Back Story: A Coach’s Journey

Unlike several celebrity players who had transitioned to coaching and were thus instantly recognisable, Irwansyah had a more circuitous route. Although he was among the top men’s singles players in Indonesia, he’d somehow never got the big breaks, or the career-defining major titles. That, and his struggle with injuries while at his peak, meant he could not follow the well-worn path from player to coach of a powerhouse team.

Having grown up as the son of a regional champion (nicknamed ‘Black Thunder’), Irwansyah’s journey to the Indonesian national team, and then becoming coach of Wales, Cyprus, Ireland, Indonesia and India is an unusual story of a boy from a small town, pursuing his dreams despite injuries and other setbacks, going on to become a recognisable figure in the badminton world.

Injury and a New Beginning

In 1996, I had a severe back injury while in Poland. I was in hospital for 21 days. I was really, really down because my dream was to be a top player, but I had to stay in hospital. I couldn’t move and the doctor said I had to be careful or I’d end up in a wheelchair. They were doing traction by hanging weights to pull my back and I used to scream in pain.

I couldn’t play for a year. I got back in 1998, and I was in the semifinals in Hong Kong and Japan. But I could see younger players coming up, so I started to think of quitting the national team to look for opportunities abroad. At that time, Rexy (Mainaky) was coaching in England, and he told me Wales needed someone the players could spar with. I didn’t even know where Wales was. He said, why don’t you come for six months and see how you feel, and you can also learn English.

I could continue to play and they would send me to five competitions a year in Europe. Rexy asked me not to worry, because he was close by in England.

I went in 2001. When I arrived I couldn’t even speak English. I took a book to learn basic English phrases and every day I would sit in the park to learn the language.

I had to train by myself. I would train after my sparring sessions. The top singles players in Britain at the time were Richard Vaughan and Kelly Morgan, so I would spar with them.

I did well at the Welsh International, winning the title four times. That got many people interested, especially the parents of players. They asked why I couldn’t open my own academy.

Foray into Coaching
Oh boy, coaching children was not that simple! But it brought me experience. Some of them were difficult but they loved my coaching. When I opened my academy, players coming to Wales wanted to train with me because the kids started performing well.

I started thinking that coaching could be interesting and that I could become a coach. They were enjoying the training even though it was hard and they started to improve.

One day I thought these players were representing their country, not the academy. I wanted people to know me as a national coach, not just as a player.

So I flew back to Indonesia for a coaching course.

Head coach of Cyprus

My girlfriend (now wife) saw a position for national coach in Cyprus and applied. I went for the interview and got the job.

The level was like in a small club with beginners. I was coaching singles, doubles, mixed doubles. The training was hard, some of the players left but the best players returned. And then they started to play in Europe and started to get competitive.

After two years, I wanted to move to a stronger country. I moved to Wales again and started private coaching in Wales and England and at Exeter University. In six months I got a call from Ireland.

That was another beginning. I wanted to challenge myself and Ireland had some good players. Scott Evans and Chloe Magee made the Olympics at Rio 2016. One important achievement was Nhat Nguyen winning the European U17 Championships men’s singles title in 2016.

Return to Indonesia
When I was in Rio, Rexy called me. The head of PBSI (Indonesia Badminton Association) wanted to meet me because he saw an Indonesian coaching Ireland. He said, why don’t you come back to Indonesia? That was my dream job. I remember my coach Hendry Saputra, I used to call him all the time. And he said, Irwan, one day you will work with me.

The message I want to convey is, never give up. So many people, even back in my club, would discourage me. But I wanted to do well, I wanted to show them I would never give up.