In an effort to develop and train Thai athletes to find success at international sporting events, foreign coaches are often hired for their expertise.
The Southeast Asian Games, Asian Games and the Olympics, the mother of them all, are the most coveted events for most athletes. As the Thai national teams are currently preparing for the 17th Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, later next month, Life speaks with three expatriate coaches about the challenges of working in a foreign culture, Thailand’s prospects at the games and their visions for the future of their athletes.
Coach Choi Young Seok's ultimate goal for Thai tae kwon do athletes is an Olympic gold medal.
TAE KWON DO
Despite his no-nonsense persona while training — and a stiff upper lip when faced with allegations that he physically assaulted a female athlete — coach Choi Young-seok, 40, comes across as sensitive and sincere when it comes to the welfare of his athletes.
Rungravee Kusara, a female tae kwon do athlete, created a media frenzy when she accused the Korean coach, who has worked in Thailand for 12 years, of savagely punching her after she lost a match at the Korea Open tournament in early July. Rungravee eventually retracted her accusations and Choi, in return, forgave her.
During that time, his past and present athletes, sport officials and local fans rushed to Choi’s defence — and unsurprisingly so. Since being recruited to train the Thais in 2002, Choi’s numerous accolades have made him indispensable to the team.
He trained Yaowapha Buraphonchai, who clinched the country’s first bronze at the Athens Olympics in 2004. Four years later, Butree Puedpong took silver at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Though Choi failed to help the country win a gold medal at the 2012 London games, Chanatip Sonkham returned with a bronze.
Choi has gone on record to say that physical discipline is part of his training. The intention behind it, however, is to teach, not harm, he said.
“My players are like my sons and daughters; I discipline then like I would my own child. Physical punishment has never been severe to the point that anyone gets hurt,” he said. “Discipline meted out to the men is more severe than the women. Each player knows very well that they have to be accountable for their actions, as I am of my own. I take 80% of the responsibility when an athlete does not perform to their expectations. That is why I expect each of them to put 100% into their training and competition. My aim has always been to be a good role model to my players. Just because I am their coach does not mean I am entitled to rule the roost — everyone has to play within the rules of the game.
“I have delayed my move to go back home — and for that matter to coach another country — for the sole reason that I want to see Thailand clinch its first Olympic gold medal. They have the talent, I am here to fine tune their training and build their character as athletes. When there are bumps on the way, it is my duty to smooth them.”
As for the Thai team’s prospects at the upcoming Asian Games, Choi knows it won’t be an easy battle.
“We are in for stiff competition because it is being held in the country where the sport originated. I am under enormous pressure as coach to see my players perform. I do not want to count my chickens before they hatch, so I would rather not make any predictions about the number of medals I expect the team to win.”
Outside of work, Choi lives a very mundane existence. He often unwinds by listening to Korean ballads and enjoys watching television series with culturally-infused themes — that is, when he’s not partaking in his favourite pastime: sleeping. His favourite Thai dishes, he said, are tom yum goong, Thai green curry and Isan dishes, which his team got him hooked on.
But while the cuisine might be to his liking, adjusting to the Thai way of life hasn’t been a simple task.
“I do not really think it is easy to assimilate into Thai culture,” he said. “Despite the fact that I rather like the laid back attitude of Thais, I think too much of it is not good. There has to be balance, one has to know when to be serious.”
But Choi continues to train the Thai national team for a quite simple reason.
“My ultimate goal is to help Thailand clinch its first Olympic gold medal. This has been my aim since I decided to continue coaching the players after my initial seven-month contract ... which expired after the 2002 Asian Games [in Busan, South Korea].
“The reason I renewed my contract was largely due to the insistence of the players. I went to say goodbye to them after the games and to my astonishment I found them all in tears. They told me not to leave them. I was so overwhelmed with emotion and their sincerity that I decided to stay on. The team and I have gone through a lot together. I believe in their ability.”
One of the biggest sacrifices Choi has had to make by working in Thailand is a prolonged separation from his family, which includes an elder sister and a 96-year-old grandmother.
“Despite having my wife and son here, I long to reunite with my family. I lost my father when I was seven and my mother a year before I left to work in Thailand, so they are very dear to me. I take my responsibilities very seriously, and hope that after I have accomplished my goals in Thailand, I can return home a happy man.”
