Delhi Squash Grudge Cup 09 - Registration details

Delhi Squash Grudge Cup 09 is being held on the occasion of World Squash Day - 23 May 09:

Venue: DDA Sports Complex, Saket
Date: Saturday 23 May 09
Time: 9am to 2.30pm....followed by Prize distribution, soft drinks and lunch

Kindly note the following:

• Register Online here. Also, send us an email with your details at office@squash-northindia.org
• 2 Teams shall compete for the Grudge Cup 09, lead by:

1. Lalit Advani's DELHI SQUASHOMANIACS, and
2. Arjun Khanna's DELHI UNSQUASHABLES

• Each team to have a max of 30 players each (on a first-cum first-serve basis), with 25 playing and 5 as reserves. Children from each team will get preference with regard to playing matches. Time permitting, reserves too shall play
• Team composition: each team must have 1 girl U13, 1 boy U13, 2 G U17, 2 B U17 and the rest can be a mix of any age or sex
  
• Entry fee of Rs 300/ for every participant. This includes those who are part of the 30 member 2 teams as well as those parents who wish well for squash and are there to support the entire cause. All registrations come with a t-shirt each, soft-drinks and lunch. Receipts for all payments shall be issued - these will entitle all contributors to 50% tax exemptions u/s 80G of the IT Act
  
• All matches to be handicapped, with a Handicap Committee deciding on the level of handicap to be kept for a given match. This shall be decided on the caliber of the 2 players, in such a way that a sporting duel ensues and all come out as winners!!
• Appointed Referees to have the final say. We request all to co-operate in true sportsman spirit.
• All team members are expected to stay on till the luncheon and prize distribution. Any absence shall be construed as exhibiting laxity and casualness on part of the player/team. Organisers reserve the right to decide appropriate course of action if such a situation arises.
• The event is a FUN & EXCITING way of sending a strong message across to the Olympic Movement....."Its time Squash got its due on the Olympic 2016 arena by inclusion as a competitive sport!!" Therefore, we request one and all to arrive and participate in the SPIRIT OF A CAUSE!!
• Organisers reserve the right to alter or modify the Grudge Cup format in the interest of fulfilling the objectives of the event. If this were to happen, all participants will be fairly and transparently informed about this before the very first match gets underway on the day.
  

See you all on 23 May 09 at 9am at DDA Saket Sports Complex, N Delhi.....in the hope that nobody returns home that day with a grudge...!!

Breaking News!! Delhi gears up to celebrate World Squash Day - 23 May 09

Its time to get our acts together - The Grudge Cup 09 returns to the Delhi Squash circuit after 3 years. Details as follows:

Venue: DDA Sports Complex, Saket
Date: Saturday 23 May 09
Time: 9am to 2.30pm....followed by Prize distribution, soft drinks and lunch

Watch this space for details on Registration!!!!!!!!

Exercising in Summers - tips for players

The summer is a great season for getting in shape, whether by playing a sport, an aerobic exercise routine, or just returning to that familiar running path -- this is the time for activity.

The coach has a responsibility for the present and future of the children entrusted to him/her beyond the purely athletic task. That is to make certain that the child does not get injured or fall ill.

Play It Safe in the Heat

• Schedule regular fluid breaks during practice and games. Kids need to drink preferably water, every 20 minutes, and more after playing.
• Prehydrate (drink water before you workout and start loosing it.)
• Have your child wear light-colored, “breathable” clothing.
• Use misting sprays on the body to keep cool.
• Know the signs of heat-related problems, including confusion; dilated pupils; dizziness; fainting; headache; heavy perspiration; nausea; pale and moist or hot, dry skin; weak pulse; and weakness. If your child experiences any combination of these symptoms or doesn't seem quite right, seek medical attention immediately.

Warming up before physical exertion will help people get the most out of their physical activity without muscle strains. In fact, people frequently perform better in their sport when they start with dynamic warm up exercises. Starting with static stretches when you are not warmed up can actually do more harm than good.

Cooling down with light jogging followed by static stretching will make sure that you can perform the next day as it helps in recovery of the muscles.

Try to maintain an even body temperature. After your workout you should not take an extremely hot or cold shower, or a sauna bath, as these can increase the workload on your heart.

If you have to exercise outdoors, take advantage of the coolest times of day -- the early morning and evening hours.

Wearing sunscreen will decrease your body's ability to cool itself off.

Taking time to exercise is taking time for your self. Enjoy it -- smile, breathe deeply and clear your mind.

The rules and duration of games should be changed to the age of the participants while the training sessions should be relatively short and well-planned.

Adult supervision is the most important safety factor in training.

Children will gain strength, but muscle size will not increase until after puberty.

A good program emphasizes proper form and technique rather than competition.

