Thatcher on Thursday
Alan Thatcher's regular comment on the World of Squash  

Thatcher on Thursday
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4th February
JOHN DALE Tribute
14th January 2010
HAPPY NEW YEAR
10th December
SAINT NIC HAS THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS GIFT
11th November
JENNY’S DOUBLE JOLT FOR NICOL
8th October
Squash Design launch new USA Tour
24th September
Ramy's Midnight Tyre Change
 

The Views And Opinions Expressed In This Column Are Not Necessarily The Views Of
Squashplayer.co.uk or Squash Player Magazine

Click here to Contact Alan with your views or opinions
 

 I first met John Dale when he travelled down to Kent 12 years ago to play in the Maidstone Open and the European Squash Festival in Folkestone. He won both tournaments and made a lot of friends along the way.

John and I kept in touch and it was like a bolt from the blue when he revealed he was suffering from a brain tumour.

John’s friends swung into action and I was pleased to help out with a number of fund-raising activities in his honour, including a fabulous evening at Chichester and two events in a single day in Newcastle, first of all at the Northumberland Club in Jesmond and then at a packed-out Tynemouth in the evening.

Peter Genever senior travelled up from the South Coast to announce that John would be retained in their National League squad whatever his condition.

World champion Peter Nicol willingly supported all three events along with a number of other professionals, clearly illustrating how the squash community rallied round to help such a popular guy on and off the court.

When I visited John with Steve Cubbins he had only just been allowed home after he had contracted a life-threatening infection in hospital.

Amazingly, John recovered steadily and although he was unable to return to the professional tournament scene he was destined to carve out a successful career as a coach.

He was delighted to land a job in the States, but, tragically, the cancer appeared again and John was forced to return home to Tyneside. At least he was closer to his beloved Newcastle United.

I spoke to him on the phone a few weeks ago and he was typically upbeat about fighting the dreaded disease all over again.

Tragically, this time the cancer was not to be beaten and we all lost a great Geordie mate at such a young age.

God Bless You, John. We’ll all miss you.
 

14th January

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Let’s start the new decade by wishing a Happy New Year to all of our readers worldwide. Let’s hope 2010 brings a non-stop wave of enjoyment on court, harmony between players and referees, dynamic leadership from our governing bodies, and a clear-headed vision of where the sport wants to be as we continue to pursue the dream of squash becoming an Olympic sport.

PJ BACK ON COURT

It was great to see Paul Johnson back in action in Kent last week. The former world No.4 turned out for Bromley Cricket Club in the North West Kent Priory League match against his old mate James Robbins, from Park Langley.

PJ, who is coaching in America, was back in Bromley for the Christmas holidays. He looked very sharp as he won the opening two games at a canter but his old county team-mate hit back to take the match to five.

PJ then regained his earlier composure to clinch a 9-0, 9-4, 6-9, 2-9, 9-5 victory which helped Bromley CC to an important 3-2 win over their Park Langley hosts, who are second in the table behind Tim Garner’s Dulwich all-stars!

EGYPT RULES THE ROOST

Not only did Egypt dominate the British Junior Open in Sheffield once again, they extended their mastery by winning all eight titles at under-13, under-15, under-17 and under-19 level.

Mohamed El Shorbagy led the way with his third under-19 Drysdale Cup success and his younger brother Marwan clinched the under-17 championship. And Nour El Shorbini showed what an amazing prospect she is by winning the girls’ under-19 final at the tender age of 14.

Both finals were all Egyptian affairs, as were three others, as the 40-strong Egyptian squad raised the bar in junior squash yet again.

Everybody wants to know the Egyptians’ secret. The answer is simple: numbers, with lots of great coaches and loads of kids filling the courts after school every day.

They seem to have a system that allows talented children to rise rapidly through the ranks and not be trapped in the uniformity of the European age-group systems.

The Egyptians have dazzling hotbeds of squash in Cairo and Alexandria and they are clearly able to concentrate most of their competition in those two cities. In England, our juniors (and their parents) are subjected to a relentless slog around the country to collect random ranking points, with parents often choosing to select that route before their children have mastered the basic disciplines required in shot-making, movement and tactics.

That system, by design, will always discriminate against the juniors who choose not to enter so many tournaments but are more gifted than those who do.

