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What would be the best attitude for a coach to have?
Casper : The ideal way is for coaches to progress with their players,
and not handing their athletes to other coaches. Coaches go in a form
of a teacher for fundamentals and then a coach, in the train to train
and train to compete phase. In the phase of train to win, they become
a mentor, where coach and the player are truly a team. Doesn’t mean
the mentor must be there all the time, but he’ll be there to answer
any problems that the player might have. Here in Malaysia, it’s
assumed that the coach who is coaching the elite players, are the
elite coach. It’s not true. The coaches coaching elite players are
coaches of elite players, not necessarily elite coaches. The ones
doing the beginners aren’t necessarily development coaches. We also
realize there that if the player doesn’t succeed, the coach is to
blame. The coach can say, “Ah, he’s lazy,” But why hasn’t the coach
find out what the boy needs? Why is he/she depressed today? Has he
looked at himself and asked why that boy is lazy? Am I the right coach
for him? That’s part of a coach’s job. I’m not being nasty. I’m trying
to open the eyes of the Malaysian coaches. Those who were at the
workshop last week, their eyes were very opened indeed. They realized
that and that’s good because Malaysia must stand on its feet in
coaching. They can’t keep importing coaches.
That makes a lot of sense. So, what the last
your opinion of Malaysian coaches in general?
Casper : Through my observations over 6 years, in my opinion,
Malaysian coaches are more focused on the other coaches than their
players. They talk the talk, but won’t walk the walk. There should be
a cooperation between coaches, if not you won’t develop. It shouldn’t
be a case of ‘How dare you talk to my athlete?!’. To me, those are
signs of coaching insecurity. They only know what they know. They’re
afraid that their players might go to other coaches who advised them.
I’m not saying I’m too good; I just have a little bit more knowledge.
How many years of experience do I possess? 34 years? That’s not true.
Well over 200 years of coaching experience…by having a pool of coaches
that I’ve worked with. It’s not just my knowledge. Malaysian coaches,
in some cases have the experience of 7 to 9 years. If they combine,
they’ll have over 100 years of experience; a powerful weapon! But
those who sit around will object to that, you know…the crab syndrome.
Crab syndrome??
Casper : A crab. When a crab gets into a trap under the ocean,
and this is a fact, if one tries to crawl out, the rest will grab him
and drag him back in. And often, the crab syndrome happens at
situations where someone tries to make a break from the system. Those
stuck in the system will try and drag him back into the system.
Haha…that’s crap! Hey, I heard that there’d be
a coaching association in Malaysia. What’s that about?
Casper : It’s the Malaysian Professional Squash Coaches
Association, MPSCA. We have the interim committee already but they
need a constitution. The Professional Squash Coach Association of
Australia, PSCAA are keen on helping. They’re forming the
International Squash Coaches Association and it looks like Malaysia
will be the first member. Malaysia’s should run parallel to
Australia’s, but not answerable to them. I like to see the MPSCA
established before I leave. They’re going to have their first official
meeting. By then, I hope the committee and the constitution, from
Australia, will go up to the sports council and SRAM to be recognized
officially.
So, what can MPSCA do for their members?
Casper : The association has gone out to an insurance company
for their 500 members who want liability. Members pay a small amount
towards liability, but we’ll get the liability privately. If I give a
person the wrong drill and they hurt themselves in Australia, I’ll be
sued in America. Here, I’m covered perhaps 5 million dollars in
liability. And every member joining has that cut. That’s the way they
have progressed. The association has the whole book in coaching. It’s
about 13 years old now. Presently, all the general principles of
coaching are taken in sports institutes of the universities. And it’s
not just squash, every sport in Australia does this. So, in time,
it’ll happen for Malaysia. |
