Malawi
WSF Ambassador Visit Inspires Squash Addition To Olympic Centre
News
that the WSF Ambassador Programme visit to Malawi has
inspired a squash facility to be included in a new OlympAfrica Sports
Centre in the capital Lilongwe has been hailed by Squash
Malawi President Jimmy Kawaye as "a huge, huge thing for the
sport in our country".
The
WSF Ambassador Programme to Malawi, led by Malaysia's record six-time
women's world champion Nicol David and Egypt's former world
junior champion Mohamed El Shorbagy, is a World Squash
Federation initiative designed to highlight the appeal of squash in
countries where the sport is in its infancy.
On
arrival in Lilongwe, the WSF party was welcomed by Hon. Enoch K
Chakufwa Chihana, MP, the Minister of Youth Development & Sports.
"It is
a great honour for us to host your visit," said the Minister. "There are
many countries in Africa, but the fact that you have chosen to come to
Malawi is very special to us."
It was
at a press conference later that Malawi Olympic Committee representative
Jappie Mhango revealed that squash courts will now be featured in
a new indoor sports facility which will be added to the OlympAfrica
Sports Centre.
Kawaye
told the assembled group, including media and Justin Saidi,
Principal Secretary for the Sports Ministry, that the governing body
wanted squash to be a major sport in Malawi. "We believe that squash is
one of the sports in which Malawi can make its mark on the world stage."
Andrew Shelley,
CEO of the WSF, praised Malawi's intentions - and highlighted the fact
that squash is truly a global sport, played in 185 countries on more
than 50,000 courts around the world.
The
party was based at Lilongwe's two-court Capital Sunbird Hotel,
where David and El Shorbagy passed on tips to many of the country's
leading players and juniors - while South Africa national coach
Richard Castle and World referee Mike Collins, also from
South Africa, conducted coaching and refereeing workshops, respectively,
over two days for attendees both from Malawi and neighbouring countries.
Malawi
number one and national champion James Matewere was thrilled by
his opportunity to play El Shorbagy, the world No8 from Alexandria. "I
learnt such a lot - he is so deceptive. I hope this will inspire me to
keep improving."
El
Shorbagy later played Aubrey Taulo, whom Matewere recently
succeeded as the country's top player. As a reward for taking a game off
the Egyptian world star, El Shorbagy presented the Malawi number two
with a new model of his own racket: "I am very happy to get this racket
- mine is so old now. This will inspire me when I play in the Zimbabwe
Open in August."
World
number one Nicol David took on Aubrey's older brother Julius
Taulo, the country's third highest-ranked player. "It's so good to
play people like Nicol - you wouldn't normally get the chance," said
Taulo senior.
"I
lost, but it feels as if I won!"
David
later went on court with Stefano Smawo, a 19-year-old Malawi hope
who is being mentored by British squash enthusiast and coaching seminar
attendee Gordon Benbow, headmaster of Saint Andrew's Independent
High School in Blantyre, which boasts two courts.
"I
only started playing squash over a year ago, and am very grateful to Mr
Benbow for helping me," said the teenager. "It was like a dream come
true to meet and play Nicol.
"I
want to be the Malawi number one. Squash is what I am best at - so this
is what I want to do."
Andrew
Shelley added: "We have been struck by the sheer enthusiasm to build the
sport here, despite not inconsiderable difficulties. Funding to increase
the number of courts, secure sponsorship for local events and
initiatives, and simply to provide rackets, footwear and balls for some
players, is challenging."
The
coaching and refereeing workshops proved to be highly popular and made a
significant impact on the attendees, while spreading good practice in
Malawi and beyond.
Participation by noted African coach Freddy Chishimba is likely
to lead to the Zambian returning to Malawi to work with a group of
players, including Stefano Smawo. "It's important that we build on the
experiences received by our younger players," explained the Squash
Malawi President later.
"We
know our inadequacies in coaching, so this visit has given us the chance
to talk to Freddy and invite him to come back to help our players. This
is a great outcome," said Kawaye.
Squash
Malawi Vice President Zanga Chimombo was in no doubt as to the
success of the visit. "It has not only raised the awareness of squash in
the country, but raised the profile of Squash Malawi in the eyes of the
sports ministry and the Malawi Olympic Committee."
President Kawaye explained further: "We weren't really getting much
attention from the government - particularly the ministry - so this
visit came at just the right time.
"It
has focussed them on making a concrete commitment - and this is a huge
element of what the visit has achieved.
"The
coaching and the involvement of Nicol and Mohamed has given our players
an extra dimension to their play," Kawaye continued.
"The
outcome of this will be better players and increased level of
competition. It has also given them confidence to consider playing in
regional events. James (Matewere) has been inspired to play in the
forthcoming Zimbabwe Open - and he wouldn't have done this before.
"The
refereeing sessions were really useful too. We thought we were doing OK,
but discovered there were many gaps in our understanding of the rules.
It has inspired us to create a national body for referees.
"The
media interest was also beyond our expectations. We had representatives
from various outlets, including the Malawi News Agency (MANA), with us
from the point of your arrival through to your departure!"
But
President Kawaye admitted that the commitment to build a new squash
fwsacility in the country under the auspices of the Malawi Olympic
Committee was the icing on the cake: "For us, that's a huge, huge
thing!"
The
annual WSF Ambassador Programme now moves onto the second stage of the
2012 itinerary with a visit to Namibia.
Squash
2020 website:
www.squash2020.com
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