Former Asian No. 1 Nafiizwan to return as coach

KUALA LUMPUR: When former squash international Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan retired last May, the former Asian champion was offered a job as national coach. He turned it down, saying he wants to concentrate on his business.

He has changed his mind and is coming back as a coach. Nafiizwan is attending a coaching course conducted by the World Squash Federation (WSF) at the National Squash Centre in Bukit Jalil.

The coaching course started on Monday and will end on Friday.

The former national No. 1 from Kuala Terengganu believes the best job for him is as a coach because of his vast experience.

“I have 22 years of playing experience as I have represented Malaysia since I was 11. But I don’t have coaching experience or a certificate, ” said Nafiizwan, who will turn 34 on April 24.

“So, I decided to attend the five-day coaching course. This is the first step towards becoming a coach. At the moment, I am still helping my brother in business.

“I am also helping to encourage more children in Terengganu to take up squash and also to have more squash courts built in the state, ” said Nafiizwan.

“I also took up the coaching course as I need a permanent job.

“If I get a good offer from the Squash Rackets Association of Malaysia (SRAM), I will take up the coaching job as I can also spar with the players.

“I want to contribute back to squash, which has been my love for the last 22 years, ” said Nafiizwan, the last Malaysian to have won the Asian title, back in 2011.

He also created a major upset at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia, by beating two-time world champion Nick Matthews of England to become the first Malaysian man to win bronze.

Nafiizwan turned professional in 2004 and his best ever world ranking was 26th in May, 2017.

He featured in 16 PSA finals and won six. He also helped Malaysia win gold in the team event and bronze in the individual of the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta.

His last outing for Malaysia was in the Asian individual championships in Bukit Jalil last May where he lost to India’s Saurav Ghosal in the quarter-finals.