We need channels and good quality competition for our players to compete and bench -mark, of course Sarawak is a vast state and the logistics network is lacking(unlike here) where any team can just get on a coach and play with different teams, in Sarawak, the transportation and accommodation costs takes up about 40%-50% of the budget, much more if the team would be playing aboard/overseas (across the South China Sea to west malaysia)... if i am not mistaken, even the Sarawak football team drove to Brunei in a coach/caravan once with the manager?? as the driver because of financial problems...
plus that with career development, after theses players played their hearts out for their state, team and family, what future do they have? those from families of secure background can survive la.. but what about from the low-income group? Tak kan nak harap manager support je....
Thursday, March 20th, 2008
Ensuring a full pool of talent
Mawan urges public and private sectors to continue supporting sports devt programmes
KUCHING: Sarawak’s pool of sports talent will never run dry provided both the public and private sectors are ready to continue supporting programmes aimed at developing potential athletes in the State.
Social Development and Urbanisation Minister Dato Sri William Mawan Ikom, who expressed this view, said the State government was very supportive of sports promotion and allocating sizeable budgets to improve the standards of the athletes.
He singled out Sarawak Lawn Tennis Association (SLTA) as an exemplary body that promoted sports and encouraged youths to excel in sports and studies.
“As minister in charge of sports, I assure SLTA of my continued support, and hope the private sector will also help to produce champions for the State,” he said at the welcoming party for the 11th Sarawak Chief Minister’s Cup ITF World Junior Tennis Championship 2008 Group 1 here on Tuesday night.
More than 100 players and officials from 27 countries such as the US, Great Britain, Russia and from Europe are involved in the tournament, rated the highest Grade 1 junior event by International Tennis Federation (ITF).
Mawan said SLTA should be commended for helping to promote Sarawak to the international tennis fraternity. He noted that hosting an international sports event could generate lucrative spin-offs for businesses such as hotels, food industries, handicraft and transportation.
“Sports tourism is becoming an important event throughout the world and Sarawak is no exception — through tennis, the State is well-publicised globally,” he added.
Meanwhile, SLTA president Patrick Liew said the association’s next aim was to host the ITF senior men’s and women’s competitions.
The Sarawak Chief Minister’s Cup, initially a Grade 5 event, has been upgraded to Grade 1, making Sarawak one of only four venues with such a grading in Asia. The others are Thailand, the Philippines and Japan.
Private sponsors for the event — Multi-Purpose Insurance Berhad (RM30,000), Lonpac Insurance Berhad (RM20,000), Logan Loss Adjusters Sdn Bhd (RM5,000), Jerneh Insurance Berhad (RM4,000) and Lea Sports Centre (balls and attires) were introduced at the function.
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Tuesday, June 5th, 2007
Game’s not over yet
SARIKEI: The game is not over yet for bottom-of-the-table Crocs in so far as the Super League campaign is concerned.
Title aside, they still pin high hopes on the remaining four games to stay in the Super League next season.
All their remaining games were as important to them as was the case with the other teams, said FAS administrative officer Abdillah Mail.
Abdillah, one of the officials accompanying the team to Brunei, said this when met by The Borneo Post during their brief stopover here yesterday afternoon.
It was wrong to consider their trip to Brunei to play against DPMM Brunei team as ‘academic’, he said. Indeed winning in all the four remaining matches would instead open an exit door to Malacca Telekom which by now had a two-goal advantage over them.
“We are very much in the game and the players know what they are after in the Super league. They are still in very high fighting spirit, I am sure.”
Despite going to Brunei without most of the regular officials, the players were in high spirit, hence were capable of springing a surprise, he believed.
The other officer accompanying the team was Hazry Abdullah who preferred to describe his role as that of the care-taker coach. The chief and assistant coach and the technical advisor were not with the players taking the long journey by land to the Sultanate yesterday.
According to Abdillah, the players took a 16-seater bus with some in their own cars.
He desribed the journey by land as historical since they had never done that before.
For their past away matches against Sabah and Brunei, they had never travelled by land.
“This is historical and I hope it is the first and last,” Abdillah said.
This nevertheless demonstrated their commitment to the rules and requirements of the game, he said. Despite encountering problems, they had made it a point to show up in every match by hook or by crook.
After taking on DPMM Brunei this Wednesday, the crocs will play another away match against Johor FC and two home matches against Negeri Sembilan Naza and Perak.
As the players were still committed, Abdillah hoped the local fans would not punish them by not giving them any credit or support.
The players still badly needed their moral support in their struggle to stay in the Super League to be decided in their remaining four matches.
During their stopover here, the Crocs were treated to lunch by Sarikei Division Football Association. On hand to greet them were FA secretary Abang Zaini Abang Ismail and FA Betong secretary Majid Amit.
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