KUALA LUMPUR – Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) is setting up a mental health unit to support junior shuttlers with the help of the University of Cyberjaya (UoC).
Both parties signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) today for a one-year partnership that will see the university help BAM establish the unit, where its students will get industrial training opportunities with the sports body.
BAM’s deputy president 1 Datuk V. Subramaniam said that young players need support not only with their performance but also someone to lend an ear as part of their development.
“These players are leaving their families at a young age, 13, to join us. When this happens, they will miss their life at home...their parents, and siblings.
“When they come here, it is a totally different environment,” said Subramaniam at a press conference after the MoU signing at Akademi Badminton Malaysia (ABM) here today.
“It is our responsibility to develop the young children who are away from their parents and their home.
“The children need counselling and guidance in all aspects not only in sports but also relevant to their family environment, so this is total psychological support,” he added.
Subramaniam said that although BAM has in-house counsellors here and also support from the National Sports Institute (NSI), BAM management had studied the matter carefully and decided more support was needed, particularly for teenage athletes.
Also present today were BAM secretary-general Datuk Kenny Goh, ABM chief executive officer Michelle Chai, UoC vice-chancellor Zabidi Hussin and deputy vice-chancellor, Datuk Shaharuddin Mohd.
Chai said the partnership with UoC is a “prevention initiative”, echoing Subramaniam in stressing the need to provide psychological support to children as young as 13 who leave their families to train in sports.
“The environment at ABM is not easy, it is very competitive so players are always focused on their performance, so where is the outlet for them?
“At home after training, they can come home to their family and talk about their day but here who can they talk to?
“Their ‘friends’ here are their competitors. That is why we need someone here who can talk to the athletes without being judgemental in an environment that is not competitive for the athletes,” she said.
UoC will place Masters-level industrial trainees with BAM to help young shuttlers.
The university is also helping BAM look for an in-house counsellor who will be assisted by the trainees and supervised by UoC’s Faculty of Psychology and Social Sciences Dean J. Anasuya and her team. – The Vibes, July 7, 2023
