Players, parents and coaches attend the dialogue session held at SBA Hall on Saturday.
KUCHING (Oct 5): Sarawak Badminton Association (SBA) is committed to the welfare and development of local players. This is the key message of council members Ting Ching Zung and Ting Wei Ping who have reached out to stakeholders with a renewed commitment to improve the standard of the game among players in Sarawak, irrespective of the associations or clubs they train under.
The association held a dialogue session attended by about 100 players, parents and coaches at the SBA Hall, Jalan Lapangan Terbang here last Saturday.
“We want the players’ parents to feel comfortable and at ease when their children become potential players who are representing Sarawak. SBA will also have coaches going throughout Sarawak to scout for new future champions,” said the new SBA secretary Ting Ching Zung.
He added that the coaches will play their role in grooming players coming from associations, clubs and schools to become future champions. Potential state players from various associations, clubs and schools can represent Sarawak under the SBA banner. There will also be incentives awarded to state players who excelled.
The association is confident that Sarawak can produce world class shuttlers if local coaches, players and parents continue to support SBA’s development plans.
In a statement yesterday, SBA said the dialogue session received the thumbs up from the Ministry of Youth and Sports Sarawak (MYSS) and Sarawak Sports Corporation (SSC).
Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, who relayed a video message to participants during the hybrid-staged event, hailed the dialogue as the way forward for SBA to prepare coaches and players.
“This is indeed a good initiative because our country including Sarawak is moving into Phase 3 of the National Recovery Plan (NRP) whereby many sectors are opening up including the resuming of sports and recreation,” he said.
“We must be ready and make the necessary arrangements as things are slowly going back to normal even though the necessary SOPs must be adhered at all times”, he added.
The minister also thanked the parents for the continuous support and encouragement given to their children in their pursuit to become the best badminton players and future champions.
He highlighted the example of Sarawakian and former world No. 5 singles player James Chua as evidence that Sarawak can produce world-class players.
Meanwhile, SSC CEO Dr Ong Kong Swee, who also spoke during the session, commended SBA for organising the dialogue which he said served as a good avenue for players, parents and coaches to be updated on developments affecting the local badminton fraternity.