There was a refreshing sight and vibe at Ipoh Padang last Saturday. It was the start of something beautiful that should have happened a long time ago.
Some 150 children, able bodied and differently-abled, were given the opportunity to run, jump, and throw under the watchful eyes of several former athletes, including Olympian Lt Commander (Rtd) Karu Selvaratnam. The grassroots programme will be held at the same venue every Saturday and Sunday, from 8am to 9.30am.
The beauty of it all, is that it is free, led by private entity, Young Talent Track & Field.
Karu was quoted in Free Malaysia Today on Sept 8 as saying: “Every child is born to move, play, and explore, and as a foundation sport, athletics gives children the confidence in their physical abilities.”
It’s also a great way for parents and children to spend time together.
The word “competition” or “competitiveness” was not heard, nor seen. It’s all about giving children an avenue to have fun, and in return, unearth their true potential.
A meta-analysis of 51 international study reports, sampling over 6,000 athletes and published in July 2021, revealed that adult world-class athletes engaged in more childhood/adolescent multisport practice, started their main sport later, accumulated less main-sport practice, and initially progressed more slowly than did national-class athletes.
Steve Magness, a world-renowned expert on health and human performance and an author, summarised the report in his tweet on Sept 6: “Consider this a message to all the little league parents trying to go all-in on soccer, baseball, football, etc. When a child is 8: chill out! Let them play, explore their talents, and figure out (on their own) what they want to sink their effort into.”
A similar tune was sung by FA of Malaysia (FAM) head of grassroots, Cameron Ng. A grassroots coach himself, Ng told Twentytwo13 that his unit encourages football for fun and development, and that winning should not be at the expense of these.
This comes following complaints that certain coaches and parents are just fixated with winning at all costs and eager to pinch the best players – evident in the Liga SupaRimau, a nationwide football grassroots league in Malaysia.
These elements can be summed up in one word – fun. A word that is often taken for granted and sometimes ridiculed. There are those who also believe that the word has no place in creating world-class athletes.
It is through fun, and playing in a happy environment, that a child is able to express him or herself, and unleash his or her true potential. It’s the same with work and life.
The grassroots event in Ipoh should be anchored on fun. Coaches and academy operators, regardless of sport, should realise that it’s all about fair play and teaching the kids to respect one another.
Parents should learn to ‘chill out’ and let their kids decide if they want to be like Safawi Rasid, Datuk Pandelela Rinong Pamg, Pearly Tan, or M. Thinaah.
In 2019, former FAM technical director Peter de Roo told Twentytwo13: “After every game or training session, the only thing I ask my son in the car is, ‘Did you have fun?’ Because if he is having fun, he will pick up stuff on his own, experience things on his own, and remember them.”
You should try asking your children that, too.
