Malaysian Sport

We have been served first class with the performance of our cyclist, Azizul Hasni Awang in the championship n Europe. I happen to watch one of the races last night and that guy showed us his determination on the track. This is the spirit we are searching for in our national sport’s men and sport’s women. Not blame it to the muddy pitch or lack of funds (you’re right, I am talking about football where Malaysia team sucks).

 

After looking at his performance last night, I was thinking to myself that the government should give more allocation to the sport that brings in the medal like squash, swimming, gymnastic, shooting and other sport other than football.

 

We are all aware why football is given more attention at this point. We are all aware where all the sponsors go. If we are able to get some money given to our football team (and they suck), I think other sport will prosper better than football. At least we don’t read news where the national trainees fled the training camp to go for a “happy hour” on their own. The footballers are lack of discipline and they don’t perform. They have good lead, then the end the game losing to a team with less money.

 

Why do we donate the money given to the footballer to other sports? We have good young golfers. Given a proper coaching and guidance, they will be as good as any other professionals. I think the golfers would agree with my proposition.

 

Promote other sports at the same time. I played squash once a while with my wife and believe me, not many people play the game and the courts are empty most of the time compared to futsal and football. Sports other than football are not given much attention. Least they are given proper training.

 

For any kind of sport to develop, we need combination of several factors. The physical factor, the mental factor, the technical factor etc and for physical factor to develop, the athletes need not only proper training regime, but they also need proper food (I heard some athletes eat instant noodles) and a proper dietician to tell them what to eat and what not. I know Majlis Sukan Negara have some but how often they provide the athletes with a proper eating regime?

 

The athletes also need to have a strong mental capability and a strong will to win. If not, even if they are physically fit and they have been eating proper food, they will also loose as mental plays an important role in any sport. An athlete needs to know how to handle pressure in a highly competitive game. If not, we will not get anywhere. A very good example is Tiger Woods when he retained his title he won last year at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill this morning (late evening in the USA). He was trailing for the first three days and at the end he won by one shot advantage over Sean O’hair. Is that the mental capability you would want in each athlete? First of all, positive thinking, you enter into a competition to win. Not to get the bronze medal or just to get 6^th or 7^th place. Why don’t we tell our athletes to go out there and get gold or be number 1? Rule of the thumb, aim for the stars, if you get the moon, then we try again next time. Do you think Tiger Woods tells himself to just go out there and become the 5^th best? I don’t think so.

 

What MSN or the Sport ministry should do is to locate psychiatrist for every sport. Not any psychiatrist but a good one who specialises in a particular sport. He knows the sport very well and he’s is able to feel what the athletes are going through. These need money and money doesn’t come easy for other sport other than football. So I am suggesting here that why don’t we for couple of years, ignore totally football (let them think for a while and buck-up) and concentrate on other sport. I know this chap in cycling has a bright future and very good potential.