Friday, April 22, 2005

HIRE SPORTS GRADUATES! (22/04/2005 - The Malay Mail)

Publication : MM
Date : 22/04/2005
Headline : HIRE SPORTS GRADUATES!


NATIONAL and state sports associations and Sports Councils can do their
bit to reduce the number of jobless graduates.
In particular, graduates whose fields of expertise is related to sports.
The sports science degree course was introduced by University Malaya in
1995 and the first batch graduated in 1999.
Since then, an average of 120 graduates have graduated each year and
UiTM also offer the same course.
These sports science graduates, who major either in sports management,
psychology or coaching, might be a small number of the 80,000 jobless
graduates.
But with sports being pushed to the forefront by the Government, one
would have thought these graduates would be in demand.
But sadly, they are jobless too.
Many of these graduates have resorted to becoming car salesmen, housing
and insurance agents, while some have tried their hand at business
selling sports T-shirts, trophies and equipment!
One wonders why the national, state sports associations and sports
councils have not made a beeline for them to enhance the efficiency of
their respective administration.
Many of the sports associations still depend on volunteers while many
others have sports officials who are not sure what is expected out of
them.
No disrespect to the volunteers but sports has taken a different
dimension in recent years where professionalism is the key word and
sports is a business.
Sports these days must be managed like a business to ensure optimum
returns both in performance and financial returns.
Thus, sports science graduates, who specialise in sports management,
coaching and physiotherapy can be utilised.
Soccer, which has gone professional, could hire these graduates.
After all, as paid staff these graduates will have to perform or be
fired.
In soccer, areas like marketing, sponsorships, finance and publicity,
are still handled by staff who are not experts.
Separate departments for the these areas are non-existence in most FAs.
Sports organisations complain of lack of funds. Have they thought about
hiring sponsorship managers to look for funds?
Some administration of sports organisations could be run more
efficiently with sports management graduates.
Some officials in sports organisations still do not know how to use the
computer in this modern age.
Then, we have physiotherapists whoa are not qualified and in some cases
we still find the so called "physiotherapists" running onto the field
with a concoction of ginger and onion!
The problem is a majority of the sports organisations are very
protective of their respective association and would not want "outsiders"
to come in.
Take for example the FA of Malaysia, who are about to hire their
secretary-general, and State FAs have voiced their concern it will be
someone from outside their circle!
Hopefully, this mind set will change as the country heads towards a
professional approach.
Let's give the younger generation, equipped with the latest knowledge
in sports, a chance to chart a new level of achievement.

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