Blueprint ready seven years ago..

By Jugjet Singh
jugjet@nst.com.my

COMMENT

MALAYSIAN sports is filled with blueprints, but sadly, most of them are lying in somebody’s cupboard gathering dust.
One blueprint, which had turned gray after seven years in a folder, was yesterday brought out, dusted and read again.
This happened after Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the ‘One-student, One-sport’ vision will be implemented next year. He said 90 percent of the schools are ready to implement the policy, and the current infrastructure in schools such as fields, sports facilities and equipment will be improved.
All the above can be got given time but even the best cook cannot come up with a tasty dish if he does not have salt.
And in this case, the vital missing cog are coaches, and coaches cannot be trained overnight.
Going back to 2003, Malaysian Hockey Federation vice-president Datuk Dr S.S. Cheema was tasked with drawing up a working paper on how to develop a strong coaching base in schools.
Cheema came out with a sound plan, and the then MHF president Sultan Azlan Shah set up a meeting with former Director General of Education Tan Sri Abdul Rafie Mahat to present Cheema’s plan.
The gist of the plan was to identify and select the right candidate to attend coaching courses and then be sent to schools to develop hockey.
Cheema’s plan was also to turn hockey players, who are also sports science graduates, into graduate teachers by enrolling them into teachers’ training colleges and posting them back to their respective states.
MHF was also willing to conduct coaching courses at the teachers’ training colleges and universities after which refresher courses will be conducted for these coaches during tournaments.
The DG and his officials listened attentively, and after a few weeks, replied that is was not a feasible idea as the teachers training programme has its own module to develop coaches, and they can’t just take former players and turn them into coaches, even though they have sports science degrees.
The reply also blamed MHF for the lack of hockey coaches because the parent body does not recognise coaches who go through the teachers training modules.
That was the end of it, and the blueprint remained on print, and never took off. It was a pity because if the plan was implemented, seven years later, today, Malaysia would have had a big pool of former players who not only would have earned a living as teachers, but also help realise the ‘One-student, One-sport’ concept.
Cheema also had included in the blueprint a section where students who excelled in sports would be able to gain entry into universities even if their marks are lower than the studious types. He detailed out a sound formula to implement it.
That too, never took off. But now, it is being bandied around.
The blueprint went back into Cheema’s folder after I read it, and if any party is interested for an in-depth read, they know where to find it.

Project beat Athena HC 5-2

PROJECT 2013 continued their super run in Europe when they beat Division Two senior side Athena HC 5-2 in Amsterdam on Sunday.
The Project boys played their 11th match in the playing- cum-training Tour of Europe, and even though they took 13 hours from Poland to Amsterdam by train as there were plenty of technical problems along the way, they still man aged a good win.
However, the start was not as rosy as Athena HC stunned Project by scoring in the third minute through a field goal.
But in the 10th minute, Joel Samuel van Huizen equalised through a field goal, while Mohamed Rashid scored another field goal in the 33rd minute for the lead which held until half-time.
After the breather, Project increased the lead through Amir Farid in the 40th min and Syamim Yusof in 42nd off field attempts. Athena reduced the deficit in 47th but Syamim Yusof scored his second and Project’s fifth in the 67th to seal the match.
“The players’ handled the situation very well even after a long journey with little rest. Their effort in the match was excellent, indicating that they have learnt much in the Europe Tour,” said team manager Mirnawan Nawawi.

Eight goals for Asean gold!

MALAYSIA whipped the daylights out of Singapore to claim the Asean Schools hockey gold at the Tun Razak Stadium yesterday.
The rout started with a third minute goal from skipper Kavin Kartik and when the final whistle blew, Singapore were hit for eight goals.
The win was never in doubt, as Malaysia were in fiery form the entire tournament, and scored a total of 33 goals in five matches.
The other Malaysian goals came from Anuar Wahab (12th), Shahril Sa'abah (18th, 27th), Dangerous Lee (22nd, 33rd), Dzahiruddin Illyas (63rd) and Mohamed Taufik (70th).
The Malaysian goalkeeper was never tested, and in the second half, Malaysia were literally camping in the Singapore semi-circle.
"I expected Singapore to put up a fight, but they were never in the match. Maybe it is because we hit them with early goals and they never recovered after the six in the first half," said Malaysian coach S. Prakash.
And this was not even the best Malaysian side, as the cream of under-18 players are now currently in a Tour of Europe in preparation for the 2013 Junior World Cup.
Even then, Malaysia won the Asean Schools gold without conceeding a single goal, mainly because their opponents were all not well prepared.
Meanwhile, the Project 2013 team beat Poland Under-21 4-1 in their third friendly.
The Project boys had drawn the first match 4-4 but lost the second 3-2.
They bounced back with style to claim the series and are now in Amsterdam for more friendlies.
The Malaysian goals against Poland were scored by Firhan Ashaari (42nd, 50th), Syamim Yusof (44th) and Amir Farid (63rd).
"Overall, there was a better understanding in the second half where they nailed their chances well. Nevertheless, the three matches in Poland were considered a success as the Polish had with them 12 players that beat Malaysia in the 2009 Junior World Cup.
"Poland were in their prime condition as they are getting ready to play in the Under-21 European Championship on July 23 in Poland," said Malaysian team manager Mirnawan Nawawi.

