The Malaysia Pickleball Association (MPA) made history recently as it conducted its first ever Certified Instructor Level 1 course in the Central Zone at SMK Sacred Heart. The Sibu Pickleball Association hosted the milestone event and is no doubt a significant milestone in the explosive growth of pickleball in Sarawak.
A total of 34 participants took part in the MPA’s Certified Instructor Level 1 course—including two delegates from Kuching and four from Sarikei. The presence of these participants highlighted the rising interest in pickleball across the greater Sarawak region.
MPA President Farrell Choo presided over the milestone event. He personally conducted the training and assessment and offered the enthusiastic participants a valuable opportunity to receive professional coaching and guidance from arguably the highest authority in Malaysian pickleball.
“This programme is not only a platform to upgrade technical knowledge and coaching competency but also a strategic step toward forming a stronger coaching community in East Malaysia,” Choo said during his opening address to formally open the course.
The full-day certification session incorporated different modules specifically designed to transform each participant into an excellent pickleball instructors. Among the skills and concepts covered were coaching ethics and safety, rules of the game and match officiating, basic stroke and drill techniques, and court positioning and communication. Practical demonstrations and coaching simulations were also conducted.
The participants who successfully completed the certification will be officially recognised as Level 1 Certified Instructors, enabling them to contribute to the sport’s development at the grassroots and school levels.
Bukit Assek Assemblyman, Chieng Jin Ek, who was also in attendance, expressed his appreciation to the MPA and SPA, saying: “We are grateful to MPA for their continuous support. Bringing this course to Sibu empowers our local players and educators to step into leadership roles within the sport.”
He concluded: “SPA aims to continue working closely with national and state-level bodies to host more professional development events and tournaments in the future, establishing Sibu as a growing hub for pickleball activities in Sarawak.”