Dr Bharatinder Singh

Sports Medicine Physician

Convener, Health Services CWG 2010

Member Medical Commission of World Squash Federation

Member Medical & Anti Doping Commission Indian Olympic Association

Upcoming Squash Events & Tournaments

• National Games Dhanbad 1st June to 14th June

• Otter Club Open Mumbai 29th June to 5th July

• Atco Junior Open Egypt 26th June to 29th June

• Pioneer Junior Open 3rd July to 6th July

• Dutch Junior Open 9th July to 12th July

• World Game Kaoshiung 21st July to 24th July

• 15th World Junior Men’s Individual and World Junior Women’s Squash Championship 29th July to 8th Aug Chennai

• U.P State Open Senior and Junior TBC

• Pune Open Senior and Junior 12th Aug to 16th Aug

• 16th Aug to 20th Aug National Champioship (Men’s,Women’s,Prof,Master)

• 20th Aug to 24th Aug Inter-State Squash Championship at Delhi

Squash for Olympics!!

Dear Friends,

The Annual World Squash Day has been re-branded by the WSF as Squash 2016 Day. It takes place on May 23rd 2009 and it is part of a worldwide bid tosupport squash's bid for inclusion in the 2016 Olympic Programme. Let us in India join the worldwide celebrations and celebrate World SquashDay. You may conduct any activity at your club / school making it a fantastic, fun filled day of squash and other recreational activities. Encourage your friends who are keen to know about this sport to come and be part of this squash festival and make the event a truly memorable one.

I attach a pic of the T-shirt which could be made and sold. The proceeds will go to World Squash. Your event will also be publicised and will be up on the World Squash website.

Lets all be part of getting Squash into the Olympics !!

Regards

Cyrus

National Squash Coach

Delhi Open 09 - Final Results

Click to download

UP State Ranking Tournament 09 held at the legendary Mayo Hall Sports Squash Complex, Allahabad

Its a little over 5am....Prayagraj Express train on way to Delhi from Allahabad. I cannot sleep further as the excitement is palpable. Its been 3 heady, nostalgic days at Allahabad. I was re-visiting my College time city after 18 long years....and that too for Squash!! The legendary Amitabh Bhachchan Mayo Sports Complex was hosting the UP State Ranking Squash Tournament 09. This Complex has produced great sportsmen for the country....Abhinn Shyam Gupta, former India No.1 badminton champion being one of them. The Squash Courts here, built during my college days after a lot of us students won over the Directorate of Sports, UP Government, have been the Mecca of Squash coaches for our country for sometime now. Dilip Tripathy, an ASF Level 2 Coach, one of the highest level trainers in India along with Hari Om Tripathy, currently coaching at the premiere ICL Squash Academy, Chennai are both products of the Mayo Squash Courts. Dilip had also trained the current Indian National Men's Squash Champion Sourav Ghoshal while he was a junior. Sourav is also an Arjuna awardee.


So, in many ways the Mayo Courts have been critical to the growth of Indian Squash. And now they were hosting this ranking tournament, in association with Directorate of Sports, UP Government, UPSRA & SRFI after many many years.

The Organizers....the Allahabad Squash Rackets Association did a fantastic job. There were about 60 odd entries for various boys/mens categories:

1. Over 35
2. Under 15
3. Under 17
4. Under 19, and
5. Men's Open

The event was well managed and executed by the Allahabad Squash Rackets Association and time schedules were adhered to by one and all. T-Shirts were sponsored by the Krishna Virendra Trust.

Sandeep Yadav, a local boy, came out as the most valuable player..winning both the Men's Open as well as the Boys Under 19 events.

A Delhi based NGO....REACHA, that works closely with the DDA for Squash Development in Delhi & North India...has decided to provide a years squash kit sponsorship for Sandeep worth Rs. 20,000 as part of its Sports Development Programme. This kit is being couriered to the Allahabad Squash Rackets Association within the next week.

Keen sponsors are being explored to further develop Squash in UP. These sponsorships would be based purely on merit & performance. A number of businesses in Allahabad have already started talking with the local association to sponsor & support players like Sandeep (he was recently sent to Dilip Tripathy for a 15 day coaching stint in Kolkata by the Allahabad Squash Rackets Association).

For a change this event was widely covered by the local media - Times of India, Dainik Jagran, Amar Ujala, Hindustan, Sahara Samay etc. Snaps and media clips will be uploaded here within the next few days.

Squash needs a lot more of such synergies to become a popular sport of the masses!!

Signing off!

Squash4schools: Demo at DDA Siri Fort Sports Complex, N Delhi

About 80 school kids had their first look at the game on 15 April 09. And they sure enjoyed it. Each was given a chance to hit the ball, get a feel of the racket and run around in the court. Since most had their black school shoes on they had to get on-court in their socks!!