A lot of our kids spend more time on the motorway than they do on court, and it’s wearing them out. Some of the time it’s not just travelling to tournaments, it’s the process of finding another junior player to train with or play against because they might be the only boy or girl in their club of county standard.

Clearly, we need more work at grass-roots level to produce a dramatic rise in junior participation levels. We need more British hotbeds like Pontefract, where juniors are inspired by the presence of players like James Willstrop and work hard to emulate his achievements.

All this brings me back to Paul Johnson, and the all-conquering Kent junior team of 20 years ago. The reason for their success? Numbers, once again.

In those days we had big clubs with massive junior sections creating the kind of competitive atmosphere that we see in Egypt.

Bromley Town had 16 courts, including a superb showcourt. That’s gone, along with most of the courts. It’s now a soulless fitness club with five courts tucked away at the back of the building.

Also gone are the Howdens Club in Beckenham (10 courts), Henwood in Ashford (10), Harveys in Maidstone (6), plus Dartford, New Eltham, Dreamland and many more.

The old Medway Squash Club has also been taken over by a fitness chain that banned juniors from the premises, including a child who was number one in the national under-13 rankings.

All of this has resulted in a dramatic reduction in the numbers of juniors playing squash, especially girls. It’s so serious that any child who picks up a racket can almost walk straight into a county squad. And I know that Kent are not alone in this.

It’s hard to fight against that kind of depressing backdrop, but rest assured those of us who are left are trying to do something about it.  

In the next few weeks I look forward to announcing a major development programme being launched in Kent alongside a new professional tournament, the Kent Open.

We might not be able to match the Egyptians at the moment, but to start with we’re trying to get the numbers up.

Watch this space.
 

10th December
SAINT NIC HAS THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS GIFT

If you are wondering what Christmas presents to buy for the avid squash fan, then Peter Nicol has the answer: wine and dine your loved one with tickets for the 2010 ISS Canary Wharf Squash Classic.

The seventh edition of this PSA Five-Star world-ranking tournament takes place from March 22-26 next year and co-promoter Nicol is urging squash enthusiasts to book tickets early to avoid disappointment.

The former world champion said: “This year we attracted eight of the world’s top ten players and it was no surprise that the event sold out so quickly. The fact that tickets are so hard to come by adds premium value to every back-wall seat.

“The Canary Wharf tournament is unique in that the East Wintergarden venue offers a wonderful gallery restaurant with spectacular views over the court.

“We get lots of calls every year from wives and girlfriends who surprise their partners by buying tickets that include a fabulous meal with the best view of squash anywhere in the world. The fact that they will be guaranteed a visit to their table by the game’s leading stars is an added bonus.

“We are very proud of the fact that we are able to stage the event at the East Wintergarden and over the years it has become one of the most popular venues on the world tour for players and spectators alike.

“This year, for the fourth year running, we sold every back-wall seat for every night of the tournament and I can assure you the players love the atmosphere.

“We have wonderfully loyal and supportive Title Sponsors in ISS Facility Services and we are grateful to them for making it possible to showcase top professional squash in such a fashion.”

Tickets for the 2010 ISS Canary Wharf Squash Classic are on sale via Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.co.uk) and the Ticket Hotline is 0844 847 2419.

For details of dining and tickets to the VIP Bar, please visit the tournament website: www.canarywharfsquash.com  

ROLL ON RICHMOND

While on the subject, I am looking forward to helping out at the North American Open in February to sample my first taste of Virginian hospitality.

The event promises to be a magnificent tournament, with nine of the world’s top ten players having confirmed their entry into this spectacular PSA (Professional Squash Association) Super Series Silver event with a prize fund of almost $100,000.

Tournament Director Gus Cook said: “The North American Open is renowned as being a “fan-friendly” tournament and we look forward to welcoming squash enthusiasts from all the squash hotbeds here on the East Coast and from further afield.”

This year’s tournament boasts a new title sponsor in Quantitative Investment Management, based in Charlottesville, Virginia.

The event is hosted by Virginia Squash and the action takes place on the all-glass McWil exhibition court which will be erected in the Millhiser Gymnasium on the campus of the University of Richmond.

The tournament runs from February 21-27 and Cook added: “We are delighted to welcome back to Richmond so many of the world’s leading players.

“The quality of the entertainment provided by our sport’s top athletes is absolutely sensational and we are fortunate that the current era has so many gifted, talented players who produce full-on attacking squash at all times.

