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n an effort to develop badminton in the country, badminton club PB Djarum Kudus invited several world class players and badminton legends to provide a coaching clinic for young players and coaches in Malang, East Java.

Badminton legends such as Alan Budikusuma, Eddy Hartono, Christian Hadinata, Haryanto Arbi, Sigit Budiarto, Ivana Lie and Luluk Hadiyanto met with 200 aspiring shuttlers between the ages of 9 and 15, coaching them on basic techniques and skills.

The coaching clinic, held in cooperation with the East Java branch of the Indonesian Badminton Federation, was aimed at drawing young players from badminton clubs in Malang and surrounding areas.

“We want badminton to be more popular and attract more people,” Yoppy Rosimin, the program director of Bakti Olahraga Djarum Foundation said on the sidelines of the event at the Cakrawala sports center at Malang State University on Saturday.

Yoppy said what the foundation did was just a small step in helping the government prepare young players. He said the lack of succession to the country’s aging top players was a concern.

Djarum head coach Christian Hadinata said the lack of adequate and regular tournaments such as grand prix and super series for players at local levels was a main factor in the stagnant growth in development.

“Those who frequently take part in tournaments are more likely to grow to be better players. It is easier to polish their physical and mental skills prepare them to replace senior players at the top level,” Christian, the former world and All England Open champion, said.

Erien, a 15-year-old student who attended the coaching clinic, said she was very happy to be able to learn several techniques from the badminton greats and hoped to improve her skills by training hard when she returned to her club.

The program is the second such program, the first being held in Purwokerto, Central Java, in 2008.

Other prominent shutlers from PB Djarum also took part in the clinic, including Maria Kristin, Fransiska Ratnasari, Komala Dewi, Jenna Gozali and Andre Kurniawan, who coached more than 50 badminton coaches from Malan, and provided information on PB Djarum badminton scholarships for young players in Kudus in Central Java and Jakarta.

PB Djarum Kudus has a history of developing the game in Indonesia. Beginning as a cigarette production shed in 1967, the club was officially established in 1974 and has been a breeding ground for dozens of world class badminton players.

Several members include former world and All England Open champions Liem Swie King, Christian Hadinata, Hastomo Arbi, as well as Haryanto Arbi, former world champion Ivana Lie, 1992 Olympic champion Alan Budikusuma, former world champion and 1992 Olympic silver medalist Ardy B. Wiranata, and former world champion and 2000 Olympic silver medalist Minarti Timur