Eight is enough against Brunei

MALAYSIA did not shift from gear one, but still managed to beat Brunei 8
-0 to keep a clean sheet in the Asean Schools Hockey tournament at the
Tun Razak Stadium yesterday.
In another match, Thailand beat Indonesia 5-1 to finish third in the
tournament, as there is no third-fourth play-off.
Today, Malaysia will play Singapore for the gold medal, and the hosts
are the overwhelming favourites with only the score yet to be determined.
"Going by my players form, they should deliver the gold medal but it
would not be as easy as in the pool match," said Malaysia coach S.
Prakash.
In the pool match, Malaysia beat Singapore 7-0 but the republic side
were jaded as they had played Thailand the same morning.
Yesterday was a rest day for Singapore, and since Malaysia were already
in the final before playing Brunei, Prakash's boys just went through the
motions, to avoid injuries and fatigue.
The Malaysian goals came from Kavin Kartik (second), Shahril Sa'abah
(13th), Anuar Wahab (15th, 16th), Dangerous Lee (31st, 68th), Hairulnizam Maizan (49th) and Mohamed Rasul (51st).
Malaysia have scored 25 and have yet to let in a single goal in this
tournament, and it does not look like Singapore are going to break the
duck today.
"We have achieved our personal target of reaching the final, but
Malaysia are the best side in this tournament and it would be difficult to
beat them," admitted Singapore coach Lim Chiow Chuan.

FINAL STANDINGS

P W D L F A Pts
MALAYSIA 4 4 0 0 25 0 12
SINGAPORE 4 3 0 1 16 10 9
THAILAND 4 2 0 2 19 10 6
INDONESIA 4 1 0 3 5 14 3
BRUNEI 4 0 0 4 0 31 0

RESULTS: Thailand 5 Indonesia 1, Brunei 0 Malaysia 8.
TODAY: Final -- Malaysia v Singapore (4pm, Tun Razak Stadium).

Singapore-Malaysia final

STANDINGS

P W D L F A Pts
MALAYSIA 3 3 0 0 17 0 9
SINGAPORE 4 3 0 1 16 10 9
INDONESIA 3 1 0 2 4 9 3
THAILAND 3 1 0 2 14 9 3
BRUNEI 3 0 0 3 0 23 0

RESULTS: Thailand 12 Brunei 0, Indonesia 1 Singapore 4.
TODAY: Thailand v Indonesia (3pm), Brunei v Malaysia (5pm).
All matches at the Tun Razak Stadium.

SINGAPORE will battle Malaysia for the Asean Schools hockey gold medal
on Sunday at the Tun Razak Stadium, with the ods heavily favouring the
hosts.
Yesterday, Singapore completed their fixtures with a 4-1 win over
Indonesia. The republic's only blemis in this tournament was a 7-0
hammering in the hands of Malaysia.
Singapore got their goals from Mohamed Al Fien (second), Karleef Sasi
(29th, 44th) and Mohamed Rifqi (61st). Angga Widman (32nd) scored for
Indonesia.
In another match, Thailand hammered Brunei 12-0. Malaysia wrap-up
heir fixtures against Brunei today.
"Malaysia are too strong to upset in the final, but I believe the score will
not be as high as when we met in the pool," said Singapore coach Lim
Chiow Chuan.
Singapore were a spent force when they met Malaysia on Thursday
evening, as they had beaten Thailand 4-2 in the same morning.
However, with a rest day before meeting Malaysia in the final, Singapore
are not expected to throw in the towel easily.
Lim, who was Malaysia's Project Manager for the Doha 2006
programme, will be involved with his last tournament with Singapore.
After the Asean Schools, he will return to Malaysia are the Director of
Development for the nation-wide 1Mas Hockey project.