TRANSFORMATION Part 2

Transformation Part 2 1. Diversity in Training Programs Explore a number of badminton academies. Different academies and coaches provide different ideas, approaches and training programs. I learnt new things through observations from different coaches. Watch the chemistry between the coaches and the players. If the child is unhappy or bored, it is probably time to find another club. Ever since Kiera started swinging her racquet, she has had base training with me and my wife and assisted occasionally by her two older brothers whom were formers Pjba state players. Whenever we had time or during holidays when clubs and academies were closed, we would take her to court to train physicals and spent court time 1v1 or 2v1 with her. That was her staple food for badminton training like tutorial supplements behind her formal trainings with external academies, until today. When Kiera was 11yo, we started her formal training with Artsport and later with the Selangor Badminton Association state team training. I realised as she steadily progressed, Artsport could not provide the type of advance training level she needed. Through recommendations, I decided to supplement her with another academy ie. Sports Arena in Cheras Mahkota where they had a group of KLba and SBA players training there. Artsport later made a good decision and decided to form a separate group for the Elite players consisted of Pjba, KLba and SBA players. The group grew steadily and Kiera was one of the remaining pioneers there until today. In mid 2022, at 12yo after her JET, I foresaw her singles ranking in the U14 category for 2023 will be in jeopardy because SBA had a strong team in the U14 category. Two of the senior girls were in contention to be absorbed into ABM however in the end, only one got in. So it made the situation even tougher for Kiera to fight for top 6 place to be eligible for JET. Therefore I decided to buy insurance and pursue the doubles category. Doubles require 8 players (away to non-host venues) and up to 12 players (if SBA host JET). Therefore, she had better opportunity to be with the team as a doubles player in case she cannot get into singles. First, she needed to pair up with a good potential partner and start training together early to build their level up. Both had to be convenient to come together for trainings and participate in private tournaments. We came to the obvious choice to pair up with Felicia Ho who was then training with LJYBA. Therefore, Kiera joined LJYBA for this purpose and had to split her training days equally between Artsport and LJYBA while still attended compulsory SBA trainings. While with LJYBA, she benefitted from coach Lee’s training systems derived from players video analysis on areas that needed improvement. He then planned out training drills on movement combinations to rehearse over and over, to improve on players weak areas. Sometime in the 3rd Qtr or 2023, we added additional gym and physical training sessions for fitness, agility and strength building into her training program. Therefore, I belief her progress would have, in all likelihood came from the diversity in her training regime over two years as depicted in a summary of her training hours (by months) in the bar chart below.

TRANSFORMATION PART 1

In 2023, a 13yo Kiera was rank 6 in GSU14 category despite showing glimpses of her potential by being the only one upsetting SBA top rank Lim Yew Ern during SBA ranking. (Lim Yew Ern remained unbeaten throughout the ranking matches.) However Kiera was still besieged by inconsistencies in the first half of 2023 and fared poorly in JET1 & JET2 although she was a year junior than her U14 opponents she lost to. However, she underwent a metamorphosis starting mid 2023 when she began to get the better of her peers in various private tournaments, MSSD and MSSS. Her results were posted prior to this. By end of 2023, she was already matching the levels of Chanice Tan. Her breakthrough came when she became the first in her batch to break Siti Nuramina’s 3 year unbeaten record during Selangor Closed which then shot her up as rank 1 in SBA GSU14 category. By Feb 2024, in JET1 Group B, she was runners up in GSU14 and Champion in GDU14 with Eva Tham. In Apr 2024 JET 2 Kelantan, she bettered her record by emerging champions in both GSU14 and GDU14. We were pleasantly surprised as well. How did Kiera do it coming from rank-6 to rank-1 in a mere six months? I was mulling over this for some time to search for answers and after some months, I came to the conclusion that her transformation was not something that happened during this period but over a longer period and contributed by combination of factors which I will share more in coming posts. 1. Diversity in Training Program 2. Robust Badminton Ecosystem 3. Performance Knowledge

TOURNAMENT RESULTS JUNE 2023 - APR 2024

 

Apr 2024 Affin 100Plus Junior Elite Tour (Leg 2 Kelantan) Group B
GSU14 – Champion
GDU14 – Champion (Kiera/Eva)

Mar 2024 Affin 100Plus Junior Elite Tour (Leg 1 Selangor) Group B
GSU14 – Runners Up
GDU14 – Champion (Kiera/Eva)

Mar 2024 NCT Junior Badminton Championship (Qualifying Round 3)
GDU15 – Champion (Kiera Sba/Chloe Pjba)

Mar 2024 Four Season Badminton Championship (3^rd Round)
Women Singles Open – Semi Finalist

Feb 2024 MAXXIMA Junior Challenge Badminton Championship
GSU14 – Semi Finalist
GDU16 – Semi Finalist (Kiera/Eva - Injured)

Jan 2024 ICE Badminton Open
GSU13 – Runners Up

Dec 2023 Selangor Closed
GSU13 – Champion
GDU13 – Champion (Kiera/Eva)

Dec 2023 MSSD Olimpik Muda
GSU13 – Champion
GDU13 – Runners up

Nov 2023 SSA Badminton Circuit Grand Finals
GSU13 – Champion
GSU15 – Champion

Nov 2023 Allianz Junior Badminton Championship Grand Finals
GSU13 – Semi Finalist
GDU13 – Semi Finalist (Kiera/Eva)

Oct 2023 Tops Arena Empire Badminton Junior Championship
GSU13 – Champion
GDU13 – Champion (Kiera/Eva)

July 2023 MSSS – Klang
GSU15 – Semi Finalist
GDU15 – Semi Finalist (Kiera/Felicia)

July 2023 MSSD – Puchong
GSU15 – Champion
GDU15 – Runners up (Kiera/Sudikhsha)

July 2023 Shuttle Flash Badminton Junior International Championship
GSU13 – Semi Finalist

July 2023 SSA Badminton Circuit 5^th Round
GSU13 – Runners up
GSU15 – Champion

June 2023 Skyworth Badminton Championship
GSU14 – Champion