PETALING JAYA: No more silo mentality.
The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) performance committee chairman Datuk Seri Lee Chong Wei wants both the senior and junior coaches to work together to ensure a smooth transition between departments as part of efforts to strengthen the national set-up.
Yesterday, the BAM officially announced the appointments of new coaches Harry Hartono of Indonesia, Yeoh Kay Bin and Mohd Zakry Latif.
Harry’s role is to strengthen the senior men’s singles coaching line-up while Kay Bin, who guided independent shuttler Lee Zii Jia for a year, will guide the junior men’s singles players.
Harry and Kay Bin will work together in guiding the men’s singles squad alongside head coach Datuk Tey Seu Bock, K. Yogendran, Alvin Chew and Goh Giap Chin.
Zakry has been named as women’s doubles coach.
Chong Wei wants to build a more systematic and structured player development pathway, from the junior level through to the professional ranks.
“Most importantly, all coaches – senior and junior – must be able to work together. I always say that we are one family and must work collectively,” said Chong Wei.
“I do not want a situation where someone says he or she will only take care of my own players. We need to look after everyone together and discuss solutions to any problems.”
Chong Wei believes the experience and expertise of the latest edition of coaches will add significant value to the national training programme and help produce players capable of competing consistently at the international level.
“We discussed this with singles coaching director Kenneth Jonassen and he submitted a list of coaching candidates, with a focus on continuity for young players,” said Chong Wei.
“Both of us are former players and understand the needs of coaches, and he also provided his views on the most suitable roles for these coaches.
“I also met with doubles coaching director, Rexy Mainaky, who personally proposed Zakry as one of the candidates.”
In the women’s doubles setup, Zakry will work alongside head Coach Rosman Razak, Ching Kai Feng and Amelia Alicia Anscelly.
All three coaches will officially assume their duties in February, with Kay Bin reporting for duty on Feb 3, Harry on Feb 10 and Zakry on Feb 20.
