Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, August 15, 2022: Visitors to the dryland gymnasium at the national aquatic centre in Kuala Lumpur on Monday afternoon could have been forgiven for thinking the OCA youth camp was focusing on volleyball rather than diving.
This was because, at the far end of the gym, the six-strong team of Malaysian divers were engaged in a fast and furious – and clearly good fun – game of three-a-side volleyball, watched over keenly by their two coaches.
This exercise was in stark contrast to the dryland training of the other teams as the young athletes from overseas made full use of the trampolines, springboards and mats in the vast, well-equipped gym.
Malaysia coach Carlysle Chan explained the thinking behind the volleyball game: “It’s good warming-up for the kids, for their joints, small joints like the wrist or ankle and everything, so they won’t get hurt easily.”
There is another good reason to mix up the diving training with a bit of volleyball.
“It is not a common exercise but sometimes the kids get bored so you can play some games with them so they get happier and start training with a happy feeling. It is also good for team spirit because they can work together.”
Malaysia’s six athletes – four boys and two girls – taking part in the OCA youth camp are still at the beginning of their sporting career as members of the national development squad. It is hoped they will continue to progress and build on the recent success of Malaysian divers at the Olympic Games and FINA World Championships.
“Some of them are national, but development national, and started two years ago inside the national team at the development level. They are still training and getting ready for other small competitions to gain more experience.”
When asked why Malaysia produced so many talented divers, Carlysle – an assistant coach in the national development programme – said it was because the divers trained together and discussed everything together. “They get to know which mistakes they can learn from. All the state coaches teach quite good skills for Malaysian diving.”
Malaysia began a talent identification programme two years ago and Carlysle said another was planned either this year or next year in order to have a consistent flow of young talent joining the national programmes at Bukit Jalil.
The young divers come from clubs and states all over Malaysia and Carlysle admitted: “It is quite a big sacrifice because some of them stay in east Malaysia and they have to fly over here, stay here, leaving their family all the way over there. They stay, eat and train and also the school is here.”