Chong Yap Lee, coach of Thailand's national archery team.
ARCHERY
Malaysian archery expert Chong Yap Lee was happy when he was told late last year by the World Archery Federation that he was being assigned to coach the Thai national archers for 2014 Asian Games.
With family living in Sarawak, a Malaysian state in Borneo, the idea of being located geographically close to home was comforting. When the 37 year old finally arrived in Bangkok, it did not take long before he felt right at home.
“I had no problems fitting into Thai culture because locals are so friendly and nice,” he said. “I had visited the Kingdom before for coaching seminars and for training other coaches, so I had a good knowledge of Thai archers and their potential. My archers have been very accommodating, teaching me the Thai language and making me feel like family. As we have been pretty busy with preparing our archers for the Asian Games, I have yet to explore Bangkok.”
As for Thailand’s medal prospects for the upcoming Asian Games, he said the archers who have qualified are experienced and should be going all out to hit the bullseye. But to win medals, he said, competitors have to be mentally strong, which is one department on which Thais need to focus if they are to be successful.
Because Bangkok was picked by the World Archery Federation to become a global training centre for the sport, the standard of archery should continue to improve among both Thai players and coaches, who will now have easier access to new training methods and Olympic coaching certifications, Lee said.
Lee's coaching style differs somewhat from Choi's, veering away from physical punishment.
"It is my opinion that, as foreign coaches, we should not impose a practice that local players are not comfortable with. I would rather talk with an athlete to iron out our differences. It is better and more effective for one person to change than a team of 20. By talking politely, I believe a lot can be accomplished. A coach is a respected figure in Thai culture, so I believe patience can ensure issues are easily settled."
As for the future of Thai archery, Lee said that given the right training and competitive experience, the country's archers can excel on the international stage.
"We have a couple of tournaments for our national players prior to the Asian Games — the more they train the better they will get."
Coach Vyacheslav Kovitskiy offers advice to heptathlon athlete Wassana Winatho.
ATHLETICS
After 12 years of coaching Thailand's national athletics team, Uzbekistan-born high jump and heptathlon specialist Vyacheslav Kovitskiy, 58, said he couldn't be happier living in the Kingdom.
"Thailand, for my wife, son and myself, is home," he said. "When we left Uzbekistan, I had my reservations about how it would all pan out. I was pleasantly surprised, both in my ability to coach and by my family's ability to settle in. We fit in really well in all aspects — Thai food is great and its culture is very exotic to us.
"Thais are accommodating and patient people, so it is easy to diffuse an argument if one happens to erupt. I could not have found a better country in which to work. It is important for coaches to have a good idea about the culture and traditions of the athletes they train because we have to keep tabs on their emotional sides as well as their physical sides.
"This is my first assignment out of my country and probably my last, as I am advancing in age. While eventually I will need to return home, I hope to make the most out of the couple of years I have left."
Kovitskiy has played a pivotal role in improving the competitiveness of the athletes he coaches. Sharing his technical knowledge of the sport with the team has resulted in a string of successes on the global stage.
As for Thailand's chances at this year's Asian Games, he said the team is well prepared for the high jump and heptathlon — a seven-event track and field event — but will face hardened competitors who will not go down without a fight.
"As a coach, I do not think it is a good idea to predict the number of medals prior to an event for the simple reason that you are putting the athletes under undue stress. All I can say is that our Thai athletes have prepared really well. We have not left any stone unturned in our efforts to help them perform at their best," he said.
He has concentrated on speed and strength in his athletes, he said, which are the predominant requirements in the sport.
Kovitskiy's most memorable moments have been the success stories of his team, the top three of which include gold medals at the second Asian Indoor Games in 2007 in Macau, the 2013 Asian Athletics Championships in Pune, India, and the Thailand Open Track and Field Championships in 2014.
"These three events are rather special to me because our players did well and demonstrated great sportsmanship. Most of our athletes come from humble beginnings — they use their talent in sports to get a good education and hope to eventually land a good job after their career in athletics is over. If the athletes continue to reach for the stars, the sky is the limit."
