KUCHING: The perception of parents—and to a certain extent, society itself—of skateboarding that it is only a leisure sport taken up by no-good nobodies needs to be dispelled.
Sarawak Sports Corporation skateboarding coach Denny Zulfikar Muhammad Husaini
aka Denny zfk, in an exclusive with New Sarawak Tribune, said such a mindset ought to be changed considering skateboarding is one of the most popular sports among youths worldwide.
“Parents in the 90s have always associated skateboarding with vandalism, delinquent behaviour and negative ideas.
“As a coach at SSC and my own School of Skateboarding Sarawak, which I formed in 2016, I want to change this type of thinking, and that skateboarding can also help to change and to mould a person’s to be more independent.
“It’s like the analogy of when you fall while skateboarding, you always pick yourself up and this helps to build up the person’s character to be independent and be more self confident in both the sport and in life in general,” he said.
Denny added that he started his school in Kuching when he came back to Sarawak after spending 12 years in Kuala Lumpur.
“From 2016 to 2022, my programmes and activities have been related to doing demonstrations at the invitations of schools, universities and the media.
“As for my job as a coach at SSC starting in 2013, my main role is to coach local talents whom I’ve selected personally from my school who have the potential to represent Sarawak in competitions.
“My job with SSC means that I have a monthly salary as well as EPF benefits, and I think Sarawak is the only state in the country with such a job scope in sports.”
Denny, who completed his secondary education at St Thomas Secondary School and later his tertiary studies at Universiti Teknologi MARA, said this was also good news for the younger generation as it could motivate them to pick coaching as a career as well.
“I hope that, in future, skateboarding can be listed as one of the co-curriculum in schools.
“My future plan, and also a dream of mine, is to have my own proper skateboarding park. There is only one such park in Kuching and it’s at the Civic Center here,” said Denny, who also owns a skateboarding shop at the Riverside Majestic.
He charges RM160 per month for each student at his school and his classes are every Tuesday to Friday from 5pm to 7pm.
“My students will be given a certificate after completing their three-month skateboarding programme,” added Denny, who is also a certified skateboard coach awarded by the US-based National Skate Association under World Skate.
