‘Life education’ webinars for players
WHILE the national squash players await the green light to return to training, the Squash Racquets Association of Malaysia (SRAM) have initiated a series of webinars to keep them occupied.
The move is the brainchild of SRAM vice president Sharon Wee, who is a former national player and sports presenter.
The webinars consist of a life education series and a “Chatting with Legends” series where former national players come onboard to share their experiences with junior and senior players in the national setup.
“I think during this period of the extended lockdown due to the MCO, SRAM have done alright in terms of managing the players’ happiness,” said Sharon.
“There has been virtual training everyday and those who are not in MCO states are already starting to get back on court.
“But we can never be too careful because a player’s happiness and mental health is always a big concern for us in times like these.
“Thus we started the ‘Life Education’ series which is aimed to give the players more exposure apart from squash in order to help them with career development for the future.
“The first course we did was a media communication course and we also have money management and psychology webinars lined up.
“Then this ‘Chatting with Legends’ series was started in order to motivate and inspire the players during these tough times.
“We also wanted them to learn more about the legacy and future of Malaysian squash in order for them to understand the things that can help them do better for themselves in the future.
“We had Azlan (Iskandar) and Delia (Arnold) on the series last week and this week it is me and Nafiizwan (Adnan).
“And I think the response was really good as the players, especially the younger ones, had a lot of questions to ask in regard to our experiences as former players.
“We are also trying to get our Malaysian squash queen Nicol (David) to come in for a session and it should be held sometime next month.
“Ultimately, these webinars are meant to help the players realise that we want the best for them and to be successful in life and not just as medal contributors.
“During my days as a player, we did not have such a support system, so I wanted to get this started
because players’ welfare always concerns me,” added Sharon.
The national players have not been back to the National Squash Centre in Bukit Jalil since the MCO, which has been extended to March 4, was implemented last month.
The government has, however, loosened some restrictions to allow sport sectors to reopen, and the players should be allowed back to train next month.