“This is one of the premier professional squash tournaments in a rapidly developing North American squash circuit.

“The players enjoy coming to Richmond and spectators are treated to a week of exceptional squash in a superb venue.”

CURRENT ENTRIES INCLUDE
(with latest rankings):

1 Karim Darwish (Egypt)

2 Gregory Gaultier (France)

3 Amr Shabana (Egypt)

4 Nick Matthew (England)

5 Ramy Ashour (Egypt)

6 James Willstrop (England)

8 David Palmer (Australia)

9 Thierry Lincou (France)

10 Wael El Hindi (Egypt)

12 Adrian Grant (England)

13 Alister Walker (England)

15 Cameron Pilley (Australia)  

COLLEGE BOYS KICK UP A STINK

Squash is in the unusual position of attracting a blaze of publicity in the USA at the moment. However, like the media feeding frenzy engulfing Tiger Woods, not all of it is welcomed.

The headlines concern spectator behaviour at a recent college game between Dartmouth and Harvard, where the home team’s soccer squad came along to cheer on their friends in the squash team and welcome their visitors with some ribald banter.

This, they claim, is commonplace on their soccer road trips. However, in the more intimate confines of a squash gallery, the jibes become more personal and hostile.

Harvard’s female players eventually sought the protection of an assistant coach after they said they were called ‘whores’ and ‘sluts’ while they cheered on their male team-mates. Despite this, much of the media comments focused on alleged anti-Semitic taunts aimed at Harvard player Franklin Cohen.

The Boston Globe reported:

About 300 fans packed into the narrow spectator gallery at Dartmouth College’s squash courts, hoping to see their underdog team topple fifth-ranked Harvard for the first time. But the cheering soon turned to heckling, and then a full-fledged verbal assault.

For at least 90 minutes, about a dozen Dartmouth students pelted Harvard’s men and women players with obscenity-laced insults that some witnesses described as misogynistic, homophobic, and anti-Semitic. Women on the Harvard team were called “whores’’ and “sluts,’’ witnesses said; the men were taunted with crude comments about their masculinity.

The Dec. 2 incident, which shattered the genteel world of college squash, has prompted a flurry of apologies this week from Dartmouth’s president, athletic director, and students, including soccer players and fraternity members involved in the incident.

The incident also has sparked soul-searching on the secluded Hanover campus that has tried for decades to shed its “Animal House’’ image, and presented a challenge to a new Dartmouth president intent on fostering a climate of tolerance and social responsibility.

“I am extremely disappointed and upset by this behaviour,’’ President Jim Yong Kim said in an interview yesterday. “There is no question it was inappropriate. Players and families shouldn’t feel threatened like that.’’

Kim said he apologized to Harvard’s president, Drew Gilpin Faust, during a meeting of Ivy League presidents at the Harvard Club in New York City.

The above article attracted almost 150 comments from readers.

The Boston Herald reported:

Dartmouth College administrators are looking into allegations that student fans pelted visiting Harvard squash players with obscenities and insults, including what one parent of a visiting player interpreted as an anti-Semitic slur.

“One parent says her son was asked whether he liked bagels, which she viewed as referring to their Jewish surname.

“Dartmouth student Bryan Giudicelli says he and his soccer team-mates were trying to create an intimidating atmosphere similar to what they encounter on the road but didn’t realize how hostile their behaviour would appear in the crowded squash court.

“He said the bagel comment referred to the zero, or “bagel” on the scoreboard.”

The incidents have generated some heavy editorial comment, including the following from the Boston Globe:

“Squash usually conjures images of middle-aged businessmen giving their joints a workout, not of rowdy collegiate spectators. And yet on December 2, a group of about a dozen Dartmouth College fans rained an hour-and-a-half-long verbal assault upon the Harvard squash team during a match in Hanover, New Hampshire, spewing forth obscenity-laced insults that witnesses described as misogynistic, homophobic, and anti-Semitic. The ruckus led to a series of apologies, one of which came from the Alpha Delta fraternity, which counts among its alums the creator of ‘Animal House’.

“The hecklers could use a lesson in local history. Dartmouth has suffered for decades from an image as the Ivy League school most in need of putting an end to its extended adolescence. Long after other top schools strove to become inclusive, diverse places, Dartmouth was still seen as a campus that revered its frattish, clubby past. The school has gone a long way toward refuting that image, but this latest incident serves as a reminder that not everyone has gotten the message.

