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KUALA LUMPUR - As pickleball continues its rapid expansion across Asia, the RacketPro Organisation (RPO) has completed the Malaysia leg of its “RacketPro APAC Pickleball Tour 2026,” a nationwide five-stop workshop series aimed at strengthening coaching standards, certification pathways and community development across the region.
The initiative forms part of a broader APAC strategy covering Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines and other regional markets, with Malaysia emerging as a central training and development hub for the sport’s growing coaching ecosystem.
RPO, widely recognised for its international coach education framework, positions its system as the “gold standard” in pickleball coaching certification.
The organisation stated that its model goes beyond technical training, focusing instead on leadership, tactical development and long-term ecosystem building to produce coaches capable of sustaining the sport’s growth across multiple countries.
The APAC tour incorporates the COEBRA Intensity Programme, a structured training module designed to elevate coaching quality and competitive understanding across emerging pickleball markets.
A key component of the programme includes an intensive four-week COEBRA training session in Vietnam, bringing together regional coaches for high-level development.
The system also promotes what RPO describes as the “alpha agile” mindset, which emphasises leadership capability, adaptability and decisive decision-making within coaching environments.
The Malaysia leg of the tour was conducted across five key locations, spanning from elite competition environments to grassroots coaching development sessions.
The nationwide schedule included:
- May 14–16: RPO Clinic at PPA KL Open – Setia Alam
- May 18: Penang RPO Coach Training Workshop
- May 20: Sarawak RPO Coach Training Workshop and Community Meet-and-Greet
- May 22: Sabah RPO Coach Training Workshop
- May 24: Kuala Lumpur (MEGA) RPO Level 1 Workshop
According to RPO, the Malaysia tour was structured around four core objectives: professional training, coach certification, career advancement and community development.
Organisers described the programme as one of the most extensive pickleball education tours conducted in Asia to date, reflecting Malaysia’s growing role in the sport’s regional development.
A central highlight of the Malaysia series was the first-ever RPO APAC MEGA Workshop and Alumni Gathering held in Kuala Lumpur.
The session functioned as both a large-scale training platform and a structured networking initiative designed to strengthen Malaysia’s coaching community.
According to organisers, the alumni engagement component was introduced to ensure long-term continuity beyond certification programmes.
“This is not our first alumni gathering in Kuala Lumpur. Following the first-ever Mega Workshop, this gathering demonstrates that we not only train and onboard new members, but also continue to support and grow alongside our existing community,” said the organisers.
They added that the long-term development of pickleball depends not only on elite competition structures, but also on strong coaching ecosystems capable of producing future players and community leaders.
The Malaysia leg of the tour was led by a team of international coaching and development experts with backgrounds in elite sport, education systems and regional sports infrastructure building.
Collin Johns, who also competes at the highest professional level, brought dual expertise as both educator and elite athlete.
Johns recently secured the Men’s Doubles Championship title at the PPA Kuala Lumpur Open, reinforcing his competitive credentials alongside his coaching leadership role within RPO’s global education framework.
Connor Nguyen has been instrumental in expanding pickleball development across Asia, particularly through the establishment of structured coaching networks and regional partnerships.
His broader sports development background includes founding Vietnam’s first professional basketball team, Saigon Heat and launching the Vietnam Basketball Association (VBA), before returning to racket sports to lead RPO’s APAC expansion.
Aron Ong contributed as a COEBRA clinician, focusing on competitive player development and high-efficiency coaching methodologies within RPO’s training system.
RPO emphasised that Malaysia is not only a stop on the APAC tour but also a strategic hub for long-term coaching and ecosystem development in Asia’s rapidly growing pickleball landscape.
The organisation stated that the Malaysia programme is part of a wider mission to build sustainable coaching systems, improve competitive standards and strengthen international collaboration across APAC markets.
Rather than focusing solely on tournaments, RPO’s approach prioritises structured education pathways designed to develop coaches who can, in turn, expand grassroots participation and competitive performance in their respective countries.
Following the completion of the Malaysia leg, RPO will continue its regional rollout across multiple countries:
- Vietnam Tour: Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang – June
- Japan Tour: Tokyo and Osaka – July
- Singapore Tour – July
- Philippines Tour: Manila, Davao, Cebu – July to August
- China Tour: Shenzhen – August
Additional locations across the Asia-Pacific region are expected to be announced as part of the 2026 expansion plan.