Sarawak Experience

I spent three weeks in Sarawak teaching make-up classes for students that joined the program after these classes were originally taught.  I taught the games approach, conditioning, and health and fitness course in Sawarak.  The set-up in Sarawak, where one has to commute from a rented condominium to the teaching location each day, makes teaching much more challenging.  The first two weeks were taught on the old 8AM to 10 PM schedule, which meant leaving at 6:15 AM to avoid traffic and returning at close to 10:30 PM each night.  Plus, since you couldn't return to the condo during the day, you had to borrow a student's room to shower and change after practical sessions.

Being in a hotel during the rainy season made practical sessions more challenging, often requiring going to off-site facilities which is less than ideal.  Due to a schedule mix-up the last two classes were run back-to-back over a ten day period.  Fortunately the schedule was changed to a 7 AM to 7 PM schedule the second week, but it still was a tiring experience.

The second week in Sarawak the students were challenged with a video project.  The video project involved the class teaching how to perform conditioning exercises with little to no equipment.  The students really stepped up to the challenge.

During the half day break between classes, one of the students took Woon and I to a local hot spring.

During week three, I taught the Introduction to Health and Fitness course.  The week's activities were based on life-time activity and the class was able to visit a local fitness facility.  Level Up Fitness was one of the nicest facilities I have seen here in Malaysia.  The class was able to tour the facility, participate in a training session, and take a kick boxing group exercise class.

Week in India

The first week off I traveled to India for some meetings with International Sports Performance Sciences (IPS). Although we didn't get to meet with everyone we hoped to meet, it was a productive week.  I was able to reconnect with our Indian IPS partner, Naveen, and met up with Craig, who came in from the states.

We were able to spend some quality time with the head Indian wrestling coach, Vinod Kumar, at the wrestling federation and at his office.

with coach Vinod, Craig, and Naveen at the wrestling federation office

with Vinod's wife, Vinod, and Naveen at Vinod's Tata Power office

We were able to met up with the two Olympic medal winning wrestlers in Delhi.

Silver medalist Sushil Kumar coaching fellow Olympian Amit Dahiya

With Naveen, bronze medalist Yogi Dutt, and Craig

Naveen with Amit

We were also able to spend some time with U.S. strength coach, Zak Penwell, who works with the Indian Basketball Federation.  We were able to visit the weight room he has worked hard to develop over the last year.  Zak calls the weight room the finest in India and he is probably right.

First week in Sarawak

After being in Kedah, I moved to Sarawak to teach three make up classes.  I taught the games approach to P.E. the first week before having two weeks off.  After the time off I will return to Sarawak to teach two more make up classes.

Teaching out of a hotel conference room, activity areas are very limited.  But one group was inventive working demonstrations into their presentations.  Other practical sessions were run at a sports center 30 minutes away from the hotel.

Two Weeks in Kedah

I taught two sections of the coaching methods course in Kedah.  The course included review of previous material from the game approach and conditioning courses combined with practical information on coaching.

Students enjoyed the practical sessions in which they learned games and new conditioning techniques.

Last Couple Weeks in Perak and second trip to Batu Caves

It has been a while since I've been able to update the blog.  I tried posting last week but couldn't get the post finished before I had to go to my next teaching site.  I completed my last two weeks in Perak and was joined the last week in Perak by new faculty member Michael Frederick.  After getting back to KL, I showed Mike around Batu Caves and we explored some different parts including the art and animal tourist spot at Batu Caves and Chinatown.

Since they didn't know it was my birthday the week before the center staff got me a cake the next week

One of the weeks in Perak I had the chance to visit the areas "leaning tower" tourist attraction.  At night they light up the tower different colors.

The second week one of the students who lived near by invited the whole class to an "open house" at his house.  During the month after Ramadan they have open houses to celebrate.

Dr. Mike taught the class how to play ultimate (ultimate Frisbee but with a soccer ball).

Some more monkeys, plus some are and animal pictures from the second Batu Caves trip.

 During an accidental side trip to Chinatown, we came across a parade.