KOTA KINABALU: Seventeen participants including three females and one from Brunei, have completed the AFC Futsal Coaching Certificate Level 1 Course here, marking the tenth series conducted in the state.
Organisers said the programme reflects ongoing efforts to strengthen grassroots futsal development in Sabah, which currently has about 150 Level 1 coaches, 40 Level 2 coaches, and only one Level 3 coach, the highest qualification level.
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Chief Instructor Azman Soaibah, representing the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), highlighted the structured coaching pathway from Level 1 to Level 3.
“Level 3 is more comprehensive, combining advanced fitness and technical work, while Level 1 focuses on foundational coaching,” he said, adding that he recently became one of the few Level 3 coaches in Malaysia after completing the course in 2026.
He stressed the importance of early futsal education, noting that stronger grassroots coaching would help develop players from a younger age, similar to established futsal regions like Selangor and Kuala Lumpur.
Sabah’s futsal talent, including national players such as Safar Mohammad and Iwan Bakri, along with recent Sukma achievements he said are signs of progress ahead of the 2026 Sukma Games in Sabah.
At the closing ceremony at Suria Sabah on Saturday, Shamsuddin Mohd Shah, Secretary-General of the Sabah Football Association (SAFA), congratulated participants and said futsal has evolved into a competitive sport requiring modern coaching standards.
He reminded coaches that development goes beyond certification, urging continuous learning to keep up with evolving techniques, tactics, and technology in the sport.
