Improper training schedule puts juniors’ programme in disarrayBY RAJES PAUL

The Star Online > Sports
Thursday March 31, 2005

KUALA LUMPUR: The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) have two Project squads – senior and junior. But the juniors' programme has hit a snag.
The Project 2010-12 Squad have been undergoing tough training for the last one month under the charge of chief coach Rashid Sidek without a proper training schedule.
As the seniors under the 2006-08 programme have the preference to use the facilities at the 18-court Juara Stadium in Bukit Kiara, Rashid's group have to constantly make changes to their training plans.
When the seniors are around, they train from 11am-2pm. There is no court training in the afternoon and the players concentrate on physical training, which includes jogging in the vicinity of the stadium and workouts in the gymnasium.
But they get two training sessions and one physical workout when the seniors are away on international duty.
Currently, the seniors together with three of Rashid's charges – Hazwan Jamaluddin and world junior doubles champions Tan Boon Heong-Hoon Thien How – are in Bangkok for the Thai Open.
“The training programme will be better if the juniors have a routine schedule. They don't have to worry where they are going to train week after week,” said Rashid.
“The BAM are looking for a new place to accommodate this squad but nothing has been finalised yet. I need 12 courts for a training session. For now, this is the best we have at the moment and we have to make do with it.”
Rashid also sees a good side in the juniors having to deal with problems in their training schedule.
“In fact, it will be a good practice ground for the juniors. Sometimes, competition schedules change too and this experience will make our juniors be prepared for them. We should not pamper them too much,” he said.
Rashid said that he was pleased with the attitude of the players in training.
“The players know that their places in the squad are not guaranteed. They are following the training diligently,” he said.
“There is no specialised training for each players. There are just too many to handle. For now, everyone goes through the same dose in training.”
There are now 31 players in the team and their first tournament for the year will be the Kedah Open from April 21-24.
Their first international outing is the Thailand Satellite championships from June 1-6 and the major one for the year is the Asian junior tournament from July 11-17 in Jakarta.