DOHA, 13 December 2006 — Saudi track star Hadi Soaan said he supports the idea of scholarships in US schools with strong athletics program for national athletes to make them more competitive and be well prepared in representing the Kingdom at international competitions.
Other athletes interviewed at random by the Arab News said they share Soaan’s sentiments. Faced with other commitments either from home or at work, the athletes do not necessarily consider a career in sports given the chance to train and develop into a world-beater abroad.
Soaan, 30, said that as athletes you might want to train 11 months per year if possible but of course back home there are always other obligations and priorities like studying or working that should come first. “This makes it hard for the athlete to get the best amount of training and experience, and improve himself to be a better athlete to represent his country with pride,” he said. “If I had the chance to help our athletes who excel in sports to get scholarships abroad, he added, I will not hesitate in helping them. They do need it,” he added.
He said professional athletes from Bahamas, Jamaica or Tahiti they were all educated in the States and had all the facilities to improve their skills and compete with experts. The athlete does not need to be a grade A+ student, but the experience itself is useful for him and its results will appear certainly.
“It’s a long-term plan. The player may miss playing for his country for a year or two as he practices abroad but at the end when he is back, he is back with admirable skills and performance,” said Soaan. “And he has about 10 more years to play for his country, so these two or few years won’t make a big difference.” When the athlete is back he would be around the age of 22-23 and it’s a great age for an athlete to start representing his country.
For Saudi volleyball team manager Saleh Al-Qasem education should be given priority while doing sports, lamenting the fact that some of the athletes did not finish their studies and they are struggling to improve. But those who finished, he added, had different way of thinking and had a faster way of improving themselves.
“The ability to improve fast is shown and varies,” he said. There are some athletes who push themselves forward and others who need to be pushed and this makes a difference in the performance of the team, he added.
“Studying broadens their thinking and must come always first and then followed by sport that will enhance their physical shape providing them with an extent of balance.” Athlete Mohammed Al-Qaree, 20, said he has been offered by Prince Nawaf ibn Mohammed to enroll in Los Angeles universities to get some professional training and studying, adding “I really appreciate his offer and still considering it.”
Ahad Al-Athel, assistant secretary-general at Saudi Arabian National Olympic Committee explained that such scholarships were given locally and that whenever there is an athlete who excel, there is always coordination with the schools, the Saudi NOC and the Ministry of Education to allow the athlete to train and compete at a local or international level without having to miss school assignments or examinations. Saudi Bowling Federation President Ibrahim Juraifani said their federation had been implementing since five years ago a stringent rule that bars an individual from joining the national team who incurs failing grades in school. “We can not approve of anyone who does not give education priorities because both education and sports are important,” he said.
Juraifani stressed that he supports the idea of offering those with potential scholarships abroad. Bahrain, he said, has worked out a program for four of its bowlers in universities in the US.