“If Dartmouth’s students really want to squash their school’s image problem, they should behave better at the next squash match.”

Well, the nature of the incidents and the depth of media coverage prompted a flurry of apologies from Dartmouth, including the offending soccer players.

An agency report, published in a variety of media outlets across the States, included a statement from Dartmouth College. It said:

The president of Dartmouth College has apologized to his counterpart at Harvard University over profanity-laden taunts made by Big Green athletes to Harvard players during a squash match.

President Jim Yong Kim spoke to Harvard President Drew Gilpin Faust when the two attended an Ivy League presidents’ meeting in New York, a Dartmouth spokesman said. Kim also has been trying to reach Harvard player Franklin Cohen and his parents, who complained that an insult directed at their son sounded like an anti-Semitic slur.

A group of about 10 Dartmouth students, including members of the school’s soccer team, heckled Crimson players during the match.

In an e-mail sent to students, faculty and staff Tuesday, Kim and other Dartmouth administrators expressed disappointment at the students’ behaviour.

“While we encourage students to vigorously support our athletes, we expect them to do so in a way that reflects our pride in those teams, not disrespect for others,” wrote Kim, Acting Dean of the College Sylvia Spears and acting athletic director Bob Ceplikas.

The captain of the Dartmouth soccer team sent his own e-mail acknowledging that some team members made comments that ‘crossed the line of what is appropriate and acceptable.’

Dan Keat said the incident made players think more about sportsmanship and prompted them to start an initiative to discuss and publicize ways to foster ‘a passionate but respectful atmosphere’ at athletic events.

11th November

Good to be back in action after a short lay-off following a family bereavement and a spell of intense pressure at work. Lots of fascinating things are happening in the world of squash right now, and I’m looking forward to seeing friends old and new at Saturday’s Squash Awards Dinner at the RAC Club. Hope to see you there.

JENNY’S DOUBLE JOLT FOR NICOL

Interesting change of dynamics at the top of the women’s game after two consecutive victories by England’s Jenny Duncalf over world champion Nicol David.

For many professional players, the failure to beat a player ranked above you can create a massive psychological barrier. The longer the situation remains, the more difficult the task becomes. For some, it is an insurmountable hurdle that prevents progress.

With two phenomenal, high-profile victories on the trot, I imagine that Jenny will now be overflowing with confidence and ready to take on anyone.

As for Nicol, the Malaysian superstar will walk away, lick her wounds and plan to come back better than ever. I know she had a slight injury in one of the tournaments but, like a true champion, she did not use it as an excuse.

It will be fascinating to see what happens next time the two girls play.

US OPEN: BOLD PLANS, BIG DREAMS

The US Open in Chicago next year is set to be the biggest and best event in squash history.

Organisers are planning to erect the glass McWil court on stage at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, a futuristic theatre in Millennium Park with 4,000 seats in the open-air.

This magnificent venue is close to the city centre, a short stroll from Chicago’s finest hotels and restaurants, is surrounded by some fabulous works of art and is just a short stroll from the world-famous Art Institute of Chicago.

The 2010 US Open is being hosted by US Squash and the City’s University Club in conjunction with the acclaimed Metro Squash programme. Plans include both men’s and women’s tournaments, with a total event budget understood to make this the first million-dollar squash tournament.

When I strolled through Millennium Park during this year’s superbly successful US Open, I picked up a fascinating booklet called Bold Plans, Big Dreams.

The publication celebrated the centenary of the 1909 Plan of Chicago, otherwise known as the Burnham Plan, which was a visionary masterpiece of city planning.

The ambitious proposals for the 2010 US Open deserve to recognised as a parallel masterpiece of squash planning. Good luck to all concerned.
 

8th October
Squash Design launch new USA Tour

Good luck to all concerned in the ambitious new Squash Design Tour which is about to start in the USA.

The USA is a major growth area for squash and the development of new professional events is a logical extension of an increase in court numbers across the continent, the rapid growth of the US College circuit, and progressive health club chains like the Life Time group recognising the value of making squash one of their prime activities.

Now the Squash Design Pro Tour is set to launch with a tournament in Madison, Wisconsin, from October 20-25, followed by further events in Goshen, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Rhode Island, Philadelphia and Boca Raton, finishing on December 13.

