THE FUTURE IS NOW: Young PTBS trainees posing after a recent tournament.
KUCHING: Sarawak Bumiputera Tennis Association (PTBS) has opened an academy to unearth more young tennis talents.
Speaking exclusively to The Borneo Post yesterday, PTBS president Tan Sri Datuk Amar Bujang Mohd Nor said that the association wants more talented tennis players to come from Sarawak.
The academy and its programme was launched last week.
“Although we are a Bumiputera-based association, we want everybody Bumiputera or non-Bumiputera to be involved in this programme. We want Sarawak to produce more players,” he said.
He revealed that the programme would start this month and he believed that he has the right committee members to develop it the right direction.
Committee member Ismail Abdullah is the man entrusted to head PTBS’s development and tournaments.
“Judging by his track record, I think he is the man for the job. He is highly enthusiastic and has a lot of ideas,” added the former state secretary.
Ismail’s first step since taking up the role last month was going to schools to persuade youngsters to register for the programme.
For trial purposes, Petra Jaya was chosen to be the first area for the implementation of the project.
Bujang Nor also revealed that the association have appointed former state coach Oliver Tady Rivera as the association’s head coach.
The Philippines-born coach has trained a few of the state and country’s top players. He is currently working with PTBS elite junior players like Aiman Hamdan and Alia Azman.
Bujang Nor added that the association will try its best to get an overseas tennis scholarship for any junior players who excel under the programme.
“Since this is our 35th anniversary this year, the association intends to move forward with more programmes and activities,” he said.