Three former professional footballers, who once played together in the same Tampines Rovers team, have joined forces as coaches under Unleash The Roar!’s School Football Academy (SFA) programme, bringing their passion, positive spirit, and expert skills to a new generation of aspiring football players at Assumption English School (AES).
Once colleagues on the field, Ismadi Mukhtar (left), Ismail Yunos (centre), and Fabian Kwok are once again teaming up - this time to groom a new generation of footballers as coaches of AES’s SFA programme.
When former pro-footballers Ismail Yunos, 38, Fabian Kwok, 35, and Ismadi Mukhtar, 41, were playing in the same team nine years ago, they never imagined that their paths would cross again almost a decade later. Today, they coach alongside each other as SFA coaches.
It is no wonder that the trio - who played together with the Tampines Rovers in 2015 - exude such great chemistry and synergy.
“Fabian and Ismail are workhorses, on and off the field,” said Ismadi, ex-Singapore international player and head coach of the B Division boys. “This is infused into their coaching styles. The same goes for me - being hardworking and striving for the best every time.”
The positive impact of their coaching is reflected in AES’ performance in recent years. In the National School Games (NSG), the C Division boys have been improving year on year from Tier 5 in 2022 to Tier 2 in 2023 and reaching the top Tier 1 this year.
The C Division boys, seen here doing their warm-up before their match against Swiss Cottage Secondary School in the 2024 National School Games (NSG), finished fourth in Tier 1 this year.
How the beautiful game changed their lives
None of them dreamt of playing professionally. But when the time came for each of their debut moments on the pitch, all three experienced the same palpable jubilation and pride, similarly echoed by the fervent chants of the crowd in the arena.
“Football brings everyone together, regardless of the language you speak,” affirmed Ismail, who was talent-scouted by football icon Fandi Ahmad in 2004, when he was playing with the Under-18 National Team. From then on, the rest was history.
“To become a professional footballer was beyond my wildest imagination. All I wanted was to play at the national stadium… to get a small taste of what it must’ve felt like to be Fandi and his team playing in the glory era of 1993!”
He never guessed that his favourite sport would become a lifelong career.
Likewise, football opened up many doors for Kwok, whose journey began at a park near his place, where he played with friends from the neighbourhood. He was fortunate to attend school and clubs then nurtured his football development. Every step in life revealed a different path that eventually led to him playing for the Young Lions.
“The game (football) helped me a lot,” said Kwok, a former Hougang United club player and Head Coach of the C Division boys. “Back then, I didn’t think much of it, but football helped me to network, build good values, and most importantly, stay humble.”
Before each training practice, the boys exchange friendly greetings with their coaches, teaching them the value of respect in building trust, safety, and well-being.
For Ismadi, the chance to travel with his various clubs as a footballer expanded his global perspectives, allowing him to appreciate everything he has. He knew then that he had an opportunity to change lives and give back to the community.
“I got to see the world on my travels. Those experiences are invaluable,” explained Ismadi. “Visiting third-world countries really affected me… I reflected a lot then and learnt to be grateful for the things in life we take for granted. I wanted to do more for my community. And football is a way for me to do that.”
Inspiring the young student-athlete
Beyond football tactics and strategies, the three coaches impart lifelong lessons to their students. At AES, the coaches employ a training philosophy that is aligned with the school’s emphasis on values.
AES SFA coaches adopt a values-based training philosophy, where students learn football techniques as well as valuable life skills that promote positive and healthy growth.
The SFA programme teaches students, through their love for football, to prioritise character development and academics. This helps them to grow into healthy, well-adjusted adults with good values.
“Football is not an entitlement, it’s a privilege,” Kwok noted.
While the coaches demand the teens’ full attention during training sessions, they occasionally break into jokes and cheeky banter with the boys.
Ismadi noted while the coaches have to be stern at times, adopting a gentler approach and adding humour and relatable stories during training sessions can help the coaches connect better with the students and develop their love for the game.
“The ages 13 to 16 mark an important time for the kids,” said Kwok. If they don’t enjoy the game now, it’s likely they will stop pursuing football by the time they are 17 or 18. Identifying talent is one thing, but ensuring that they love the game - that’s even more important.”
This is why the coaches prioritise their “students’ mental health and a safe environment above all”, according to Ismail.
He added: “We are Game For Life-trained and this exposes us to different ways of doing things, so we can cater to different players.”
Attended by all SFA coaches, the Game For Life workshop enables sport educators to combine learning values for character and leadership development with any sporting experience in their sessions.
Muhammad Wazif Zainol (left), Lim Xuan Hui (centre), and Syed Hayyan Dzakir Syed Salim Al Attas from the C Division boys agree that time management and discipline are important in helping them balance school work and their passion for football.
Syed Hayyan Dzakir Syed Salim Al Attas, a Secondary 2 student in the C Division who is currently playing for the ongoing Singapore Youth League (SYL) in the combined team, said, “The coaches are very supportive. Even though the sessions are intense, everyone has fun!”
“The friendly and caring coaches help us to improve as individuals,” agreed teammate Muhammad Wazif Zainol.
The boys hope they can follow in the footsteps of AES alumni Daniel Martens, who plays for Albirex Niigata Singapore FC.
Mr Leet Tagore, one of the football teachers at AES, said that he is happy with the SFA programme, finding that the “coaches are very dedicated and qualified, and can connect well with the students”.
Taking a holistic approach to football
On a weekly basis, all the SFA coaches from different schools gather to exchange feedback and overcome challenges together.
“There’s always continuous growth and development even for us coaches,” said Ismadi.
Kwok added: “We are constantly educating each other on best practices, learning from each other’s methods, ensuring that we are all kept up to date on the latest developments.”
Prior to each session, the coaches discuss the lesson plan, team formation, and tactics in order to maximise the number of teachable moments for the students.
Such sessions allow the coaches to bring back shared learnings and apply them in their own SFA.
The inclusion of sport science features also adds value to the SFA programme. Apart from measuring the progress of players, sport science modules also help students learn about nutrition and sleep and how a good diet and rest are crucial to nurturing a growing body.
Making a difference
With help from their coaches and teachers, the B Division boys juggle studies and football training, scoring important lessons on focus and discipline.
Both Ismadi and Kwok were fortunate enough to have coaches who proved instrumental in developing them both as players and individuals.
For Ismadi, it was JSSL Singapore Director of Coaching Lawrence Lee, his former coach and mentor. For Kwok, he is grateful to call veteran coach Clement Teo, who guided Kwok at St. Gabriel’s Secondary School, his life-long mentor.
“He gave me the role as captain in Hougang United,” reflected Kwok. “I learnt a lot from him. He’s also someone that I can go to for advice. As a coach, he has made a big impact on my life.”
In the same way that they have been inspired by their mentors, the three coaches are now a beacon of inspiration for their own students.
Dani Mirza (left), Mohammed Ashraf (centre), and Gabriel Marty from the B Division boys hope to “grow into something great” under the SFA programme.
Gabriel Marty, a Sec 4 B Division player, said: “To be trained by them is an honour. Thank you for trying your best, especially when I’m not always at my best.”
Teammates Dani Mirza and Mohammed Ashraf, who both hope to play professionally, said they looked up to their coaches for teaching them about the importance of discipline.
When asked for advice to up-and-coming players who want to play football as a career, their coach Ismadi succinctly summed it up: “Shoot for the long haul. Dream big and give your best. No matter the achievement, you know you tried.”
Click here for the latest list of schools under the School Football Academy programme.
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