SINGAPORE - New regional training centres will be set up next year as the Singapore Badminton Association (SBA) seek to raise the quality of play and increase the sport's popularity and accessibility.
SBA president Lawrence Leow, who was re-elected unopposed for his second term at its virtual annual general meeting on Sept 26, is also looking at high performance and establishing a wider base of national players and coaches.
The four to five centres, likely to be situated at the north, south, east, west and central zones, will provide coaching for foundational and elite levels. It will cater to youths aged 13 to 17 first before expanding to juniors (under-13).
The association hopes to launch these centres next April, said Leow, adding that the SBA secretariat is in advanced discussions with national agency Sport Singapore to confirm the venues and whether selected coaches or academies will run the respective venues.
Leow, 62, also share his goal of a Singaporean core within the national coaching staff by 2025. He said: "Local coaches have a better understanding of the local culture, context and mentality.
"Today, Singaporean coaches are not really helming the national team and that is something we can work on changing, not to the extent of replacing the foreign coaches who will remain an instrumental part of our setup, but to have at least an adequate local presence."
Indonesians Mulyo Handoyo and Nunung Wibiyanto are the current national head coaches for singles and doubles. They are assisted by Singaporeans Kelvin Ho, Noor Izwan, Malaysians Lim Pek Siah, Yap Kim Hock and Indonesian Pribadi Setia Atmaja.
Besides sending these coaches overseas for experience and exposure, the SBA is also developing a national grading system, which will serve as a platform for evaluation and feedback to players on their proficiency level.
This will compliment the current national ranking system, which has grown to include 1,183 players, which was introduced last year.
Leow said: "The aim is to create a larger national talent pool with strong fundamentals. The SBA is currently working with a selected academy to flesh out the detailed criteria for each grading level."
At last year's SEA Games in the Philippines, Singapore collected one silver (Loh Kean Yew in the men's singles) and two bronze medals (men's and women's team event).
The SBA's management committee has been expanded - from 11 elected and three co-opted members to 17 and a maximum of seven respectively - and will focus on the strategic areas of assets and facilities, pathway and development, membership and partners, tournament and technical officials, and business and awards.
The MC will appoint its key appointment holders later this month, with one vice-president assigned to oversee each area.
Leow, whose long-term ambition is for the Republic to capture an Olympic badminton medal by 2028, urged the local fraternity to unite and be bold in contributing ideas.
He said: "We must adopt the attitude that there is no idea that is too wild and no dream that cannot come true. The key is to set out a comprehensive road map with realistic targets that will guide us towards realising our goals."
SBA management committee: Lawrence Leow, Hamid Khan, Michael Chia, Chan Wei, Michael Foo, Victor Foo, Ian Lee, Robert Lim, Bryan Long, John Ng, Ng Yoke Weng, Pek Choon Lee, Nigel Phang, Kenny Quek, Wong Shoon Keat, Michael Yom, Benson Yeo.
