Helping our talented youngsters maximise their potential should top the agenda of sports officials. The opportunities our sportspersons get and the competitive experience they gain will have a cumulative effect on their career.
Last week, teen prodigy Ratchanok Intanon, 18, made history for Thailand when she became the youngest-ever player to advance to the final of the All England Badminton Championships becoming the first Thai woman to finish runner-up in this prestigious tournament.
In the final, worthy of a fairytale, Tine Baun, 34, defied the 16-year age gap between her and the amazingly gifted world No 8 Thai girl in a hard-fought thriller to bid goodbye to professional badminton.
Judging from their head-to-head 3-1 win-loss record in favour of Ratchanok, many badminton gurus had predicted that the former three-time world junior champion of Thailand would land the title. However, they were proved wrong.
Another case is that of teen sensation Ariya Jutanugarn, who was the youngest golfer in history to play in a major international event. Barely 11, Ariya reached her first LPGA Tour event, teeing off at the Honda LPGA Thailand in 2007. In her first pro career event at this year's Honda LPGA Thailand, Ariya was in tears after blowing a two-shot lead to finish second.
Both Ratchanok and Ariya came within a whisker of winning the title but just let it slip through their fingers. Opportunity is said to be a shrewd customer. It never reveals itself completely. Instead, it chooses to camouflage itself and gives subtle hints, which if recognised and capitalised on, can lead to success and glory.
By the same token, opportunity and experience are the basic requirements the two athletes badly need to have their dreams fulfilled.
Personal experience plays an important part in the development of an athlete. My feeling is that the setbacks the two players had experienced would, indeed, have taught them a great lesson. It would keep them in good stead and one day, hopefully, they will reverse their fortunes.
Though young, both know how to win the crowd over to their side with their awesome skills. The badminton star and golf pin-up girl are quite eager to climb up the world rankings and give their supporters even more to cheer about.
Aside from Ratchanok and Ariya, Thailand has nurtured several young talents in almost every sporting discipline. We look forward to seeing more successes of Thai athletes in international sporting competitions and the Olympic Games in particular. To achieve that ultimate goal, it's necessary that we give them more opportunities to learn and obtain valuable experiences.
Ratchanok, Ariya and many young Thai talents have already had some great results and it is only the beginning of their careers.
They still wilt under the weight of expectations and pressure when playing. However, with more opportunities and experiences, they will become big stars to be reckoned with in the near future.
Young Thai athletes should make the most of every opportunity provided to accomplish all their goals.
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Article source: http://www.thethailandlinks.com/2013/03/17/young-talents-need-more-opportunities/
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