That’s seven events in less than two months and represents a major breakthrough for the PSA and their ability to provide a solid tournament structure for ambitious young members in the States.

“We are hoping to increase awareness of squash by bringing more events across the United States,” said Sahel Anwar, partner in Squash Design and Premier Performance Squash. “It is our hope to organise this tour annually – bringing the sport to even more cities.”

In addition to players earning PSA World Ranking points and prize money, there will be a separate points standing for the Squash Design Tour which will allow the players to earn additional prize money based on their points standing.

Gus Cook, PSA Representative for the Americas, added: “The communities are excited to see international level events being played in their home clubs.  The players, particularly the new rising stars, are happy to have a tour support their efforts, and showcase their talent.  This is obviously good for squash.

“Having the events linked together on a timeline, and not being too far apart in location, should make it much easier financially for the players travelling from further away. The new tour could grow to include a number of additional new smaller size events in 2010 that will provide great opportunities for the up-and-coming US players along with many others too.”

Leading US touring pro Gilly Lane also added his enthusiasm for the new initiative, saying:  “I am very excited for the upcoming Squash Design Tour. This series of events is great not only for the players but for the growth of squash in the US. 

“With new tournaments in Wisconsin and Pittsburgh, Squash is expanding to areas all across the country. These tournaments will draw some of the world’s best players and provide a great showcase for our sport in America.  I am looking forward to competing in these events and hope that it is a stepping stone for future US tours.”

SQUASH DESIGN TOUR: TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

            Madison Open                                           Madison, WI          Oct 20–25

            Goshen Open                                            Goshen, IN            Oct 25–31

            Pittsburgh Open                                        Pittsburgh, PA       Nov 04–08

            Baltimore Cup                                           Baltimore, MD        Nov 10–15

            Rhode Island Open                                    Newport, RI           Nov 18–22

            Fairmount Open                                       Philadelphia, PA      Dec 02–06

            Betty Griffin Memorial Florida State Open      Boca Raton, FL       Dec 08–13

One league, three systems

One league and three scoring systems. Sounds confusing, but that’s the situation in Vancouver as the new season starts.

The Vancouver Squash League will be feature PAR11 for Division One male players, PAR15 for Division One females, and traditional hand-in, hand-out to nine for all other competitors from Divisions Two to Eight.

We look forward to receiving some feedback from the VSL, who have posted the following notice on their website: “The above scoring systems will be in effect throughout the season and can only be discussed, changed or debated at the next AGM. We hope that you attend the next AGM to voice your opinion and vote on the direction that the league takes in future seasons.”

Darwish to dazzle in Jersey


THE world’s No 1 squash player, Egypt’s Karim Darwish, is primed to come to Jersey. According to squash development officer Nick Taylor he has already spoken to Darwish, who is supported by Head, a sports equipment company which also sponsors racquet ball and junior squash development in the Island.

Taylor said: “Head have a certain number of spots when Karim is expected to work for them and they’re happy to free up one of them for him to come to the Island. Our idea is to bring him, plus another three top professionals over to Jersey when the new squash courts have been built.

“The plans have been drawn up and we hope planning permission will be given by the start of the New Year. So, all being well, in a year’s time he’ll be over here. I’ve spoken to him already and he says he’s more than pleased to come across.”

Play squash on your phone

You can now play squash on your iPhone. News has filtered in from the launch of the first and only squash 3D sports game, titled Touch Squash: World Championship 09, exclusively for iPhone and iPod touch. The game is available worldwide on the Apple iTunes App Store.

Rohit Gupta, founder of Rolocule Studios and developer of Touch Squash, says: “Squash is facing a few challenges when it comes to entertaining non-squash players. Enjoying squash through the medium of interactive entertainment like video games is perfect, especially, when you can't go to play real squash, or when you are new to Squash and want to know about the sport.”

Their media release goes on: “Touch Squash puts the player in third-person perspective to play squash with artificially intelligent opponents of varying difficulties, both for the beginners and the expert squash players. It uses PARS scoring adopted by World Squash Federation (WSF) as the main scoring method, and provides the players with a variety of squash courts to choose from. The players can also participate in the squash world championship in the game featuring 24 countries, across all continents, in 4 tournaments.”

