E-WORKSHOP SERIES MOTIVATIONAL MONDAY WITH FARHAN HARAHAP - #COACHASLEADER - SPORT SINGAPORE
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e-Workshop Series
~ Motivational Monday with
Farhan Harahap ~
#CoachAsLeader
Motivational Monday with Farhan Harahap| Mon, 8 June | 10am to 11am
Farhan Harahap is one of the coaches for the U16, U18, U23 and Men’s Softball
National Teams and is also the Head Coach for the Raffles Institution Softball Team. His
sporting achievements includes representing Singapore at junior and senior levels from
2005 to 2019, including the recent historic Gold Medal at the 2019 South East Asian
(SEA) Games. He started his coaching career at the high-performance level since 2014
and his biggest coaching achievement was leading the U18 Men’s team to their best-
ever performance at the 2020 World Cup, beating the higher ranked teams. Farhan’s
passion for the sport has also led in his involvement in the planning and structuring of
the men’s softball national team activities for the past three to four years.
Coming from a perspective of a former athlete and high performance coach, Farhan
will share how the Softball Team went from weeding fields to winning games - the
challenges and successes of the sport and how the team continued to remain resilient
despite the struggles.
FARHAN HARAHAP
• Coaching the men’s national softball teams (U16 to Men’s)
• Head Coach, Raffles Institution
Coaching Experience
• Coached Junior men's teams (U16-U19) since 2014
• World Jr (U19) Men’s Softball Championships – 2014 – Asst Coach
• Asian Jr (U19) Men’s Softball Championships – 2017 – Coach
• U17 Men’s Softball Asia Cup – 2019 – Head Coach
• U18 Men’s Softball World Cup – 2020 – Head Coach
o Best performance, beating higher ranked Argentina, South Africa & Denmark
Playing Experience
• Represented Singapore at Junior & Senior levels from 2006 to 2019
• Asian Men’s Championships in 2006 & 2018
• SEA Games 2011 (Bronze) & SEA Games 2019 (Gold)
Along with other officials in the Men’s Softball section,
Photo credit: Berita Harian
involved in planning and structuring the men’s softball
activities for the past 3-4 years
Photo credit: Berita Harian
https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/singapore-win-historic-softball-sea-games-gold
https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/softball-strong-softballers-key-to-best-ever-performance-at-u-18-world-cup
From Weeding to Winning Motivational Monday Series – 8/6/2020 Farhan Harahap Coach – Singapore Men’s Softball Teams
Team Effort
Softball Junior/Men’s Officials & Players FY 2019/2020
Coaches Managers
Diamond So Koh Ruoh Jie Farhan Harahap Dylan Soh Chaw Wee Teck Patricia Nathan
William Mendoza
Men’s Head Coach Men’s/Jr Coach U18 Head Coach S&C Coach (SSI) Team Manager U18 Team Manager
Pitching Coach
Players
WBSC WBSC
And many more past officials and players who have contributed to the team’s success in one way or another
Softball in Singapore
• Started around the 1950s/60s
• NSA – Singapore Baseball & Softball Association
• Women’s & Men’s Softball, and Men’s Baseball
• International federations
• World Baseball & Softball Confederation
• Softball Asia
• Men’s Teams achievements before 2018
• Bronze for many SEA Games
• 5th-7th ranking at Asian Championships
• Never qualified for World Championships
• 2018 World Ranking – 22nd
• Slow & steady growth
• Currently:
• About 80+ teams across all divisions play in the NSG (A, B & C
Div Boys/Girls)
• About 10-15 primary schools
• 30+ clubs (10-20 active)
SBSA
SEA Games 2019 (Dec) – Clark, Philippines – GOLD
Beat Philippines 6-1 in the grand final
Vids
Negosyo Philippines
CNA
U18 Men’s Softball World Cup 2020 (Feb) – Palmerston North, NZ
VidsBeat South Africa (#10), Denmark (#11) & Argentina (#2) 8-3
WBSCwe think
How we got to where we are today…
^
© Ng Huee LingAthlete/Team Motivation
Using Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Original Applied to Athlete/Team
Creating history & leaving a legacy
Winning games &
championships
Team cohesion & chemistry
Resources – money, facilities,
equipment
People – officials, players, talent pool,
community
https://www.thoughtco.com/
