They are the future: Jack Koh has found his calling in helping to discover young talents in badminton. Inset: Jack (left) and Tan Bin Shen posing with their silver medals at the World Junior Championships in 2002.
FROM smashing shuttlecocks on the court to developing young gems - this is the journey of former international Datuk Jack Koh after retiring from competitive play.
The fence in front of Jack’s house once served as his arena where he would challenge his elder brother James every evening until his talent was discovered by Yap Kim Hock’s father Yap Beng Tong.
This was the turning point in Jack’s life as he trained under Beng Tong and never looked back, eventually joining Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) and donning the national colours in 2001.
Beng Tong’s rigorous training regime and dedication in bringing Jack and the other players to different states to challenge older and stronger players laid the foundation for Jack’s early success in the sport.
“Uncle Yap was a rare gem for us Muarian badminton players,” said Jack, who partnered Ong Soon Hock to win the silver medal in the Asean Junior Championships in 2001 before winning gold in the team event and a bronze medal in the men’s doubles in 2002.
“He only charged my parents RM30 per month for training, and he would pick me up and drop me home five times a week for training at the nearby community hall.
“Often, his car would be filled with up to 10 kids, all eager to improve their skills.
“He always emphasised on giving our best and playing to win.
“If we lost, he encouraged us to take it as a learning experience to become better in the next round.
“In 1997-1998, I caught the attention of BAM (Badminton Association of Malaysia), thanks to Mr. How Kim Thou and coach Koay Kar Lin during a tournament hosted in Larkin, Johor.
“Reflecting back before I stepped into my Ruby Jubilee, I wonder where I would be without the sport of badminton.
“It has truly shaped me into the person I am today and played a pivotal role in my journey.”
Jack found himself at a crossroads, unsure of what the future held for him after tendering his resignation and leaving the BAM with no clear plan.
However, Jack’s resignation turned out to be a blessing in disguise as he transitioned to a behind-the-scenes role after his squad mate, Dixson Lai, who is also the elder brother of independent mixed doubles shuttler Shevon Lai, connected him with Malaysia’s badminton godfather Looi Suk.
In 2006, Jack started working at Choong Wen School badminton hall, an initial step that led to a partnership culminating in the founding of the Looi Badminton Academy.This academy later evolved into the Petaling Badminton Club (BC) and ultimately led to the establishment of Sports Arena Sentosa in 2011.
Petaling BC shone in their mission as a feeder club to supply talents for the national team and have already produced four current stars – world champions Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik, Olympian Chen Tang Jie and Man Wei Chong.
“My unexpected departure from BAM marked the beginning of a remarkable chapter in my life, guided by the unwavering support of mentors like Looi Suk and visionaries like KH Lim,” said Jack, who is the chief executive officer of Petaling BC.
“If Uncle Yap is a rare gem, Looi Suk is a sapphire among gems in the badminton world.
“His selfless dedication and unwavering commitment to the sport exemplify a philosophy of giving without expecting anything in return.
“This ethos extends not only to me but also to distinguished figures such as Choong Tan Fook, Lee Chong Wei, Aaron, Wei Chong, and many others who have benefited from his mentorship.
“In 2010, we embarked on a groundbreaking initiative by co-founding SS Talent with KH Lim, the visionary and benefactor behind the project.
“Our mission was clear: to nurture Malaysia’s next badminton superstar through a comprehensive talent development programme.
“Over the course of three years, we organised the SS Junior competitions and offered full-time scholarships to 10 promising athletes selected and coached by the esteemed Cheah Soon Kit.
“As the programme evolved, Yap Kim Hock took the reins, guiding the SS Talent cohort towards their ultimate goal of graduating into the national team BAM in 2017.”
Jack co-founded Malaysia’s first professional league named Malaysia Purple League in 2014, which previously featured a lot of star players like Chong Wei, Japan’s Kento Momota and Lee Yong-dae of South Korea before its format was revamped to focus more on the grassroots level.
Another successful initiative from Jack and the team was the NCT National Junior Badminton Championships last month where four lucky winners – Mohd Noor Hanafi (boys’ doubles Under-13), Chong Wan Xin (girls’ singles Under-13), Lim Zheng Jie (boys’ singles Under-15) and Teoh Sue Mei (girls’ singles Under-15) – get to watch their idols in action in the Paris Olympics.“The Purple League serves as a platform in our own backyard for public private partnership with clubs’ ecosystem to thrive by providing high quality league competition opportunities for top juniors to go head on with top ranked national players,” said Jack.
