The Triad
- Aggie Mañalac
One of them sits at ringside, hurling words of encouragement that are drowned in the din of cheers. Then there is a couple, either lurking in the shadows behind bleachers or likewise screaming words of encouragement from where they are seated right in front. And then there is the focus of their attention in the middle of the court – young, ambitious, eager, and at that moment, sweaty – his student, their child. Of all the events of the 2008 Yonex-Sunrise Philippines National Open Badminton Championships, watching the Juniors events – especially the sideline action – provide food for thought regarding relationships between coach, parents, and student and how these shape the future of the child’s badminton “career”.
Parents – principally the financiers and providers of operational support. One of the parents I talked to years ago relayed how he knew his 10-year old daughter was serious about badminton when he and his wife discovered pages upon pages of doodles of rackets and shuttlecocks in her assignment notebook. Blessed are parents whose children find a real, serious interest in sports early in life because they know how competitive sports will help shape their characters and values. Most of them will show full support by making sure that their child is, as much as possible, driven to training right after class to ensure that he or she gets some rest in between. Better yet, they will accompany their child to training sessions, forge friendships with other hopeful co-parents and learn the sport themselves along the way. Those who are more financially able will send their child to
Coach – principally the potter, the molder. “Kuya” and idol to many. The style of the first coach/trainer will invariably be emulated by student – serve, fake, lob and smash. As many children are barely out of milk bottles when they start training badminton, parents fully trust the trainer to help them inculcate correct values to their child. It takes a patient coach to deal with stage parents -- those who interfere with his training style and with the amount and kind of attention he devotes to their child during training sessions involving 10 students or more. The trainer is usually an accomplished athlete himself. Some of the best are known to sacrifice their own achievements as an athlete just to devote as much attention as possible to training their students weeks or months before a big tournament. They will never be absent from the coach’s seat at the court’s sidelines, offering words of encouragement and wisdom to their wards.
The student – principally the pride and joy. For him, it starts as fun -- badminton is fun. And he happens to be good at it. So why not get better? Mom and dad have found him one of the best trainers. And he’s nice. Training is fun, especially if it results to winning matches. He loses a match – he feels crummy. It felt better to win. Coach loved it, mom and dad loved it, and so did he. Winning is his seal of accomplishment in his young life as an athlete. So he will train harder to win again and win more. Many young students eventually cross the line that divides pure play to competitive sports as their blood begins to look for the positive tension and rush that can only be felt facing an opponent and winning. Some will carry this to their adulthood. Others will feel exhausted from the constant tension that they have felt since they can remember and at some point drop off from the competitive arena.
Three characters in a child’s play that eventually will be child’s play no more. Catch them all at the Juniors Semifinals matches of the 2008
The 2008 Yonex-Sunrise Philippines National Open Badminton Championships is presented by YONEX-SUNRISE and co-presented by PHITEN. This event is also brought to us by: Badminton Hub, Sportshub, My Shaldan, Makati Shangri-la, BSI Medicated Spray, Fish Designs, Potraitme.net, Tacorific, Potato Corner and our official & exclusive print partner, The Philippine Star. The tournament runs from November 22-30, 2008
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