Up for the task: Jeffer Rosobin is now keen to make his mark in the senior set-up.
PETALING JAYA: Indonesian Jeffer Rosobin is out to improve the fortunes of the national senior women’s singles shuttlers after his impressive stint as junior head coach.
Jeffer, who joined the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) at the end of last year, has been moved to coach the senior women’s singles team after doing well to guide the juniors.
Under the 48-year-old, the juniors captured one gold, one silver and one bronze at the recent World Junior Championships in Nanchang, China.
The gold was delivered by boys’ doubles pair Aaron Tai-Kang Khai Xing while girls’ doubles duo Dania Sofea Zaidi-Low Zi Yu won a surprise silver and both pairs also combined to help the team win bronze in the mixed team event.
Jeffer also oversaw an encouraging performance in the Asian Junior Championships in Yogyakarta in July where Malaysia won four medals through Aaron-Khai Xing (silver), girls’ singles player Siti Zulaikha Azmi (bronze), girls’ doubles pair Ong Xin Yee-Carmen Ting (bronze) and mixed team (bronze).
It could have been even better in the world junior meet had Zulaikha been fit to compete.
The 18-year-old, though, was unfortunate after she was forced to miss the tournament due to a heel injury.
Overall, Jeffer is satisfied with his work with the juniors and is now keen to make his mark in the senior set-up where he will replace K. Yogendran as the new women’s singles coach.
Yogendran has been moved to coach the men’s singles team.
Jeffer, however, knows that he faces a tough task as Malaysia have struggled to produce top women’s singles players for a long time.
“I am really thankful to BAM for giving me the opportunity to lead the junior squad for a year,” said Jeffer.
“I feel the juniors have produced good results and I’m quite satisfied with my work.
“I feel I’m better prepared now to take on the role of coaching the senior women’s singles team. I know that the team need to improve and I hope to do my best.”
On the changes he hopes to implement to improve the level of the women’s singles players, Jeffer said: “First of all, the players must be fit and need to do extra work in training.
“The mindset of the players must also be positive and there has to be good teamwork to succeed.”
Currently, the women’s singles players retained in the senior team are K. Letshanaa, Wong Ling Ching, Zulaikha and Oo Shan Zi.
