KUALA LUMPUR: The Sepak Takraw Association of Malaysia (STAM) have confirmed that they will be reviving their national team B squad programme next year.
The B squad is intended to groom under-21 players before they move up to the senior team.
STAM president Datuk Sumali Reduan disclosed that the B squad programme had previously been halted after the sport was dropped from the core sports programme by the Sports Ministry in December 2017.
Sumali and other STAM officials attended a working committee meeting with National Sports Council (NSC) chaired by its director-general Abdul Rashid Yaakub at Bukit Jalil today.
"We requested to form the B squad and are very happy that NSC have agreed to this," said Sumali.
"The squad will be comprised of under-21 players from various states but their ages will vary as we also have some players who are only 17 or 18 as well.
"These players will train in phases, (camps will be held) four times a year both locally and abroad. We have yet to decide where they will train (abroad).
"We have already conducted selections twice and have shortlisted about 25 players. We will, however, only select 15 for the squad.
"If these players shine within the next year, there is a possibility they will be promoted to the senior team."
Sepak takraw was dropped from the core sports programme in 2017 due to poor performances at the international level at the time.
The national team have, however, shown some improvement in recent seasons and took the all-conquering Thais to a deciding set at the Phnom Penh Sea Games in May.
With no Sea Games or Asian Games being held next year, the national squad's main focus will be the World Cup which will be held in Kuala Lumpur on May 17-27.
