RANAU: Ranau Nex Gen emerged as runners-up in a grassroots football competition held in conjunction with the Coca-Cola Bina Juara programme, providing an encouraging boost to efforts to develop young football talent in the district.
The Ranau-based team, sponsored by PGRS Ranau Youth chief Sharin Mujin together with PGRS Ranau Youth, took part in the programme organised by Coca-Cola in collaboration with Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS).
The programme was officially launched by Deputy Chief Minister II and Sabah Finance Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun.
The initiative provided young players with exposure to modern approaches to grassroots football development, including the use of technology to assess and improve individual and team performance.
Among the technology showcased were Video Analysis, the Kick Test Chamber, Smart Vest and Smart Football, giving participants an opportunity to experience training and performance monitoring tools increasingly used in modern football.
The exposure is expected to help young players better understand areas such as technique, movement, physical performance and decision-making on the field.
For Ranau Nex Gen, the programme also provided an opportunity to test their abilities against other young players in a competitive environment.
Their runner-up finish was the highlight of their participation and reflected the potential of young footballers from Ranau when given opportunities to train, compete and gain exposure beyond their local surroundings.
The achievement was welcomed as an encouraging sign for grassroots football development in the district, particularly as young players continue to seek opportunities to improve their skills and gain competitive experience.
The involvement of UMS also provided an important educational element to the programme, particularly through the introduction of technology-based methods in football development.
