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 Rome
Rounds Off Successful WISPA Promo Tour To Europe
A two-day visit to Rome rounded off a highly successful
2009 WISPA Promotional Tour of Switzerland and Italy, led by
women's world number one Nicol David.
Organised by the Women's International Squash Players'
Association, the tour - including clinics, exhibition matches and press
conferences - featured stopovers in Zurich and Luzern, before
finishing at the Roman Sports Center in a visit hosted by ASD
Agonistica Squash RSC.
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Nicol David, (left) the Malaysian who next month will celebrate
an unbroken three-year run at the top of the women's world rankings, was
partnered in Rome by England's world number eight Laura Lengthorn-Massaro,
(right) accompanied by WISPA CEO Andrew Shelley.
David had rejoined the party in the Italian capital city
after taking part in Squash's pivotal presentation to the International
Olympic Committee (IOC) in the sport's bid to join the programme for the
2016 Olympic Games.
Founded in 1983 by the late squash-loving Scot Edward McKey
Cheever, the Roman Sports Center is a major sport and fitness centre in the
heart of Rome's business centre. With a comprehensive range of facilities,
including four glass-backed Squash courts - all of which attract some 2,000
members each day - the centre is managed by the founder's widow Rosetta
Cheever.
The WISPA stars chatted to and played a series challenge matches
with club members, including youngsters, and gave visitors an insight into the
skill levels of top players on the WISPA World Tour in a number of exhibition
matches.
One of the centre's most renowned members is Italian Member of
Parliament Sandro Gozi, the Democratic Party spokesman for EU policies.
Mr Gozi took time away from parliamentary duties to join Nicol and Laura on
court.
"Until tonight, the summit of my squash career was winning the
'non-classified' Italian title in 2003!" said Gozi.
Formerly based at the European Parliament HQ in Brussels, Gozi
was able to play Squash up to four times a week. "Sadly, my commitments in Rome
now make it very difficult to play regularly, so tonight was a special treat. I
think Squash deserves to be in the Olympics - I am definitely backing the bid."
The WISPA visit attracted a wide age-range of enthusiasts - from
10-year-old Ricardo Veracini to retired US Foreign Service Officer
Peter Bloom, aged 71.
Master Veracini, also a tennis player, is frustrated by the
disparity between opportunities for him in the two sports in his home city:
"There are around 250 tennis clubs in Rome, but only five Squash clubs - so I
find it difficult to find enough kids my age to play against," said the keen
youngster. "But playing Nicol David today was a great experience."
Bloom, a life-long tennis player and a convert to Squash only in
his forties, is delighted to have discovered the game: "Squash has been a huge
part of my enjoyment of living here in Rome - I really appreciate that I can
play here at this centre."
An avid follower of the game through his overseas membership of
US Squash, Bloom added: "These inner city squash programmes I read about in the
US Squash Magazine are terrific for the sport."
 Massimo
Bianchi,
(centre) President of ASD Agonistica Squash RSC and a former Vice President of
the sport's national federation Federazione Italiana Giuoco Squash (FIGS),
was delighted with the success of the visit his regional association hosted.
"It has been excellent for our members to see the professionalism
of these great players. Not just competing in an event, but the 'whole' player
- how they train, how they conduct themselves on and off court, and how they
live life," explained Bianchi, a coach for more than 20 years.
"But my dream is to host a big tournament here in Rome - one
which will truly put this city on the map as one of the great Squash tournament
cities of the world," added Bianchi.
Mrs Cheever was also overjoyed at the impact that the visit made
on her club and the profile of squash: "We have a lot of typical Italian men
here who spend a lot of time working out - but hardly notice the squash
facilities. Now we have had many of them come to ask how they can get into the
sport - 'what do we need to do?' they are asking!
"So I am sure that our club coach Carlos Camino Mendez is going
to be even busier over the coming months, responding to this new interest."
Laura Lengthorn-Massaro was pleased to have made her WISPA Promo
Tour debut in Rome: "It's been revealing seeing Nicol in a new light - she's so
good as a Squash ambassador, interacting with all sorts of people so
professionally.
This has been a great experience for me - it's a fantastic club
and we've been really well looked after. It's been a good mixture of work and
sight-seeing," added the 25-year-old from Preston after a brief morning visit to
Vatican City and Rome's historic Colosseum before a lunchtime session.
Summing up the two legs of the Tour, Andrew Shelley commented:
"The last couple of weeks have really shown all facets of squash. From the
major international side with the Seoul Women's Open played in the Korean
capital city centre on a glass court surrounded by TV cameras, photographers and
spectators, to us presenting our case to the IOC and two promotional visits. All
are about the future: Local development in Swiss and Italian cities; national
exposure in Korea; and, of course, trying to gain access to the most important
event in the world of sport.
"The WISPA Promotional Tour this year has continued the tradition
of supporting communities, developing friendships and in a small way trying to
make a difference," Shelley continued. "The wholehearted support of our top
players - who happily and freely give their time - brings smiles to faces, space
in local media and is just so heart-warming and bolstering our future too."
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