Higher needs in the hierarchy begin to emerge when people feel they have sufficiently satisfied the previous need.Challenges Faced
TALENT FUNDING FACILITIES
WBSCTALENT
WBSCTalent - challenges
1. Small men’s softball talent pool compared to other countries
• >10x smaller than neighbouring countries – Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines
• Even much smaller compared to bigger softball men’s nations – Canada, Australia,
Japan
• Challenge to find enough good players who are interested to represent SG
2. Short playing career
• Typically, men’s softball played till their mid 40s, peak at early to mid-30s – can
represent state for 20-30 years
• Our players typically play till NS, or during studies
• Personal commitments (work & family)
• Early success might shorten playing careerSmall Talent Pool
• Quality over quantity
• Supported by a competitive NSG scene
• Increased friendly competition amongst
players and coaches of various schools © Melvyn Eu The Straits Times
• Players train hard
• Coaches innovate and improve themselves
• Softball in schools support coaching softball
as a career
• Coaches who coach as their main career
• Long school sporting career from Pri Sch to JC
• Pique interest in the sport early
• Opportunity for formal training in school
system for 8-10 years
• About half of men’s team & 80% of U18 team
had exposure to competitive softball in pri sch
The Straits TimesSmall Talent Pool
Lessons from Australia & Japan
1. Why Australia?
• Non-professional sport, limited funding
• Driven by passion and volunteers
• Athletes self-funded © Andrew Johnston, Queanbeyan Age
• Produce top talent despite small community (vs
Japan)
• Proximity and no language barrier
2. Why Japan?
• Technically & tactically superior
• No size advantage, might be more suitable to us
• “In their blood”
© Bayden Wang © Diamond SoSmall Talent Pool
Lessons from Australia & Japan
• Technical & Tactical Knowledge
• Australia - influence on pitching style, batting
approach & reading the game (scouting/data)
• Japan – influence on defensive techniques and
strategies, batting style and approach
• Knowledge from players & coaches trickle down to ACT Softball © Stanley Yeo
school teams
• Small community also means gospel spreads faster
– 3-5 years
• National men’s & junior team becoming more
diverse a testament to that
• Opportunities
• Platform for athletes to hone skills abroad à
• Trigger ripple effect to rest of players
• Emulate the structure & organization of the sport
• Competitions, age-group teams etc
ACT Softball © Stanley YeoSmall Talent Pool - Youth Development
Junior
2005 2010 2013 2017 2019
Asian Jr (U19) Asian Jr (U19) Asian Jr (U19) Asian Jr (U19) U17 Men’s
Championships Championships Championships Championships Softball Asia Cup
2/5 2/4 2/7 5/7 2/6
Lull 2012 2014 Lull 2020
World Jr (U19) World Jr (U19) U18 Men’s
Championships Championships Softball Word
13/14 10/10 Cup
9/12
2005 2010 2015 2020
Men’s
2006 2012 2018 2019
Asian Men’s Asian Men’s Asian Men’s World Men’s
Championships Championships Championships Championships
7/8 5/6 3/9 15/16
2007 2011 2015 2019
SEA Games SEA Games SEA Games SEA Games
3/5 3/4 3/5 1/4Introduction of Age-Group National Teams
• Introduction of U16, U18 & U23 teams (in phases over a few years starting 2016)
• Identify players based on aptitude, coachability, and potential to succeed at this level
• Possibility of poor response at a trial session is VERY REAL
• To counter this, programme must be:
• Consistent – held every year, with an objective
• Foreseeable – athletes know what to expect
• Prestigious – a certain standard is required to be selected
• Pragmatic – appropriate intensity to avoid burnout
• Enjoyable
• Build a reputation, something boys want to be a part ofImpact on Elite Men’s • Talent pool for men’s team becomes bigger & better
• More team depth and versatility (overcome individual
player constraints)
Elite
Men’s
§ Introduction of new junior teams
Elite Men’s § Increased & consistent exposure
and opportunity for more players to
U23, U18,
U19 U16 Men's
P
be developed at elite level
.
Men’s
.I
NSG School Representatives W
NSG School RepresentativesShort Playing Career – Solutions?
