Traditionally the schools had been the breeding ground for talents. There were sets of teachers from the late Ho Koh Chye, R Yogeswaran, K Machap, Vincent Fernandez, Brian Foenander, Noel D'Oliveiro, the late N Valupillay, V Sivapathasundram, Teja Singh, S Kesavan, P Poonenderajah, Chakaravathy, Rajakulasingam, Leong Hor Cheng, P Sambanthan and many others who toiled in the daily sun and at times in the rain to create breeds of players who were proud to don their school colours. This permitted a culture to blossom that permeated into them ie the ultimate pride - to play for the nation.
It was not the teachers alone per se but there were others in smaller numbers who did the very thing these teachers were doing. Namely people like Lawerence Van Huizen, William Fedelis, Michael Yan, the late Sheikh Ali, Titus Havelock, the late Abdul Hamid Aroop , V A Raja Naidu and some others like them who invested years and years of their time with the students. All these people did it for the love of the game and the schools they supported. This itself developed the sense of loyalty and pride, which became the fundamental source of inspiration for the players of yesterdays.
Today such dedicated people are lacking. The numbers are not there although the likes of Roslan Mohamad, Leo Vincey, Mokhtar Baharudin, K Sunderasen and a few others in the mode of Johnson Fernandez plus Vivekananda, all of whom seem to have the dedication to continue the struggle to produce the talents. They are not widespread and therefore the materials produced are limited, thereby restricting the aspect of choice both in terms of quantity and quality.
Essentially, with time things have changed. The modern distractions like Internet, channel television, shopping malls plus the quest to achieve academic performance combined with hours of tuition, all help to keep students away from the playing fields. The "old days" of expecting the young kids to come in numbers have drastically reduced, more so in urban areas. The out of town and rural areas still act as a fairly good breeding ground for discovering talents. Even then the "fall out" rate to succeed is high and therefore the ultimate numbers get reduced limiting the numbers in talents.
The key question is whether we can continue the usual way to "fertilise" the schools to become the breeding ground for our future talents or do we have to approach the whole issue in a different way? Maybe it is not about numbers, rather spending the time in creating sufficient quality players. Maybe schools should be a place for kids to enjoy sports and learn the idea of keeping fit. Maybe it is after the age of 16 or 17 they should be allowed to pick the game they are ideally suited for, thereby committing to become full time sports persons. Maybe this could provide one of the impetus for the growth of the sports industry.
Yes! there are a number of questions and a number of answers that need to be found. One thing is for sure, we cannot continue in our traditional way as things have significantly changed. We have to move with time, technology and people's aspirations. Lets put our efforts and resources into strategically planned programmes recognising the prevailing conditions and how best to extract the optimum results, thereby paving the way to develop world class players.
It can be done but it needs the WILL, the RIGHT PEOPLE with the INTELLIGENCE to pursue the present for the future.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
9 comments:
You left out people like C.Paramalingam,M.Mahendran who also contributed to the grassroots.
Dear Observer,
The article relates to coaches who supported the schools with their services.
Yes there were many who would have done grassroot development and you are right of the 2. If they have worked with the schools year after year, then they too must be included in the list of names.
We have allowed the system to sink so low I wonder if it is ever possible to change.
People have to want change and overnight it cant be done, no matter how many blueprints you get or review/analysis paper you put out there if it is just going to end up at the bookshelf.
Today the scenario has changed and we need new thinking to adapt to this. I was sitting with the Director of my state MSN and he hit it on the nail when he said "We need 'crazy people' at grassroots level"
Initially I did not catch on but we talk further I realized what he said we need people who live and breath hoki day and night who is out in the field at 4pm motivation people to play, doing training, doing coaching, picking players up sending them back safely.
When I look back growing up in Klang, I am thankful to have met and learned from these 'crazy people' and hopefully do my bit as I am not to get things moving
People like coach Param,Mahendran,cikgu Leo,Cikgu VIve,and all the ppl who giving their soul and life to hockey is still working hard to produce more talents but my opinion is we dont have thinking players but we have a lots of talents. There's where we are lacking at. Nowdays, inteligent students does not want to play any team events because they feel that its not worth anymore. For example, students that residing Sports School from sports such as hockey n football, hardly can score B's in their exam. Most of them just there to complete their education. They are not bothered about excelling in their education. Talented players are like ROBOT's-they only do what they were teach in the field(except for few players in Msia). They never wanted to learn extra to be above than the rest but an inteligent+talented players will be above the the rest coz they will train hard as all the other players but always looking for oppoutunity to improve their skills and knowlege about the sports. Thanks,
The Coaching Chairmans of the MHF affiliates voted out Cikg Vive as the Secretary of the MHF Coaching Committee because under the MHF constitution a non Coaching Chairman cannot hold that post. But due respect to cikgu vive within a month he proofed himself as a respected coach by taking the Malaysian Ladies by winning the first Asian Indoor Hockey title.
They can kill people but not their passion for the love of the game. Keep it up Sir(cikgu ) vive.
Cochranean
Dear ghandi recently someone alerted me to why people fight for positions in mhf,well the answer i got was it is only for the money.The best part was how the dp and vp slugged it out to get a contract for a astroturf tender and the best part was that a former coach managed to get a tender in johor for the turf
p/s no prizes for guessing who that coach was and how he is driving a merc now.
Ermm..Are u very sure the MERC car car belong to the former coach? or probably belong to his brother/relatives? Please check n post it here for me and maybe us
What an interesting assumption made by 'want to b part of mhf'..
Any strong proof to support your accusation on the former coach with the said Merc car? Probably the Merc car belong to his Rich Brother/Relative..?
I keep wondering as from what I know, the contractor for the said stadium is a genuine well known contractor in the state..I think they didnt care about who the MHF DP, Coahes, Players, etc..They only try to give their best to their Client(State Gov, MSN), Architect, Consultants (Engineer,Q.S,etc.) and follow the construction plan/schedule beside their progressive claim..Probably we can ask the Q.S to provide the costing report for us to study before make the accusation? Yes, probably some 'cents of kopi O' but doesnt make sense with the 'cents of kopi O' can buy a luxury Merc Car!
That is going wrong with us currently especially to our Malaysian Hockey..My 2 cents opinion, we shud learn to do the research 1st to get a proper report and specific result..
Wow didn't know was going to stir a hornet's nest with all this feedback about his car and the contracts.For your information the car is his and not a imaginary relative and as for the stadium contractors they will have to stick to the choice of turf.This choice of turf is basically done through mhf or a state association.
This main bodoh attitude has to stop in Malaysia for her to progress or does everyone pretend that every thing is semua ok.Anyway this information was given to me by a turf supplier who said that in the case of the turf in melaka someone was paid rgt160,000.Go figure this part out.
Post a Comment