The statement adds: “Rolocule recently released Touch Squash v2.0 featuring AGON Online, a social platform for iPhone games. The players will be now able to compete worldwide, win awards at different stages in the game and publish their stories on popular social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.”

Available on the App Store, Touch Squash costs $0.99 and requires the iPhone 2.2.1 software update or later.

Source: http://uk.wireless.ign.com/articles/102/1026348p1.html

How squash star Maria overcame adversity

A fascinating story reached the ToT desk recently from Pakistan concerning Maria Toor Pakay, a young lady who, with the support and sacrifice of her family, has overcome phenomenal restrictions to become a national number one.

The article is by Reza Sayah of CNN
 
PESHAWAR, Pakistan (CNN) -- As a little girl, Maria Toor Pakay would beat up boys.

Now, she dispenses of anyone who takes her on within the walls of a squash court.

Pakay, 18, is Pakistan's No. 1-ranked women's squash player. But what makes her story remarkable is that she hails from the country's tribal region of South Waziristan.

The region, along the border with Afghanistan, is home to the Taliban. There, suicide attacks are a way of life. And the militants, bent on imposing a strict form of Islamic law, punish girls who attend school -- let alone play sports.

"They have no future," Pakay said. "They spend their entire lives in four walls in their home. Their ability is destroyed."

But Pakay wasn't like most girls growing up. She sported a buzz cut and mixed with the boys.

"If someone argued with me, I used to beat them up," she said. "I wanted them to obey me all the time."

Her father, Shams-ul-Qayum Wazir, knew early on that his daughter was different.

"I didn't want her talent to go to waste," he said. "If I would've kept her in the village, all she could do was housekeeping."  

So, Wazir packed up the family and moved to Peshawar, the capital of the North West Frontier Province.

Here, Pakay picked up the racket and swatted down the competition with ease -- first winning the Under-13 championship, then the Under-15, then the Under-17.

In squash, players take turns hitting a ball to the front wall of a court, until one misses.

Pakay, it turned out, rarely did.

"I thought nobody could beat me," she said. "From the beginning when I played squash, I thought I could be a world champion."

Today, despite the lack of a sponsor and few resources, Pakay has gone pro -- and is ranked 91st in the world.

Her father's sacrifice, she said, made her success possible.

"I think I have a great father -- so broad-minded," she said.

For his part, Wazir -- a teacher -- was more circumspect.

"I sacrificed because I want to promote a message of peace," he said. "If the tribal people pick up a racket instead of a gun, there would be peace."

Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2009/SPORT/09/21/pakistan.squash.champion/

 

24th September


click image for larger view
This week’s column is dedicated to kindness and giving, two essential ingredients that help the world go round with a smile. From Chicago to India and Namibia, it’s great to see individuals in squash setting such a fantastic example, starting at the top with world champion Ramy Ashour.

Ramy Ashour may have lost the final of the Aon US Open in Chicago to compatriot Amr Shabana, but he certainly won plenty of friends with his sportsmanship and transparent love of the game.

During the fifth game of his final battle with Shabana, Ashour was clawing back the points as his more experienced opponent seemed like he was powering to the title.

After one explosive rally, Ashour played a ball into the front left corner that the three officials saw good only for Shabana to complain furiously that the ball was down.

After much heated debate between Shabana and the referees, Ashour completely diffused the situation by calling his own shot down. It was an extraordinary act of sportsmanship because that put Shabana on match ball.

Although Ashour claimed one more point, Shabana duly finished off the job to secure his first US Open title.

That act of sportsmanship was not the only moment of generosity shown by the 21-year-old Ashour during his week in Chicago.

Following a sponsors’ reception a few miles away from the city centre, Ramy was being given a lift back to the tournament hotel by event official Jill Domke, with the PSA’s US official Gus Cook also on board.

Suddenly the car struck a large pothole and a tyre blew out. I’ll let Gus take up the story from here: “As it was around midnight, Jill wanted me to take Ramy back in a cab and not hang about, but Ramy was having none of it and so we changed the tyre together. 

“It took a while because we did not have any tools until a friendly neighbourhood cop stopped to see what was happening and lent us what we needed.

“All told it took over 30 minutes and we were both filthy by the end. It just goes to show what kind of guy he is, though, and I hope he stays that way.”

