is likely only Sigit and Tri may make the semifinals. The Thomas and Uber Cup defeats have forced all parties in Indonesian badminton -- the athletes, coaches, PBSI officials, National Sports Council (KONI) officials and the public -- to learn something: That hard work, as exemplified by China, will enable us to achieve what we aim for.

[/font]