Slingerz FC Head Coach Shabazz joins TTFA’s Elite Pro Coaching Diploma Course

Jul 22, 2025 Sports

Coach Jamaal Shabazz (centre), with Jamaicans Merron Gordon (right) and Andre Peart (left).

Kaieteur Sports – Slingerz Football Club Head Coach, Jamaal Shabazz, is among 12 top-tier coaches from across the Caribbean selected to participate in the historic Pro Coaching Diploma Course, an elite initiative launched by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA).

According to the TTFA, the programme is designed to redefine the standards of football coaching throughout the Caribbean region.
The 12-month course brings together some of the most respected football minds in the region for an intensive curriculum aimed at enhancing leadership, tactical knowledge, and coaching methodology at the professional level.

Coach Shabazz, who previously served as Head Coach of the Golden Jaguars (Guyana’s Senior Men’s National Team), has made an impressive debut in the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Elite League with Slingerz FC.

Under his leadership, the Vergenoegen-based club has played nine matches, maintaining a perfect record and sitting on top of the table in the GFF Elite League.

Shabazz joins a distinguished roster of regional and international coaching professionals, including Merron Gordon (Assistant Coach, Jamaica Senior Men’s National Team), Theodore “Tappa” Whitmore (Former Head Coach, Jamaica), Rudolph Speid, Andrew Peart (Jamaica) and Gareth Smith (USA).

Also participating are Paul Decle (Technical Director, British Virgin Islands), Derek King (Assistant Coach, Trinidad and Tobago), Kevin McGreskin (Talent Identification Specialist), Jamie Harris (USA), Jake Littlejohn (FIFA Talent Coach, Bermuda) and Leonard Lake (St. Kitts and Nevis).

The TTFA stated that this flagship programme, which commenced last week, represents a new era in regional coaching education. It builds upon the foundation laid by the successful TTFA “A”, “B”, “C”, and “D” License courses and is structured to foster high-performance coaching at the elite level.

The curriculum integrates comprehensive theoretical modules with practical, field-based application, emphasizing leadership, tactical innovation, and evidence-based coaching strategies. Participants benefit from ongoing mentorship, expert-led seminars, and immersive coaching environments that simulate professional-level scenarios.

Leading the programme is Dr. David Adams, Chief Football Officer and Technical Director of the Football Association of Wales Trust’s Coach Education Programme.

Dr. Adams brings extensive international expertise, having played a key role in the UEFA Pro License journeys of elite managers such as Mikel Arteta, Thierry Henry, Roberto Martinez, and Patrick Vieira.

The course is further enriched by guest sessions from industry leaders. Notable among them was a presentation on “Transformational Leadership and Crisis Management” delivered by Steve Dalton, OBE, former Managing Director of Sony UK Technology Centre (2005–2022).

Participants also benefitted from the experience of Dennis Lawrence, former Trinidad and Tobago international and ex-national team head coach, now Assistant Coach at Minnesota United FC in Major League Soccer. Lawrence delivered a session on “The Role of the Assistant Coach at the Professional Level.”

Another engaging contribution came from David Nakhid, Parliamentary Secretary in Trinidad and Tobago’s Ministry of Sport and former international footballer, who presented on “Opportunities in Sports Leadership.”

The TTFA noted, that the Pro Coaching Diploma course represents a significant milestone in elevating the standard of football coaching in the Caribbean and is poised to have a lasting impact on the region’s football development.

Discover more from Kaieteur News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Andre Peart, Jamaal Shabazz, Merron Gordon, Slingerz Football Club, Trinidad and Tobago Football Association

Latest News