SIBU: It looks like a jolly good season for the development of squash in the state with more players joining the bandwagon hoping to make an impact in the sport.
DARING TO DREAM: Promising players posing with Lau (second left) after the prize giving ceremony of the Sarawak Schools Squash Championship U-18 category. Looking on from left are SMK Sacred Heart principal Stephen Tan and Lim Chun Len, Head of Resource Department of Sibu Education.
President of Sarawak Squash Association Robert Lau Hui Yew was all smiles when he talked about the increasing number of players taking up competitive squash these days.
“As the number of players increased, naturally standards also rise. This certainly augurs well for the development of squash in the state,” he said.
Lau revealed that there were so many good players that the association had to allocate which players to join which competition.
Among the many tournaments lined up, Lau highlighted the CIMB Rising Star National Junior Circuit, CIMB National Junior Circuit, Sarawak Circuit, the 9th National Junior Championship 2013 in July, the Milo All Star 2013 in May, Penang Junior Open in June, the 14th Ong Beng Hee/Nicol David Challenge Trophies 2013 in October and the BUFF Singapore Junior Open 2013 in December.
Lau added that it was unlike the older days when players had to be coaxed to take up the game, with some of them selected to play in most of the tournaments.
“We have the state, national and even international tournaments to keep the players busy all year round.
“That is one thing good in squash as this keeps the players from around the world in close contact,” he explained
Last year, he said that players who went to Singapore met new friends from Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan. In local competitions, they get to meet peers from different races.
“This is truly one sport that promotes the 1Malaysia spirit and promotes our Malaysian identity,” Lau observed.
He cited the example of Sarawak’s very own Sanya Singh Chal who used to play at state-level championships.
“He is the country’s top junior player now currently playing at the 16th Asian Junior team squash championship in South Korea,” he said.
“If you dare to dream big, yes, dreams do come true. Enjoy your game in squash and there is always a possibility that you will achieve your dreams,” Lau concluded.