Coaching+ Refereeing

Coaching

Malaysia’s coaching structure started from scratch with volunteers and it wasn’t until 1980 that SRAM first employed a full-time coach – Abdul Rehman from Pakistan. In 1983 Australian Chris Clarke took over the reins. He initiated the coach education programme through several Level 1 coaching courses nationwide and started a structured coaching/training programme for the senior and junior squads. When Clarke left for Hong Kong in 1987, Major (R) S. Maniam took over as the head coach and Director of Coaching (DOC). Maniam held the post of DoC until 2002 before leaving to take up a similar role in India. Penangite Allan Soyza took over as the DOC in 2012, after a lapse of 10 years. Allan held the role for four years before leaving early in 2015 for Singapore as Maniam eventually returned to assume the role as SRAM director in May 2016.

Mention must be made of Malaysians Raymond Arnold, Sandra Wu, Sharon Wee and Kenneth Low who all served SRAM, first as National players, then as National Coaches. Raymond moved on to coach the Federal Territory team, Sandra moved to pursue coaching in Singapore, Sharon into the media industry and Aaron continues to coach in Penang. Foreign coaches who have contributed include Abdul Rehman (Pakistan), Jamie Hickox (Canada) Jamshed Gul (Pakistan), Ahmad Malik (Pakistan), Richard Glanfield (England), Robin Cooper (Australia), Allan McCulloch (Australia), Ken Flynn (Ireland), Mika Monto (Finland), Mobin Ahmad (Pakistan), Abdul Rashid (Pakistan), Sajjad Ahmad (Pakistan), Mubashir Gul (Pakistan), Mohd. Sattar (Pakistan) and a host of others at the state level.

To be as good as it can be, a team has to buy into what you as the coach are doing. They have to feel you’re a part of them and they’re a part of you.

Bobby Knight

Refereeing

Chris Foo was a WSF international referee and as the director of referees spent immeasurable amount of time setting up SRAM’s referee structure. Taking over from Maniam who at that time was the only other international referee. Leslie Ponnampalam succeeded Chris Foo and until today, despite health issues continues to contribute selflessly to the promotion of refereeing in the country. Presently we have a healthy pool of referees.