This was a 90 minute demo session with one school. More of this will be attempted all over Delhi in the coming days leading upto summer vacations 09.

These demo's have shown that kids love the game. However, the following are the stumbling blocks to popularizing Squash and making it a sport of the masses:

• Very few schools in India have squash courts....leading to low recall value in kids
  
• In the absence of long term sponsors parents find the game expensive...especially in terms of getting motivated to finance their child's love for the game over a period of time
• DDA Complexes provide a great option. However, the security issue of children gets in the way. Not many parents want their kids to move out of the school boundary too often...even under proper supervision
• Low visibility in the media. Sadly, the tag of being the Healthiest Sport as indicated by the Forbes magazine has not been utilized to the full by various squash associations to reach schools and parents. This needs to be taken up on a war footing.
  

Inspite of all these factors lovers of the game need to keep at it. Parents who themselves play the game and those whose kids play it well and often, need to volunteer to do their bit.

It is in everybody's interest to popularize this amazing game. Not only is it good for mind & body, it is one sport that can easily plug-in into an individuals life-style...thereby ensuring sustainability, fitness and good health right through ones life span.

Taking Squash to School's

Squash lovers know how good this game is...in terms of giving one total mind-body exercise in minimum time.

Taking the game to schools is critical for it to become a mass sport. April 09 onwards we will be in direct conversation with a number of schools in Delhi, Dehradun, Mussoorie, Lucknow, Allahabad, Amritsar, Faridabad, Noida, Ghaziabad etc to try and get school kids to visit nearby sports complexes - DDA venues in Delhi, Sports Complexes in other cities & courts within school campuses wherever present - so that we may introduce this great game to children. Keen sponsors are being explored so that parents may be subsidised and children get to 'see & feel' the game without too much burden.

It has now been scientifically proved that children who play regular organised sports also do better in science & math in school. Parents are requested to explore if Squash is their child's 'cup of tea' since this game can very easily become a lifestyle sport for children. As these kids grow up they will become part of the world where 'sports time' is the first casualty. Squash fits the bill rather well...in minimum time one gets total exercise - mind & body. Do check out the Forbes Magazine link that showcases why this game is the Healthiest Sport in the world today.

Interested parents can mail us. We will be more than pleased to assist their child to explore the amazing world of squash!!

Message Brief from World Squash Federation: Olympic Bid 2016

This summarises the messages that Squash must communicate to the IOC. There are
only seven but we must communicate them every chance we get, through media
interviews, lobbying, our presence at events and exhibitions and in our final presentation
to the IOC in Lausanne in June.

If we communicate them consistently, frequently and clearly, we will get them across to
everyone that needs to know them and we will have a better chance of being elected into
the 2016 Olympic Games as a result.

Squash is the world’s healthiest, most exciting sport
Forbes Magazine concluded that squash was the world’s healthiest sport after a survey in 2006. Squash doesn’t take very long to play but players burn lots of calories while playing, so it’s great for young people today who want to get fit in the shortest possible time. At the elite level, squash is extremely athletic and exciting to watch, live and on TV.

Squash is a popular, accessible sport, played the world over
Squash is played in 175 countries by over 20 million people. Every continent contains recreational players and professionals. It is played by men and women, young and old. It’s easy to get started and the cost of equipment is low. There are courts all over the world and it’s easy to just turn up and have a game.

The game is well organised to take advantage of inclusion in the Olympic Games
The World Squash Federation (WSF) manages World Championships and these are fully integrated into the two world professional tours organised by the Professional Squash Association (PSA) and the Women’s International Squash Players’ Association (WISPA).

An Olympic Medal will be the sport’s highest honour
Every player agrees that the Olympic Games would take the sport to a different level and the Olympic Champion of Squash is a title that every player wants.

Squash’s top athletes will definitely compete
The world’s top men and women have all signed a pledge that they would compete in the Olympics. They will be supported in doing so by the WSF and their National Federations.

Squash can take the Olympic Games into new markets
Squash has world class athletes from countries that do not traditionally produce Olympians. Including squash in the Olympic Games will boost awareness of the Olympic Movement in these countries, and will allow new and different countries to win medals.

The impact of squash on the Olympic Games will be high, the cost low
Squash is a portable sport: a court requires minimal space and can be erected anywhere. Squash
tournaments have been held in many iconic locations around the world, attracting players and non-players to the sport. This makes squash an ideal sport for showcasing the host city.
The WSF has offered to donate the two portable courts needed for Olympic competition to the host city.

The WSF will use local squash clubs in the host city for training and practice, so squash can be staged without any investment in permanent facilities or infrastructure.