REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, By: Asma Nadia
Indra Sjafri, a successful coach of Indonesia's U-19 national team, still remembered the pain when the young Sjafri failed to be a member of the national team.
He failed not because of his insufficient talent, nor because of a lack of ability. But, more so, because there was no particular authority in PSSI want to take a time to see his ability.
He has passed Pre-PON team selection in West Sumatra, 1985, and looking forward for national talent seeker to test him. But no one came.
"At that time I believed my own potential to pass national team selection, but I did not have the opportunity," he told Republika.
He could feel the pain of past environment, but he did not make the memory as a source of sorrow, but a source of encouragement. He turned his grief energy into a power of positive revenge. Indra was hurt and determined not to hurt other young talents as was his fate.
When asked about his key to find young talented U-19 players, he vividly described one of his motivation, "It all started with my hurt feeling when I was a Pre-PON team player in West Sumatra, 1985."
Yes, at that time, he was a talented footballer but no manager or PSSI authority want to see his talent until he was neglected
Indra understood he was not alone. There were thousands of other children who suffered similar fate. Therefore, when he entrusted to train U-19 team, he made sure to open up opportunities for all children in Indonesia to demonstrate their talents and abilities.
"Serving as a coach, I do not want to repeat the same mistake. I will search talented players everywhere, even to the sky," he said.
He even go to Muara Teweh, a small town in province of North Kalimantan, although it's very difficult to reach it and he has to travel ten hours overland journey.
"It was a great experience for me. Because I was the first football coach to visit the area. The impact is also outstanding. The village, now, crowded by football schools (SSB)," he recalled hard times and challenges should be experienced by young talents in Indonesia.
His desire to visit every region collided with budget shortage. But, still with a spirit of "No Excuse!" he searched ways to visit remote villages in a hunt for talents. When he is out of money, he lobbied local football figures, governments, donors, or anyone else who can help talented young kids there.
His efforts were not in vain. His U-19 team successfully conquered the giant Asian Cup winner, South Korea, after defeating Vietnam, Malaysia, and others.
Positive revenge provided more strength to Indra Sjafri to open up wider opportunities to the youth of nation to show their capabilities.
Positive revenge must be nurtured by everyone. Their bad experiences should not be repeated by someone else.
Positive revenge has been proved to produce positive effect, and it will continue to give a favor if we make our bad experiences as triggers to avoid others not to go through it.
Jet Li, a Chinese star, has experienced tragic events that almost made him went into death in Aceh tsunami incident. At that time he was on a vacation in the islands of Maldives that also affected by the disaster. Having managed through a traumatic time, he committed to help victims of disaster by establishing 'The One Foundation.'
JK Rowling was very sad to lose her mother who battled cancer for seven years, before her Harry Potter books published. After she became one of the richest women in the world, she donated some of her wealth to a foundation engaged in research of cancer, as an effort to reduce number of children who lost their mother with cancer.
Can you imagine if Indonesia filled with people who have positive spirit of revenge? New students who hate to be the victim of bullying vowed to eradicate bullying when they were senior students. People who were victims of corruption vowed to stamp out corruption when they have a chance in power. Victims of violence vowed to break the chain of the behavior and made himself as the last victim, and not to pass it on to others.
If this is our culture, this nation would be a much better nation. Insha Allah.
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