E-Paper
BAI coaches: Overworked and under-utilised
Strange are the ways of the Badminton Association of India (BAI). First, they fail to properly utilise the services of Indonesian doubles coach Hadi Sugiyanto. He draws a monthly salary of $2000 but is idle most of the time.
Strange are the ways of the Badminton Association of India (BAI). First, they fail to properly utilise the services of Indonesian doubles coach Hadi Sugiyanto. He draws a monthly salary of $2000 but is idle most of the time.
Now, the BAI has decided to hire yet another Indonesian coach, this time for singles. According to LC Gupta, secretary, BAI, "We have shortlisted three Indonesian coaches for singles. If all goes well, we will have a singles coach in about a month's time," he said. He refused to divulge the names of the three coaches.
When queried what role chief coach Vimal Kumar would have after the appointment of the new coach, Gupta felt that the chief coach was overworked. "We believe that Vimal Kumar is overburdened and needs to be assisted by another coach who will concentrate on the up-and-coming juniors," Gupta said.
Vimal Kumar may be "overworked" but that does not merit the presence of a second coach for singles.
Having too many coaches could be a case of too many cooks spoiling the broth.
As a former international player -- who preferred to remain anonymous -- said:
"Having too many coaches is going to result in a lot of confusion. So long as the instructions are coming from one coach it is easy. But once two coaches come into the fray, it becomes very difficult as, more often that not, they would be giving contradictory instructions." he says citing the example of Malaysia when they had two coaches, Misbun Sidek and the Dane Morten Frost Hansen.
"It was bad for them (Malaysian players) as they were not sure whose advice to follow--either Frost or Misbun," he says.
On the under-utilisation of doubles coach Sugiyanto Gupta said one cannot afford to hold regular camps for doubles. "The whole notion of under-utilising Sugiyanto is wrong.
What people do not understand is that in doubles you do not need intensive camps like in singles.
"So if he (Sugiyanto) conducts a coaching camp once in a couple of months it does not mean that he is being underutilised," Gupta said.
Perhaps, the BAI needs to redefine its vocabulary to include its own version of words like under-utilised and overworked.