I can’t think of many world champions from other sports who would behave in such a humble and helpful manner, and long may it continue in our wonderful game. We may have lost the Olympic bid, but we can continue to set a shining example to other sports that do not enjoy the same levels of honesty and sportsmanship.

India: Noted coach Baj trains poor children

CHANDIGARH - Satinder Bajwa, an expatriate Punjabi, who is a squash coach, has set up an academy for the underprivileged children in Chandigarh to draw them to squash.

These underprivileged children never thought about playing squash. But, at the newly founded Squash Academy called ‘Mind, Body and Game Connection’, they learn how to play it.

Satinder Bajwa, who has been the manager and mentor of eight-times world squash champion Jansher Khan, has commenced this social business venture to promote the game here.

The Academy will nurture 30 children of ‘Khelshala’, a charitable trust, which serves underprivileged children through sports.

“Everybody wants to help his or her origins or the country that needs help. I am not a wealthy guy but I have something to give to kids in terms of a sport, so I thought how I give back to my country and I do a non-profit programme in the USA called Kids Squash and I thought may be its needed here in India and may be we can help kids through giving them something that they can use to help themselves,” said Satinder Bajwa, Founder of the MBG Connection Academy in Chandigarh.

“You can give somebody money, but money runs out. But if you give them something like this, maybe if they are good at it, they can become very good. If they are good students, maybe I can help to get them into some international university and few a years down the roads, we might see some results which may enable people to help themselves,” said Bajwa.

He says the objective of the Squash Academy is to highlight that through exercise and play one can achieve a healthy body and mind for a fuller life experience.

The Academy will offer members a comprehensive set of world-class facilities including top of the line gym equipment and two squash courts. Bajwa, who immigrated to the USA, is presently the chief squash coach at Harvard University. He felt the need to give back to his homeland something valuable.

Many people in Punjab believe that squash is a sport that has a future.

“The game is very nice. There is no age limit to play this game. It’s very enjoyable and there are no chances of injuries,” said Manjit Singh, a trainee.

“We were little apprehensive in the first couple of days how may kids would be interested but we have had an amazing turnout and its been tones and tones of response from the kids and everyday more and more kids want to come and play and its wonderful to see excitement and eagerness of all the kids in the village to come and play,” said Elizabeth Chaplin, a trainer from Massachusetts, US.

The MBG Connection and Khelshala are a lifetime dream of Bajwa, who also funded Kids Squash, a US-based non-profit organization that promotes well-being through sports for children of all backgrounds.

Khelshala will also have an educational component as well as it will aim to leverage sports to help kids attain scholarships to private schools.

Namibia: Reta Relishes Namibian Challenge
By Chris Buckland

Former women’s world number 29, Canadian Runa Reta, has moved to Windhoek and swapped her professional squash player’s lifestyle for a six-month placement with Unicef in Namibia.

She will take up a six-month post in the education and sports development
department, where she will work on a variety of Unicef and Namibian Premier
League (NPL) football initiatives helping to develop the women’s game in
this country.

However, the 28-year-old hasn’t left her passion for squash in Canada, as
she is keen to play and become involved in the grassroots squash development
programme established by the Namibian Squash Association.

National coach Tyc Kakehongo is delighted to point out that Reta’s presence
in Namibia is a major bonus. He said: “She has made it clear that she wants to get involved in all aspects of the game. I’m sure Namibian squash will benefit greatly from her being here.”

Reta brings a wealth of experience to Namibian squash. Not only is she the
current reigning Canadian Open champion, but she has also represented Canada
at junior and senior World Championships, as well as at the Pan-American
Games where she won a team gold, and at the Commonwealth Games, where she
finished ninth in the women’s event.

Having had a world ranking since 2001 and made the move to full-time
professional and then back to part-time professional, Reta is keen to use her Bachelor’s degree in International Relations and recently completed Masters in Political Science from McGill University to good effect during her time in Namibia.

She said: “I played as a pro for four years and travelled the world and really enjoyed
it, but there comes a time when you start to not enjoy what you do and
question it instead. There is more to life than squash and I wanted to do something more and I’m looking forward to the Unicef challenge.”

With the current Namibian number one woman player, Isabelle Schnoor,
recovering from a broken foot, Reta’s arrival in Windhoek is a timely fillip
for the game in general at all levels and Namibian squash will definitely
improve with her input.

Source: www.allafrica.com