By Aderonke Ojo
The organisers of Squash Ex-Pros in the Diaspora Tournament say they are using the competition to promote grassroots development of squash to encourage young players to prioritise education alongside their sporting careers.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the seventh edition of the tournament holds from Aug. 12 to 15 at the Squash Courts of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.
The competition features boys and girls in the Under-11, Under-13 and Under-15 categories, with close to 100 young players from different parts of the country participating.
Speaking during the event with newsmen in Abuja, Comptroller Haniel Hadison, Vice-President of the Nigeria Squash Federation (NSF) and a former Nigerian number-one player, described the tournament as an important platform for nurturing the next generation of squash players.
Hadison said the competition was significant because it was initiated by former national players who pursued careers abroad, retired and decided to give back to the sport.
“This is a platform given to the younger ones, the next generation of squash. The event is adding great value to the grassroots development of the federation.
“In each of these tournaments, we have discovered many talented youngsters, and it is important for us to ensure that these children combine their studies with squash because they are very young.
“Classroom is primary, while squash is secondary,” he said.
Hadison said the NSF was focused on strengthening its grassroots structures and bridging the gap between young players and the national level.
“I urge participants to remain committed to their education while developing their sporting careers.
“I commend the sponsors and stakeholders for supporting the competition; their contributions will complement government efforts in sports development,” he said.
He described the squash facility at the National Stadium as being of international standard.
Hadison said the Abuja edition was significant as it marked the first time the tournament was being held in the northern part of the country after six previous editions in the South-West, particularly Lagos.
He said taking the tournament to Abuja would help expand the reach of squash and encourage participation from other parts of the country, adding that close to 100 children had registered across the different age categories.
The NSF official explained that the organisers would not offer cash prizes to the young participants but would provide squash kits, rackets, canvases and other sporting equipment, as the focus at the junior level should be on development and encouragement.
The Chairman of Squash Ex-Pros in the Diaspora, Friday Odeh, said the tournament was established by former Nigerian players abroad to give back to the sport and make squash more accessible to young people, particularly those from less privileged backgrounds.
Odeh, also a former Nigerian national player, said the organisers were pleased with the progress recorded over the past seven years, noting that many top players had emerged from the programme.
He said one of the major objectives was to encourage participation from states across the country, citing Kano as an example.
According to him, Kano had not participated in squash tournaments for about 20 years but returned to the competition this year.
“We want to bring every state in the country to play squash. Kids in every state should know what the game is all about. We just want to develop squash in every nook and cranny of Nigeria,” he said.
Odeh said the organisation was also targeting primary schools through the Under-11 category to encourage children to take up the sport early and develop the necessary skills and experience.
He added that the competition was a singles event with an open draw.
He further stressed the importance of education, saying academic development remained a priority for every young athlete.
“There is no education, there is no squash,” he said, adding that coaches were encouraged to monitor the academic performance of players alongside their sporting development.
Lanre Taiwo, a member of the Board of Trustees of Squash Ex-Pros in the Diaspora, said they deliberately took the tournament to Abuja to ensure that it did not remain a South-West affair.
“We had undertaken several grassroots initiatives, including campaigns for Under-19 boys and girls in Lagos and Abeokuta, we were considering taking next year’s edition to another town or state,” he said.
He said the tournament had continued in spite of the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and expressed optimism over the improving performance of Nigerian squash players internationally, particularly at the junior level.
“We will continue to support young players and expand its grassroots programmes across the country.
“The seventh edition will provide competitive experience, talent discovery and opportunities for the development of squash in Nigeria,” he said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)