Sarawak expands career pathways beyond sports

SARAWAK is strengthening pathways for athletes to build careers beyond competition, with opportunities in sports science, coaching and major international sporting events.

Deputy Minister for Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development (Youth and Sports) Datuk Gerald Rentap Janu said the ministry was committed to ensuring that athlete development continued beyond the Malaysia Games (SUKMA), with a long-term pathway towards national and international competition.

Responding to Royston Valentine (GPS-Telian) during question and answer session on Tuesday (Oct 13), Gerald said athletes should be prepared for life after competitive sports through education, professional training and opportunities within the growing sports industry.

“Many of these athletes have obtained university degrees,” the deputy minister said, citing national diving icon Datuk Pandelela Rinong as an example, who graduated in Sports Science and Management from Universiti Malaya,” he said.

Rentap said former athletes could pursue careers as coaches, physiotherapists, nutritionists and other sports-related professionals.

Former national squash player from Sarawak, Mohd Azlan Iskandar, was cited as an example of an athlete who had successfully transitioned into business by operating his own gym.

Sarawak’s role in hosting selected sporting events for the upcoming SEA Games would also create opportunities for local athletes to provide services to visiting participants and teams in Kuching.

The ministry, together with the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts, also supported international-standard sporting events such as the Kuching Marathon, Layar Cycling Carnival and IBF World Youth Bowling.

Beyond providing competition platforms, these events create opportunities for technical officials, whose expertise is essential to the successful organisation of sporting competitions.

The deputy minister described SUKMA as an important benchmark for measuring sports performance among Malaysian states, stressing that achievements must be assessed through a comprehensive approach.

On sports development infrastructure, Rentap said the establishment of training centres was carefully evaluated according to local needs and sporting interests.

“Volleyball training, for example, was centred in Sibu to enable players to train together as a team.

The state was also expanding grassroots talent identification, including extending the PETRONAS Youth Football Close programme to Mukah this year to identify and nurture young footballers,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Sarawak Sports Corporation (SSC) continued to manage and maintain existing facilities while strengthening cooperation with sports associations and educational institutions.

Rentap said SSC was also incorporating sports science analysis and high-performance approaches to better prepare athletes for competition and improve their chances of winning.

The approach reflects the state’s broader emphasis on developing sporting talent while ensuring athletes have opportunities to build sustainable careers beyond their competitive years.