“At ISKL, we welcome all students to swim. One of my goals is to get every student to swim, and we are slowly getting there with the help of our amazing PE teams from all three divisions. ”

Meet Coach Petra, the Aquatics Team Manager at ISKL, who joined the school in September 2022. Born in Malaysia, he has an international background, having lived in Thailand and India during his childhood. With extensive coaching experience, he brings knowledge and skills to the ISKL community.

Since joining ISKL, Coach Petra has helped develop a strong swim culture, coaching students across all levels and leading them to state and national competitions. His dedication has been instrumental in the growth of the Aquatics Team.

Here is Coach Petra’s story:

Can you tell us more about yourself?

I was born in Malaysia, but I spent my childhood in Thailand due to my father’s work in Malaysian Airlines. I spent six years in Chiang Mai and four years in Phuket before moving to Chennai, India, for three years. Then, I went back home to Malaysia to complete my tertiary education.

Before coming to ISKL, I worked with the Malaysian National Swim Team for a year, and I learned so much about swimming that year from the head coach at the time, Chris Martin.

When and why did you join ISKL?

I joined ISKL in September 2022 when I heard from one of the alumni student’s parents that there was an opening for a head coach. My career experience and this position aligned, and I applied for the position. I knew ISKL was one of the biggest schools in Malaysia and wanted to challenge myself to create a big swim program that would be internationally recognized.

What is your most memorable moment so far at ISKL?

I’ve only been here two years, but I’ve had many great memories. The one that sticks out the most is hosting the swimming IASAS in my very first year. I’ve been to many national and international level meets, but nothing beats the fun and camaraderie you get at a swim IASAS. It truly is a unique experience.

Please tell us about your Aquatics Team Manager role and daily activities.

My role as Aquatics Team Manager consists of many duties. I manage the aquatics staff, coach the Aqua Panthers, and help PE teachers with the swim portion of their classes. I also ensure that everyone at the swimming pools follows the pools’ standard operating procedures.

I begin every day at 5:30 am to prepare the pool for the swimmers and finalize the daily workouts. Coaching begins at 6:00 am and finishes at 7:30 am. PE classes then start for each respective department, and I have to ensure that all classes have enough teachers and lifeguards. I also have to register our students for competitions or host competitions, which means communicating with other schools and aquatic directors. After school, I help the coaches during the ES After School Activities (ASAs) and then coach the MS/HS Developmental sessions from 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm. I don’t stay until late every day but do so when needed.

What is the most challenging part of your job?

I would say the most challenging thing is portraying to the school how much the ISKL swim team has grown. Last year, we had 13 students representing their states at Malaysia’s highest level of competition. They competed against the best that Malaysia has to offer, and sometimes, they are not recognized enough for their hard work and sacrifice for their sport. The National Swim team is following some of our students, and I hope one day, these students can represent their countries internationally!

Can you tell us about anything exciting or interesting happening at ISKL that you’re a part of?

IASAS swimming season is here, and I can’t wait to work with the students again! Many have stayed in the pool throughout the year, but there are always surprises during the season. Swimming has been one of the school’s strongest sports for the past few years, so we hope to deliver again this year!

Additionally, for the first time since I’ve been at ISKL, we plan to take the U15 and U13 students to an overseas competition at Jakarta Intercultural School (JIS). We have an extremely strong MS team, and they have the ability to dominate in our future swim meets. This swim meet will also give the 8th graders much-needed competition against other IASAS schools, so it’s a good way to announce that ISKL swimming is here to compete at the highest level.

Who or what inspires you?

Nothing changes if nothing changes. If you want things to happen, you must go out there and grab the opportunity. Luck definitely plays a part in life, but you have to be ready for the roles presented to you. That is why I look at great coaches like Jose Mourinho and Bob Bowman for inspiration. Both coaches did not excel at being great players but worked hard to become the best coaches in their respective games. You need not be a national-level athlete to be the best coach – I was inspired to be on their level one day.

Can you tell us more about your hobbies and interests? What do you do after work?

I have picked up Muay Thai as a hobby, and it has kept me disciplined and fit – I get to punch and kick my stress away! I also love going to orchestras and watching music bands play, so attending our school’s concerts is always a joy! Seeing many of the swimmers play is an added bonus, too!

What does ISKL’s vision, “Know yourself, care for all and create a better world,” mean to you?

At ISKL, we welcome all students to swim. One of my goals is to get every student to swim, and we are slowly getting there with the help of our amazing PE teams from all three divisions. From the swimming basics in PE classes to the developmental training groups for ES/MS/HS and the competitive training at Aqua Panthers, we cover all levels of swimming throughout the school. Our next step is to help the younger ones in the younger grades, but that would probably require some extra help!

Do you know of any student, teacher, parent, or staff who always have an anecdote to tell, love to share some insights into their passions and interest, or simply is a Panther through and through? Nominate them to be featured in our Panthers of ISKL stories by sending in your submissions here.