PSA to organise Punjab Open Junior Squash C’ship from 23rd

LAHORE: Punjab Squash Association (PSA) will organise Punjab Open Junior Squash Championship at PSA Complex from March 23, 2021; this was stated by President, Punjab Squash Association (PSA), Noor ul Amin Mengal here on Saturday.

Noor ul Amin Mengal, who is also the Secretary, Punjab Local Government, informed that around 150 young players will be in action in U-13, U-15, U-17 and U-18 age groups competitions in the newly-introduced tournament. “We are quite upbeat that this tournament will help a lot in spotting new squash talent as presently we are short of talented junior players,” he said. Punjab Squash Association, as per the directions of its newly-elected President Noor ul Amin Mengal, has unveiled an ambitious activity plan for the revival of squash in the province with special emphasis on holding junior tournaments to identify new talent to fill the void.

“It is need of hour to focus on unearthing new talent and to train it under a long-term programme and it is only possible when we are holding junior level tournaments on a regular basis across the province,” he told.

The hectic activity programme was approved at a recently-held special executive committee meeting of PSA which was presided over by the President PSA and was also attended by Secretary, PSA, M Mansoor and Senior Vice President, Sohail Khan and representatives of all the affiliated zones of the body.

PSA Chief, himself a former U-14 and U-16 national squash champion in his youth days, called upon the participants of the meeting to organise junior level squash events with the help of PSA after every three months in their respective zones. “We will hold junior level tournaments after every three months at PSA as well as in other parts of the province. Not only this but we will be maintaining a database of all the talented players of the province and finally they will be invited to attend a training camp at Lahore”.Mengal along with the members of the executive committee went around the PSA Complex and expressed his displeasure on the poor conditions of the entire complex, with wooden floors being bumpy and wooden parts of courts broken at some places. The main championship court and hall were also presenting a poor look without proper maintenance, white wash, broken seats of spectators and unhygienic conditions of changing rooms and bathrooms. “The previous authorities of PSA did not pay any attention to the maintenance of this international facility which hosted a number of elite international tournaments in the past and the back wall glass courts and courts for beginners are in pathetic condition and the entire complex seems a worn out squash facility,” he said.