BY: Michelle Liew
Malacca has established the Malaca Rugby Academy (ARM), which is the first academy in the country to specialize in sports training at the secondary school level.
Chairman of the Malacca Education and Technology Committee, Datuk Rais Yasin said that the establishment of the academy is to focus on sports development and the continuity of talent identified since the primary school level.
He stated that until now, a total of 40 Form 1 and 5 students have been selected to follow ARM training at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Telok Mas.
“Through the collaboration of the State Education Department (JPN) with the Malacca Rugby Association, we have established ARM to create a continuum of talented students in this sport to continue it at the secondary school level.
“ARM is the first academy in the country that focuses on training in rugby and unlike state sports schools,” he said after officiating the establishment of ARM in Ayer Keroh, Melaka yesterday.
He added that the academy was established under the JPN Student Talent Development Unit and the Malacca State School Sports Council.
Commenting further, he who is also the Deputy President of the Melaka Rugby Association said, the teaching staff at the academy consists of teachers involved in rugby and the association’s coaches.
“I am confident that they (instructors) have certain standard operating procedures (SOP), I hope everyone understands, in the current situation, students still cannot play sports in total.
“So, after this pandemic phase, they can be taught the right way to play rugby and the academy launched today is for the initial preparation of these children,” he said.
He added that students who excel in sports and academics also have a high chance of being absorbed directly into Institutions of Higher Learning (IPT) which have a rugby squad.
