Scholarships given to young Malaysian Badminton players

[chris-ccc]

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Scholarships given to young Malaysian Badminton players

Just found this article: Ten badminton scholarships up for grabs in junior tourney

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Ten badminton scholarships up for grabs in junior tourney

KUALA LUMPUR: Ten three-year badminton scholarships will be up for grabs in the Samsung-Senheng Junior Badminton Championships, which will be held at the SJK(C) Choong Wen, Jalan Kelang Lama here from Dec 3-5.

The tournament, organised by Looi Badminton Academy with the support of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, BA of Malaysia (BAM) and Selangor BA, will see 950 participants – aged between 11 and 17 years old – battling it out for the total purse of RM100,000.

However, only participants aged 9-15 years old will qualify for the scholarships, amounting to RM1.1mil.

For a good cause: Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek (2nd from right) posing with (from left) Jack Koh, Lim Kim Heng and Yu Jai-sul during the launch at the Datuk Sidek Badminton Hall.

Jack Koh of Looi Badminton Academy said the scholarship would cover the 10 trainees’ expenses for training, accommodation and food during the three-year stint.

“From the 950 participants in the championships, we will narrow them down to 60, who will then be taken for training for a further six months.

“After that, we will narrow it down again to 30 trainees before selecting the final 10,” he said at the launch of the championships at the Datuk Sidek badminton hall here yesterday.

Present at the launch were Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek, Senheng Electric Sdn Bhd managing director Lim Kim Heng and Samsung Malaysia managing director Yu Jai-sul.

Also present at the event were the Guangzhou Asian Games silver medallists Lee Chong Wei and Koo Kien Kiat-Tan Boon Heong.

Meanwhile, Shabery praised the initiative by Samsung-Senheng to sponsor the scholarships.

He said their efforts would only improve the quality of sports in the country.

“This is one of the avenues for budding talents to shine and make a name for themselves en route to becoming world beaters,” he said.

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Source: http://thestar.com.my/sports/story.a...607&sec=sports

Looks like BAM is seriously looking for a Lee Chong Wei replacement in the near future.
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[chris-ccc]

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For our younger BCers who are interested, here is some info about Looi Badminton Academy.

Looi Badminton Academy (fondly known as Looi BA) was established in 2006. The idea of setting up a badminton academy was first mooted by a diehard badminton enthusiast, Mr. Wong Wei Choy (aka Looi Sok or Uncle Looi) who later gathered a group of current and former national player to realize his noble dream. Thus, the academy was named after Uncle Looi.

Among the badminton stars who gave their utmost support are our National No. 1 - Lee Chong Wei and National Doubles Specialist - Choong Tan Fook who was also Looi BA's Badminton Ambassador cum Consultant and also a fleet of current and former national players who are members of the coaching panel.

On a day-to-day basis, Looi BA administration is managed by Mr. Jack Koh (Former National Doubles Player) as the Managing Director and Mr. Ong Soon Chiang (Former National Doubles Player/Korean National Doubles Coach) as the Director of Training/Chief Coach.

Looi BA, with the mission to raise the standard of badminton to a greater height, guiding potential players into competitive level and to give proper game knowledge and skills with quality training and proper guidance to interested players has now grown to 1500 players/participants enrolled in their short-term and long term training programmes.

Looi BA has also set its vision to equip all its players with world class mental and attitude, to promote healthy lifestyles through badminton, be a centre for all badminton players all over the world to meet and have fun as well as to nurture and guide the grassroots players into national team (BAM).

Looi BA main training centre was and still is Choong Wen Primary School Hall along Old Klang Road. In a short span of 1 year, Looi BA has expanded to 5 other badminton halls around Klang Valley, namely, Kuen Cheng School Hall, SBA Hall, Pandamaran Klang etc and still growing.

Besides the core business of providing badminton coaching services, Looi BA has ventured into badminton court rental services, event/tournament, transportation services and has also produced its own product like badminton racquets, shuttlecocks and other equipments and apparels under the brand-name of LOOI.

Source: http://www.looiba.com.my/aboutus.aspx
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[chris-ccc]

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Parts of news from the thestar are posted below.

The link for the full article is located at;
http://thestar.com.my/sports/story.a...232&sec=sports

Lee Chong Wei and Looi Badminton Academy, which he co-owns, have launched a project to pick 10 top Under-16 shuttlers.

These shuttlers will receive a scholarship totalling RM1.1mil.

The chosen ones will undergo a three-year training programme with the academy and will be housed at the player’s co-owned sports complex, named Datuk Lee Chong Wei Sports Arena at Sri Sentosa, which will be ready in March on a two-acre land.

