AMMAN is organizing the KSB League in collaboration with the Asian Soccer Academy (ASA), an organization that educates, develops, and evaluates the development of young football talent. The major European Leagues clubs have recognized the ASA. AMMAN and ASA are conducting the KSB League to demonstrate that companies can provide unique opportunities for people with disabilities to better their lives.
All Indonesians roared with joy, reveling in national pride as the televised images from Olympic Stadium, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, showed the Nation’s red-and-white flag flying gloriously over the football field after a 32-year hiatus. On 16 May, the final competition day of the 2023 Southeast Asia Games, the U-22 National Football Team defeated Thailand 5-2, securing the championship.
“I am thrilled to see this 5-2 score, to see, as I said yesterday, a champion’s mentality. Playing with a focused mind, we realized our three-decade dream of becoming Southeast Asia champions,” said President Joko Widodo in his typically informal style.
This victory is a big gift from our youth before our celebration of National Awakening Day on 20 May 2023. These two moments, winning the gold medal in football at the SEA Games and National Awakening Day, show the Spirit of revival in every Indonesian.
In 1948, Soekarno, the first president of the newly proclaimed Republic of Indonesia, declared 20 May as National Awakening Day to commemorate the establishment 1908 of Boedi Oetomo. This movement recognized and promoted the shared heritage and interests of all peoples of the Indonesian archipelago, then under the colonial rule of the Netherlands.
Support for Indonesian Football
Football is one of the common interests binding the Nation of Indonesia, and facilitating football training and competition at all levels, from village fields to national stadiums, contributes to national consciousness. Amman Mineral Internasional (AMMAN), the second-largest copper- and-gold-mining company in Indonesia, supports the development of junior-league football in the operational area of West Sumbawa (KSB) through holding coaching clinics by the PSS Sleman professional football team from Yogyakarta. In January 2023, 50 footballers selected by the PSSI KSB Regency Association (Askab) underwent their first training session. Then in May, 80 young athletes were coached by three professional athletes, Saddam Gaffar, Dimas Fani, and Ifan Nanda.
AMMAN is also committed to creating a competitive and inclusive football ecosystem through supporting the KSB League, a competition for boys and girls between the ages of 15 and 18, and a competition specifically for persons with disabilities. This is the first time a competition for physically challenged players has been held in Eastern Indonesia.
KSB League commenced in early January 2023 and will continue until August 2023. “The KSB League and its training series are part of the Community Development and Empowerment program conducted by AMMAN under the umbrella of a program titled #Sports4Development. This is one of our flagship programs providing a forum for youth self-development through sports and football. The opportunity to train with a professional team and under the auspices of an international-standard league will certainly provide extraordinary insight and experience regarding hard work, work ethic, independence, and teamwork. We hope the youth of KSB will use this opportunity to instill pride in West Sumbawa. Of course, the KSB League also aims to discover superior seeds for West Sumbawa’s future footballers. Children with special needs also get the same opportunity to perform well,” said AMMAN, Vice President of Social Impact Priyo Pramono, explaining his company’s commitment to sports development.
In addition, AMMAN also brought in two coaches from England and the United States. American Dr. Becky Clark is a former deaf Olympic gold medalist licensed clinical psychotherapist. AMMAN brought her in to motivate disabled KSB League participants to enjoy equal opportunities to develop and compete. Former Southampton FC player Lee Hawkins is a European-standard early childhood football coach and the driving force behind the ASA.
Indonesian Minister of Youth and Sports Dito Ariotedjo praised AMMAN’s efforts in developing KSB football. During a visit by AMMAN representatives to his office on 22 May, Dito Ariotedjo thanked AMMAN for promoting corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs in the sports sector and supporting MSME sectors.
“We at the ministry are delighted and appreciate what AMMAN has done because of the CSR and community development program focus on the sports sector,” said Dito.
He also explained that AMMAN’s initiatives in managing local leagues reflected President Joko Widodo’s directives to promote inter-village league programs. “This can also be a pilot project and an example for other mining companies. We ask the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources to get involved and encourage other companies to do the same,” said Dito.
The Spirit of national awakening in Indonesian Football
The U-22 National Football Team embodies the Spirit of National Awakening Day. Playing football is the dream of many young Indonesians, and success on the playing field can support our shared vision of nationhood.
“Let us not forget to congratulate the Ministry of Youth and Sports on the achievements of the Indonesian contingent in the 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia, inspiring us and thousands of children in KSB. AMMAN strives to create a legacy of the best for KSB by fostering the younger generation in sports. For AMMAN, this is not a small step, but a breakthrough, which we hope will encourage young KSB athletes to fly the red and white flag at international events such as the SEA Games and Asian Games,” concluded Priyo.
