Jeffer ready to help junior shuttlers fulfil their potential

PETALING JAYA: Indonesian Jeffer Rosobin (pic) is ready for the challenge to lift the standards of the national junior singles shuttlers.Jeffer was appointed as the juniors head coach by the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) last month to fill the void left by Datuk Misbun Sidek.

Jeffer officially started work at the Academy Badminton Malaysia (ABM) on Wednesday.

“I’m thankful for this opportunity to take up the position of junior head coach in BAM,” said Jeffer.

“I wanted to be a coach here for a long time but it did not happen but this time, when the offer came, I took it up immediately.

“I want to use my experience well to improve the junior players here.”

One of Jeffer’s best achievements as a coach was guiding Gregoria Mariska to the World Junior Championships girls’ singles gold medal in 2017 during his four-year coaching stint (2017-2020) in the Indonesian national team.

The 47-year-old had also guided Indonesia to the world junior mixed team gold for the first time in 2019. Before that, he had been a coach in the Singaporean national team from 2007 to 2011.

As a player, Jeffer had captured the Asian Championships men’s singles title in 1996 in Surabaya.

Jeffer will be overseeing both the boys’ and girls’ singles departments in the BAM while junior doubles head coach Pang Cheh Chang will report to him.

The coaches under Jeffer in the singles are Hazwan Jamaluddin, Goh Giap Chin and Alvin Chew (boys’ singles); Ameer Zainuddin and Misbun Ramdan (girls’ singles).

Jeffer will report to coaching director and fellow Indonesian Rexy Mainaky.

“I’m happy and comfortable working with Rexy,” said Jeffer.

“I see a lot of potential in the junior players here. My job is to help them fulfil their potential.

“The players need to improve in the technical aspects like skills, mental strength and fitness.

“Also, they have to be disciplined and have the right attitude to succeed. My main aim is to get the players ready for the Asian and World Junior Championships next year.”