Chang Kim Wai (front) and his former partner Hong Chieng Hun.
PETALING JAYA: The national doubles squad may soon welcome a familiar face back into their fold, with Chang Kim Wai set to return as part of the coaching setup.
The 49-year-old former national shuttler has been approached by the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) to take up the role of assistant coach.
Kim Wai confirmed that he had received an offer from BAM, adding that his visit to the Academy Badminton Malaysia (ABM) on Friday was not merely a casual one to check in on his former mentor, Rexy Mainaky, but also to discuss the offer in detail.
Kim Wai admitted he was surprised to be courted by BAM but said he needed more time to go through the finer points before deciding on a return to the national setup.
"I heard that Rexy wasn’t feeling well, so I went to check on him and we had a long chat. After that, we met Datuk Kenny Goh (BAM secretary-general) to discuss the matter further," said Kim Wai.
"I used to work with Rexy before as his assistant, but now he’s the coaching director.
"So if I do return, it will likely be as an assistant coach, although I’m not sure yet whether I’ll be assigned to the men’s doubles or another group. What’s certain is that I’ll be involved in doubles coaching.
"After leaving BAM (2004-2017), I helped Datuk Lee Chong Wei manage his academy in Ipoh before spending three years in China. I hope the experience I’ve gained can contribute to the current players," he said.
During his playing days, Kim Wai enjoyed a successful career, winning a silver medal with Choong Tan Fook at the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games and another silver with Chew Choon Eng at the 2003 SEA Games in Ho Chi Minh City.
After retiring, he began his coaching career at the Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) before being promoted to the elite squad, where he served until leaving the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) in 2017.
During his time at BJSS, he also had the opportunity to coach several players who went on to represent the country, including Aaron Chia, Soh Wooi Yik, and Leong Jun Hao.
At present, the men’s doubles squad is led by head coach Herry Iman Pierngadi, assisted by Muhammad Miftakh, while the women’s doubles team is under the guidance of Rosman Razak with Ching Kai Feng as his assistant.
Only the mixed doubles squad has a complete coaching lineup, led by Nova Widianto and assisted by Lutfi Zaim and Hazwan Jamaluddin.
