Monday, September 6, 2010
(Top) National badminton player Jasper Yu. (Above) Ak Abdul Halim Al-Hakim Pg Hj Ismail is another national player to have trained in Jakarta. Pictures: BT
One of Brunei's top badminton players believes the country should look into nurturing talent at a younger age.
Jasper Yu Woon Chai, 21, has been training at Tangkas Badminton Club in Jakarta with fellow national team player Ak Abdul Halim Al-Hakim Pg Hj Ismail, 18, for the past few months and the pair has been in for a real eye-opener at the Indonesian capital.
Players at Tangkas are divided into three age groups; 11-14 years old, 15-17 years old, and 17-and-above. Finding it hard to match their competitors at first, Yu felt it was because the Indonesians had taken up the sport at a younger age.
"They have been playing since they were six or seven and they have sacrificed their studies," said Yu in a recent interview with The Brunei Times.
"Put it this way; their future is badminton if they don't succeed they are goners.
"Should Brunei encourage such young players? Why not?
"But the resources and system need to be there. We need good coaches and a budget," stressed Yu, who has been playing badminton for the past 10 years and has been a member of the national team for five.
As a pair, Yu and Ak Abd Halim have reached the third round of the Yonex Brunei Open in January. Their Malaysia Games (Sukma) campaign in Melaka in June ended in the first round.
They won the doubles title during the Youth Sports Festival (PSR) last June and were champions of the same category during last year's Badminton Tournament in conjunction with His Majesty's 63rd birthday celebrations.
Yu helped Brunei to a bronze medal in the men's team event at last December's 3rd Borneo Games and also finished the PSR with gold in the men's singles and team event.
Perfecting their game at the Jakarta club which has produced Men's World No 3 Simon Santoso, mixed doubles' World No 3 Nova Widianto and Lilyana Natsir as well as Malaysia's mens doubles coach Rexy Mainaky, Yu and Ak Abd Halim are hoping to one day make a name for themselves in the international arena.
Fully sponsored by Athirah Badminton Club, one of the most successful clubs in the Sultanate, Ak Abdul Halim has been at Tangkas and off for eight months and Yu for three. They plan to return to Jakarta after Raya.
There is no denying that the coaching at Tangkas where the roughly 100 students are trained by two singles and one doubles coach also plays an important part in the young athletes' growth.
No surprise then that Yu should stress that the quality of coaches would be the key to ensure that Brunei can develop players at a younger age.
"I think Bruneian players are quite talented as well, but there is a lack of proper channelling," said Yu.
"I think proper guidance of talent (is needed).
"If the players have good guidance I think they can succeed," he added.
Though Brunei does not have a systematic approach to developing players at clubs and has been without a national coach since Wu Xue Kai left last December after 15 years at the helm, players can rely on assistant national coach Fadzli Hj Masri and Department of Youth and Sports badminton scheme trainer Wahab Moksin for guidance.
The Brunei Times
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