Chua a natural born leader

30/09/2001

PARENTS who have to deal with 18-year-olds will definitely sympathise withwhat National Juniors skipper Chua Boon Huat will have to undergo inHobart, Australia, from Oct 9-21. Handling one or two teenagers, who are normally at the threshold oftheir rebellious stage, can be a harrowing experience for most parents,but handling 17 of them in one go, and that too in a foreign land, couldprove to be disastrous for a weak leader. But Chua is not worried, because under his care are a disciplined lotwhich makes his job that much easier. "When we are not playing or training, we are friends and I am just oneof them. We joke, and have fun just like any 18-year-old. "But when we are on the pitch, they know that I call the shots and thereis no room for fooling around," said Chua. When the team was named on Tuesday, the good news came with a sternwarning from Malaysia Hockey Federation deputy president Tan Sri P.Alagendra. "In Hobart, there will be no room for those who breach camp discipline.Anyone found to be detrimental to the team's target, will be sent homeimmediately. I trust coach Yahya Atan's judgement on that matter and therewill be no room for appeal," said Alagendra. But there is no need for such a stern reminder, as the National Juniorsknow what is expected of them on the pitch. Chua has been a regular with the senior squad and the boys look up tohim because he has a steady head on his shoulders. "We are all alone when we play a match because the coach can only tellus what to do before the match and when the opponents swith play, or donot follow a normal pattern, the players will look up to me to lead them. "And since they are easy to handle, and follow my instructions, I haveno problems whatsoever," said Chua. So what happens when Chua is not available, for some reason or theother, to lead the team in Hobart? "Jiwa Mohan is a capable replacement in case Chua gets injured. Andsince the boys are a disciplined lot, they will have no problems takinginstructions form anyone who wears the skipper's armband," said Yahya. Chua has been in the thick of action, together with Jiwa, K. Logan Rajand S. Shankar, since August where he competed in three internationaltournaments within a month. They first was when he played for the seniors in the Azlan Shah Cup inBukit Jalil, which ended on Aug 12. Then it was off to Poznan, Poland, right after the Azlan Shah Cup ended,for a Six-Nation junior tournament. And after Poznan, he led Malaysia to a second place finish in the Five-Nation at Bukit Jalil where they held defending Junior World Cup championsAustralia 1-1 in the preliminaries before losing 2-1 to the Aussies in thefinal. "It has been hectic, but I am not complaining, and neither are the boys.We are all looking forward to a favourable outing in Hobart after having agood time in the Five-Nations Cup," said Chua. Chua is a versatile player, and Yahya has used him in defence, midfieldand he played as a striker in the Azlan Shah Cup. If anyone can be trusted to keep 17 teenagers all fired up and ready forbattle with minimal problems on the sidelines, it is definitely Chua.