Only 60 potential shuttlers will be selected to attend a three-month training with the academy. Their names will be released in January.

Thirty of them will make it to the second stage, where they will be put through different trainings, tests and drills and all these sessions will be telecast live on a reality television show, which will run for three months.

Based on the votes from the audience, and subject to a panel of coaches’ decision, the top 10 will then be chosen to enjoy the funding and given a shot at making their way up as a top player through a disciplined and a regimented training programme.

They will be housed in the 30-room hostel at Chong Wei’s arena. And during that three years, they will get to spar with the Malaysian singles star in the 21-court hall.

Yesterday, the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) also fielded all their 65 students from the Bukit Jalil Sports School during the competition.

Said BAM junior programme coordinator Hau Kim Tho: “This is a good idea by a private sector. We seldom enter competitions like this. This became a platform for the aspiring school and club juniors to know where they stand against the top juniors assembled at BJSS. It is good for the sport.”

Meanwhile, the academy’s managing director Jack Koh said that the programme was a way for Chong Wei to do his bit for the community.

“He turned up during the competition yesterday (on Saturday) before leaving for Hong Kong Open today (yesterday). He wants to inspire youngsters so that Malaysia will not be short of talents in the men’s singles department.”
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[limsy]

hmm
tv shows?
lol

[limsy]

“I met him for the first time at a press conference on Nov 23 (this year) and he asked me ‘Why are you so short’,” said the 137cm-tall and outsopken student from Sekolah Rendah Kebangsaan Taman Connought.


“I admire Chong Wei and I want to be like him. I am ready to make sacrifices like him in order to become a top badminton player.”


http://thestar.com.my/sports/story.a...232&sec=sports

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“I met him for the first time at a press conference on Nov 23 (this year) and he asked me ‘Why are you so short’,” said the 137cm-tall and outsopken student from Sekolah Rendah Kebangsaan Taman Connought.

“I admire Chong Wei and I want to be like him. I am ready to make sacrifices like him in order to become a top badminton player.”


http://thestar.com.my/sports/story.a...232&sec=sports

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I am sure there will be many school children thinking like tiny Adrian Yoong; wanting to receive a scholarship.
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[jimbo]

I applaud the initiative for the scholarship... Let's hope the program will find the hidden gem -> The next LCW... BOLEH

[chris-ccc]

I applaud the initiative for the scholarship... Let's hope the program will find the hidden gem -> The next LCW... BOLEH

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I believe that there are many hidden youngsters out there who are as talented as, if not more talented than, LCW.

The question is; Are these youngsters determined enough to work as hard as LCW in order to become a top world class player? If they are not (let LCW be the judge), will the scholarships be taken away from them to give others a chance?

I should think it is needed to review their progress once every 3 months (a report card system).
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[pajrul]

there should also be included in the program an 'after' track ..where their life after badminton is preplanned.. no matter if they become our next LCW or not. If their future is secured.. there is no reason why they (and their parents) should worry... and all concentration should be on their training alone and nothing else.... kinda what china is doing right now.

[chris-ccc]

there should also be included in the program an 'after' track ..where their life after badminton is preplanned.. no matter if they become our next LCW or not. If their future is secured.. there is no reason why they (and their parents) should worry... and all concentration should be on their training alone and nothing else.... kinda what china is doing right now.

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Hi pajrul,

Give us more info about the 'after' track that China is doing right now. This is the first time I have heard of it.
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[george@chongwei]

so any news who won the tournament?

[chris-ccc]

so any news who won the tournament?

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I was hoping that you were there watching; And give us the results.
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[george@chongwei]

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I was hoping that you were there watching; And give us the results.
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Nop. The media should have reported who won it

[chris-ccc]

Nop. The media should have reported who won it

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No, I have received no media report.

LCW was there. Hope to ask him.
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[extremenanopowe]

good one. recently an indonesian millionaire just contributed 1 million to sg ba. Very generous guy. Lots of money. My guess is there must be more rich indonesian contributing to indonesian badminton as well. The money just spilled over to singapore. Damn, I wish it spills over to people like us.. lol.

[pajrul]

i was saying in a more general sense nothing specific.. players will be taken care off by the government. not being left to fend for themselves when their badminton careers are over..

[chris-ccc]

good one. recently an indonesian millionaire just contributed 1 million to sg ba. Very generous guy. Lots of money. My guess is there must be more rich indonesian contributing to indonesian badminton as well. The money just spilled over to singapore. Damn, I wish it spills over to people like us.. lol.

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Where is the source? Need to find him to get some funding.
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