It's the (wo)men behind the gun

Primastuti Handayani , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Mon, 05/19/2008 11:51 AM | Sports

Never underestimate girl power. When all eyes looked down on them for failing to qualify for the final round of the 2006 Uber Cup, Indonesian female players kept quiet. They could not give any excuses as they realized they lacked experience, technical skill and competitive opportunities.

Within two years, there have been some changes. The Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) decided to call in 2001 world champion Hendrawan to become the women's singles coach. The association relied on Hendrawan's experience and seriousness despite the fact that he did not have any experience as a coach. When he first handled the girls, Hendrawan said that in two years, his girls would make a difference. At first, nobody believed him.

"I asked PBSI officials to give me two or three years to improve the girls' performances. We can't do it instantly, just like snapping our fingers. We need hard work and to trust each other," he said in an interview in 2006.

However, he was serious in coaching the girls and they really enjoyed his presence and his assistant Marlev Mainaky. Hendrawan -- who now focuses more on coaching the singles -- followed in the footstep of Indonesia's former coach Tong Sinfu of China by making a logbook for the players' training program and progress, recording the girls' international matches and evaluating their performances -- something that should be standard procedure at an international sporting body like the PBSI.

Slowly but surely, the girls began to crawl back on the international radar, although they have yet to win a title at major competitions. It is not instant process but they managed to improve.

Despite the fact that Indonesia, as the host, automatically qualified for this year's Uber Cup finals, the girls fought whole-heartedly and they exceeded the PBSI target of reaching the semifinals. The last time it reached the final was in 1998, before bowing out to China in Hong Kong. Indonesia won the Uber Cup three times, in 1975, 1994 and 1996.

Kudos must also be given to 1992 Olympic champion Susi Susanti, who with Elizabeth Latief was appointed by the PBSI as the Uber Cup team manager. Their presence proved to bring a difference among the girls. Their sharp analysis and tough motivation helped boost the shuttlers' fighting spirit.

During the Uber Cup competition, the players gathered in Susi's room to watch videos of their would-be opponents. Susi kept telling the players that they were not one level below their opponents.

"We don't set any target. My sisters have their responsibility and they know that victory is the only way to show their responsibility. They know that it is what has been expected from them by the public," Susi said, referring to the shuttlers as her little sisters, before the Uber Cup final match.

However, the high hopes were dashed. Reality bites. Even the thunderous support from 8,500 fans in the Indoor Stadium at the Bung Karno Sports Complex in Senayan, Central Jakarta -- including President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, First Lady Ani Yudhoyono and some Cabinet members -- failed to block Chinese ammunition. The defending champion retained the coveted trophy for the sixth time in a row and 11th time since the competition was first held in 1957.

Maria Kristin, Adriyanti Firdasari and doubles Vita Marissa and Lilyana Natsir fought to their limit but the star-studded China was much more powerful, experienced and skillful. It was the fifth meeting between Indonesia and China, with the latter leading 3-2.

The defeat should be another wake-up call for the PBSI that it desperately needs new talent and a new coaching system. At present, the association has been focusing more on high-level athletes, sending its national training camp players to international tournaments instead of focusing on standardizing and updating coaching methods, holding domestic competitions to net new talents and improving the knowledge and ability of coaches in regions.

The female shuttlers' surprise performance should be maintained and improved for another goal: the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Though tough, the girls have an equal chance with other international female shuttlers to grab Olympic gold. Who knows, one of them could win a gold just like Susi did 16 years ago.