The Multiple Roles of a Youth Badminton Coach

While his players were taking a break from a training session on Friday (July 11, 2025), Roy Djojo left the training area at the Djarum Sports Hall in Jati, Kudus, Central Java. The question, "Where are you going, Roy?" bombarded the U-13 and U-11 women's singles coach at PB Djarum. Roy then paused for a moment.

The questions were posed alternately by his foster children. It seemed possessive. However, since they came from children aged between 10 and 12 years, the questions actually sounded endearing.

They were like children who didn't want to be left alone by their "mother" for even a second. They had to know where their coach was going. Roy was only heading to the dormitory area to show Kompas where the children lived.

According to Roy, the seemingly possessive attitude of the young athletes arises from the closeness that has developed among them. This closeness is built through various means and activities, including the small birthday celebrations they regularly hold.

"Whenever a child has a birthday, we usually celebrate, at least by blowing out the candles. Some parents ask us to buy or prepare certain things, while others do not. However, we always hold a celebration, even if it's small; this is one of the things that brings us closer," said Roy.

Roy trains eight children in the youngest age category at PB Djarum. The oldest athlete was born in 2013, meaning they have just turned 12 years old. Meanwhile, the youngest athlete is only 10 years old, born in 2015. During the selection through the General Audition of PB Djarum in 2024, that child was even only nine years old.

As a coach, Roy feels it is essential to be close to his trainees as it facilitates the training process. For Roy, this is also part of understanding the non-technical factors of athletes, which play a significant role in their development.

Proximity will also facilitate the development of the foundation for athletes, which indeed starts from that age group. For this reason, coaches often do not merely train but also "sacrifice" themselves to take on other roles, ranging from parent, sibling, to friend.

Like most children, Roy said, these junior athletes sometimes exhibit spoiled behavior, lack discipline, and still want to play. His role as both a coach and a parent requires Roy to be firm when there are children who violate the rules or do not take training seriously.

"I also consider them as my own children. If they make a mistake, I will truly reprimand them, there is no tolerance, especially since this relates to their foundation, but after that, I embrace them again. We, the coaches, are like their parents here," said Roy.

In his role as a parent, Roy must also be on alert throughout the day to take care of his children. When one of his athletes falls ill, for instance, Roy is usually the first to handle the situation and take them to the hospital. For this reason, he lives not far from the dormitory.

Coaches sometimes take on the role of an older sibling or even a peer. This way, athletes feel comfortable sharing their experiences or the everyday issues they face. "They even talk about what school is like, what snacks they have, and so on. It's quite amusing," said Roy, who has spent nearly all of his 8 years at PB Djarum training young athletes.

The U-13 men's singles coach of PB Djarum, Andreas Aditya Warman, also feels the same way. Although the intensity is not high, the male athletes also share other matters outside of training with him. In this situation, Aditya positions himself as an older brother or a peer.

Outside of that, Aditya stated that he plays the role of a coach and a parent who ensures that his mentees are disciplined. This discipline is not only required during training but also in school and while living in the dormitory.

"We build their foundation, not only for competing on the field, but also for life," said Aditya.

The athletes of PB Djarum spend their daily time training and studying. Typically, they start their day with morning practice from 07:00 to 09:00. Following that, they attend school until a maximum of 13:30. They will return for training in the afternoon or evening.

At certain times, such as Wednesdays and Fridays, athletes usually train only once. They are then required to attend classes in subjects specifically programmed by PB Djarum, namely mathematics and English.

Not only the schedule of activities, but also the way they live in the dormitory is strictly regulated. A number of rules related to cleanliness, courtesy, and the time for leaving the dormitory are posted at the dormitory entrance. Each coach also regulates the time for using mobile phones in the dormitory and training areas.

"I really limit cell phone use. At most, only a few hours a day, before or after practice. If I don't limit it, it can become excessive, and that's not good. Moreover, it also affects children's focus," said Aditya.

"Because this is the foundational phase, the establishment of a foundation, everything is truly regulated. If the focus is already disturbed from a young age, it will be difficult later as they grow older. Therefore, I direct them more towards engaging in other activities, such as learning to weave racket strings or activities that enhance their focus," he stated further.

On the other hand, Aditya stated that the coach continues to strive to provide them with entertainment to avoid monotony. For instance, Aditya often invites the players to dine together outside the city. This activity is also conducted to alleviate the athletes' longing for their hometown or to cope with the sadness of being away from their parents.

Aditya is also grateful that most of the children under his care do not have difficulty living in the dormitory and being away from their parents. This is because they have already been "filtered" through auditions, especially during the training camp.

After being selected through auditions, the athletes will enter the dormitory to undergo a four-week quarantine phase. The Coordinator of the Male Athlete Talent Search Team for the 2025 PB Djarum General Audition and also the Manager of the PB Djarum Team, Fung Permadi, stated that it is during this phase that the consistency and resilience of young athletes are truly tested.

Those who pass the quarantine stage will receive the Djarum Badminton Scholarship and join PB Djarum. "As for the fighting spirit, that's easy. They can demonstrate it during the auditions, with the euphoria of the matches. However, after training for weeks, their determination will be evident here," said Fung Permadi, the Indonesian men's singles player who won a silver medal at the 1999 World Championships.

Aditya and Roy stated that training young athletes is full of challenges. At times, they may become "high-strung" due to their mentees violating rules or being lazy during practice. However, at other times, they are also made to laugh because of the amusing antics of the children.

Regardless of that, they agreed that training these young athletes is a fun challenge, even though it requires them to take on multiple roles. Although it can be quite frustrating at times, they ultimately can only say, "After all, they are just kids..."