Short playing career à unable retain talent, talent pool cannot grow, limited ROI
Work/study/family commitments:
• Move from year-round to “project-basis” training (for men’s team, depending on competition level)
• Allows players to commit fixed period within the year to prepare for tournament – need not go into “retirement”
• Players encouraged to compete at club level to stay current
• At youth levels, manage intensity of training to prevent burnout
Early success?FUNDING
WBSC$$$ Challenges
U16 U23 World
Men’s Championships
team
Other
trips Japan Personnel
U18
Asian
Championships Australia EquipmentMaking the best of what we have • Co-funding for trips • Setting player’s expectations for travel expenditure • Fundraising & canvassing for sponsors • Deciding on WANTS vs NEEDS • Prioritizing trips • Exercise prudence on branded/latest gear • But keeping the non-negotiables – key trips, personnel • Multi-hatting • 4 coaches, 2 managers handling all teams • Learn to work with a lean team • Players sometimes take on other supporting roles
FACILITIES
WBSCSource: CNA, 9 Dec 2019
Loss of Kallang Diamonds in 2018 after 23 years Source: The Straits Times, 4 Mar 2017 & 4 Oct 2017
Temporary “home” at Farrer Park Fields Inappropriate and uneven turf for playing Limited lighting for night training Trespassing and public use of our facilities NO EXCUSES
What we did • Adapting training methods to suit limitations • Seniors, juniors & officials taking personal responsibility for our ground • Replacing soil, flattening ground, grass-cutting, litter-picking and WEEDING!
What we did • Adapting training methods to suit limitations • Seniors, juniors & officials taking personal responsibility for our ground • Replacing soil, flattening ground, grass-cutting, litter-picking and WEEDING!
What we did • Adapting training methods to suit limitations • Seniors, juniors & officials taking personal responsibility for our ground • Replacing soil, flattening ground, grass-cutting, litter-picking and WEEDING!
What we did • Adapting training methods to suit limitations • Seniors, juniors & officials taking personal responsibility for our ground • Replacing soil, flattening ground, grass-cutting, litter-picking and WEEDING!
What we did • Adapting training methods to suit limitations • Seniors, juniors & officials taking personal responsibility for our ground • Replacing soil, flattening ground, grass-cutting, litter-picking and WEEDING!
What we did • Adapting training methods to suit limitations • Seniors, juniors & officials taking personal responsibility for our ground • Replacing soil, flattening ground, grass-cutting, litter-picking and WEEDING!
We managed to work through these
challenges.
And with great effort & sacrifice from coaches,
players, administrators & the softball fraternity,
things are looking up!Some signs of success…
Asian Men’s Softball Championship – April
2018 Initial signs of success (1 per page)
3rd Place behind Japan & Philippines
Qualified for the 1st time for World event
• Asian Men’s Softball Championships 2018 – 3rd (best showing)
Source: The Straits Times, 30 Apr 2018
SBSASome signs of success…
World Men’s Softball Championship – June 2019
Beat South Africa & Philippines (higher ranked)
Source: The Straits Times, 10 Jul 2019
WBSC WBSCSome signs of success…
U17 Men’s Softball Asia Cup - Sept 2019
Initial signs of success (1 per page)
2nd Place behind Japan
Qualified for World event
© Melvyn Eu© Ng Huee Ling
Some signs of success…
SEA Games – Dec 2019
GOLD – best result
© Stanley YeoSource: ST, 9 Dec 2019
Source: TNP, 9 Dec 2019
Source: mothership.sg, 26 Dec 2019Some signs of success...
World Ranking:
2018 à 22nd
2019 à 17th
WBSC© Melvyn Eu
Some signs of success..
U18 Men’s Softball World Cup – Feb 2020
Initial signs of success (1 per page)
Beat higher ranked South Africa, Denmark & World No 2 Argentina
• U18 Men’s World Cup 2020 – beat higher ranked teams South Africa,
Denmark & Argentina (world no. 2)
Source: WBSC, 22 Feb 2020
Source: ST, 3 Mar 2020New Field in Jurong East
? ©New
©©Wolf
Haven
BYU Creek
Softball
Co
AthleticsLife continues, we will
continue to grind!
© Stanley YeoFinal Thoughts
© Melvyn EuThank you!
© Ng Huee LingYou can also read
