By Liew Hanqing

FALLEN asleep during training? Sit in the 'tiger cage' as punishment. Then, crawl to the coach - or don't train any more.

That was how a Secondary 2 boy, a member of the Singapore Sports School's bowling team, was punished for being inattentive during a training session.

The incident happened last year.

The boy was punished by Mr Yong Ah Kee, then the head coach of the team.

Mr Yong, who is known in the bowling fraternity for his unconventional coaching methods, has been replaced by veteran coach Thomas Fox starting this week.

Mr Fox will oversee the school's sports training plans for the next two years.

The Sports School said the change in coaches had nothing to do with the incident involving the student.

It has been in the air for a while and was part of the school's long-term strategy to have a full-time head coach.

The incident, nevertheless, has got the students and the bowling fraternity talking.

It is understood that Mr Yong had barred the boy, whom he accused of not paying attention to instructions, from training with the team that day.

But it was no ordinary ban - the boy was made to sit inside a square enclosure, which Mr Yong called the 'tiger cage'.

The boy was allegedly also told that he would have to crawl to the coach if he wanted to resume training.

Dr Irwin Seet, director of sports at the Sports School, confirmed the incident.

He said: 'Mr Yong mentioned that if (the boy) wanted to come back for training that day, he would have to crawl back to him or he could choose to just sit out of training.

'We cannot ascertain whether he meant this in jest or as an instruction.'

When contacted by The New Paper, Mr Yong also confirmed the incident.

He said he wanted the boy to crawl towards him initially, but changed his mind soon after.

'The boy was not made to crawl,' he emphasised.

The New Paper understands that the boy had told the coach that he would do no such thing.

Dr Seet said Mr Yong's departure was not linked to the incident as it happened last year.

Said Dr Seet: 'Mr Yong's departure is in the context of the school's direction to appoint a full-time head coach to oversee the whole bowling programme for the next two years.

'This general direction to appoint a head coach is aligned with the longer-term collaboration the school wishes to establish with the Singapore Bowling Federation.'

'Always falling asleep'

Recounting the incident, Mr Yong said the boy was punished because he had repeatedly fallen asleep during training sessions.

He said: 'I didn't like his attitude. He was always falling asleep while I was explaining - I punished him so that he would wake up.'

When contacted, the boy's parents declined comment.

However, it is understood they were upset by the punishment and had given their feedback to the school.

The boy told The New Paper he has put the matter behind him and does not want to pursue it further.

One parent, who requested anonymity, felt Mr Yong's punishments were harsh and students should not be punished in ways that affect their dignity. The coach, however, stands by his actions.

Asked if his punishment had humiliated the student, Mr Yong said he felt that it had not.

'There is no such thing as humiliating. When I punish a student, I explain why the student is being punished,' he said.

Unconventional

Mr Yong is known in the bowling fraternity for his unconventional coaching methods.

He has been seen punishing his students who miss spares by making them carry their bowling balls back and forth in the bowling alley.

Said a veteran coach, who declined to be named: 'Sometimes we see his students walking up and down carrying bowling balls.

'It's good to discipline your students sometimes, but the punishments should be related to the sport.'

The coach claimed that on one occasion, he saw one of Mr Yong's students being made to kneel down with his bowling ball after having missed a spare.

Again, when asked if his punishments were excessive, Mr Yong said he did not think so.

He said: 'I make them carry their bowling balls to improve their balance. It's a drill that is common among bowling coaches.'

He added that he has trained numerous top national bowlers this way, including Remy Ong and Valerie Teo.

He said: 'With some parents, the slightest thing becomes a mountain.

'If they don't like the way I coach, they should discuss it with me.'

On his plans after leaving the Sports School, Mr Yong said he intends to keep busy.

He said: 'I'm also coaching Raffles Junior College and Singapore Management University, and running my own business.'

He added that he had been unable to commit to a full-time coaching position at the Sports School because of these other commitments.

This article was first published in The New Paper on September 16, 2008.