Limitless spirit
Wheelchair cagers’ coach Ming lip’s never-say-die attitude keeps big dreams alive despite huge obstacles
LIM Ming Lip is tough as nails, just like a tiger, not physically, but in his unwavering spirit.
Comparing a national wheelchair basketball coach to an animal might raise some eyebrows, but Ming Lip’s got this incredible never-give-up attitude.
He’s got this determination for bouncing back from tough times and pushing through, no matter how tough things get.
Ming Lip’s 11-year tenure as the national coach was far from smooth sailing, as he encountered different challenges ranging from players’ mindsets to financial constraints.
Despite these challenges, Ming Lip has never entertained the idea of giving up, consistently showcasing perseverance and problem-solving skills to navigate through these hurdles.
“The biggest challenge we faced was the turnover of players – some struggled to commit to the training sessions, were unable to cope with the intensity of the training or gave it a try but became intimidated by the tough grinds,” said Ming Lip, who took on the part-time assistant coach role in 2007 before transitioning to full-time coach in 2013.
“Finding new players is hard due to the limited pool available.
“Since they are already disabled, they are scared of experiencing falls and suffering injuries when playing basketball on wheelchairs.
“Accidents are difficult to prevent entirely, but we are doing everything that we can to minimise them.”
Ming Lip’s ambition to deliver Malaysia’s first gold medal in this sport at the Asean Para Games remains unfulfilled and the quest will be even harder after wheelchair basketball has been removed from the National Sports Council’s (NSC) full-time programme.
He, however, remains undeterred and is determined to make it a reality in the 2027 Asean Para Games edition, which will be hosted by Malaysia.
“I’ve been wanting to guide the team to victory against Thailand and secure our first gold medal in the Para Games ever since I took on the role of national coach,” said Ming Lip.
“Unfortunately, even after the MCO (movement control order) ended, we fell short of this goal.
“We’ve consistently placed second, and there was a particularly memorable moment in the 2014 Asean Para Games where we came agonisingly close, losing to Thailand by only four or five points.
“It remains one of the most memorable experiences for me as we had never been so near in terms of score in such a fiercely contested match.
“However, since last year, there was a slight decline in their performance due to the two-year hiatus caused by the MCO, coupled with our exclusion from the fulltime programme, causing our players to return to their regular jobs.
“We only had three months to prepare for the Asean Para Games last year and some had barely two weeks of practice before the competition, so their performance was not as good as it could have been.
“Not being part of the NSC programme has made it even harder for us to win the gold medal, but I remain optimistic that we still have a chance of accomplishing our mission.”
Ming Lip expresses his gratitude for the assistance and support provided by the Malaysian Wheelchair Basketball Federation (MWBF) during times of need, especially when dealing with financial challenges or striving to achieve their dreams.
“Starting this year, the association have taken on more responsibilities and have initiated a development programme, which includes fundraising for tournament preparations,” he said.
“I extend my heartfelt thanks to the MWBF president Mr Kelvin (Than Chee Keong) and deputy president Mr Yeoh (Keng Yao) for their financial sponsorship of the team when we were no longer part of the NSC programme.”
Ming Lip has urged physically challenged athletes and sports enthusiasts to pursue their dreams relentlessly, seize every opportunity and make every moment count.
Considering the relatively short career span of athletes, Ming Lip believes that it is unwise for sports enthusiasts to squander their time and give up prematurely without giving their best effort.
“I hope that those physically challenged but love sports will be brave in pursuing their dreams,” said the 41-year-old Ming Lip.
“The career span of athletes, particularly para athletes, is relatively short, with only few able to compete in their 30s or 40s.
“If given the chance, it is important not to waste time and give it everything that they’ve got!
“If things do not pan out after a year or two, it is not too late to step back.
“Ultimately, the goal is to live without regrets by giving it their all and pursuing their dreams wholeheartedly.”
With a devoted coach like Ming Lip, we will not be short of athletes wanting to pursue sports.