Ahmad Nizam Abdul Hai receives the certificate of attendance for the volunteers course from Dr Ong (second right).
The volunteers and officials posing with Dr Ong (seated, sixth left) at the end of the volunteers course.
SANTUBONG: About 100 coaches involved in the preparations for the Sukma XVIII and staff of the Sarawak State Sports Council (MSNS) attended the MSN Staff Retreat and Coaches Performance Analysis Workshop at Damai Holiday Inn Beach Resort from Nov 16-19.
Organised by MSNS, the four-day seminar was held to upgrade on various aspects of coaching and analysis as well as mental preparations for those involved in next year’s national games.
Speakers for the seminar included lecturer of psychology and education (University of Malaysia, Sabah) Pathmnanathan K Suppiah, National Coaching Academy head of department V V R Vivekanandan K Ramiah, National Sports Council conditioning expert from New Zealand Andre Richard and Clarence Leong from MSNS.
Sarawak Sports Corporation chief executive officer Dr Ong Kong Swee, who is also MSNS director, urged participants to add on new knowledge and to start applying it in their coaching, at the closing of the retreat.
Ong also quoted the example of world sprint champion and Jamaican athlete Usain Bolt who did not have any elaborate equipment but was able to win the world title in the 100m, which was exactly what New Zealand conditioning expert Andre was preaching in his talk.
All the coaches gave their thumbs-up to the talk as the seminar provided them with new insight and innovations vital to their coaching.
Meanwhile, about 50 volunteers from various government departments and agencies as well as members of the public attended the Volunteer Course at JAKIM in Telaga Air from Nov 15-19.
This is the first series of training to brace them to help out in Sukma XVIII which Sarawak will be hosting next year. The second batch will start today at the same venue whereby 200 volunteers are expected to attend.
The organising committee is expected to set a target of 750 volunteers when Sukma XVIII commences in July next year.