GOING FOR TOP THREE: Manuel Bacarisas (left) conducting a training session at Politeknik Kuching recently.
The two teams expected to do better in Sukma 2013
KUCHING: The Sarawak Softball Association (SSA) will finalise the state softball squad for Sukma XVI by the end of March or latest in early April.
SSA president Ishak Chin Abdullah said yesterday now that softball has been included as one the events that Sarawak will be participating at the Games, it was time to continue with the preparations for the challenge in Kuala Lumpur from June 28 to July 7.
“Basically, we are having decentralised training in Kuching and Miri and the selected players with 17 each for the men’s and women’s squads will undergo centralised training in Miri,” he said. The two players now studying in Universiti Malaya and Universiti Petronas Sains in Semenanjung Malaysia will join in the final two weeks of centralised training.
“We also hope that the parents of four or five key players now in form five will allow them to come for the training sessions.”
Ishak also said that the appointment of Filipino Manuel Bacarisas as state coach by the Sarawak State Sports Council (MSNS) was also timely.
“This has also helped to lessen our burden in paying Bacarisas his salary and allowances. Now that we have a full-time coach, Bacarisas will focus on training the Sukma shadow team, and after the Games, he will be helping out on the development of the U-18 and U-16 players,” added Ishak.
He also thanked Assistant Sports Minister Datuk Lee Kim Shin and MSNS director Francis Nyurang Ding for their assistance in getting Bacarisas appointed as the state softball coach.
Ishak will also be sourcing for funds to send the two teams to the Games and he is hoping that the ministers and assistant ministers as well as private sector and individuals will come forward as sponsors.
“We are targeting to finish among the top three teams in both the men’s and women’s competitions so that our expenses can be reimbursed by MSNS,” he said. He is confident that the two teams will do better in this Sukma as they are stronger when compared to the 2011 teams.