Squash: great for fitness but needs proper funding

05 Jan, 2018 - 00:01 0 Views
Squash: great for fitness but needs proper funding Squash provides a full body workout from arms, wrists, feet and even mental agility, can burn the calories and strengthen heart muscles thereby reducing the risks of a heart attack

eBusiness Weekly

Chipo Sabeta
According to Forbes Magazine, squash is the healthiest sport mainly because it is one of the few sports, which provides a full body workout. From the arms, wrists, feet and even mental agility, can burn the calories and strengthen heart muscles thereby reducing the risks of a heart attack. It also has one of the lowest injury risks. But overall it is also considered a very boring sport. It is played by most executives in the country but only for their fitness regime.

It’s probably lost on the youth and students and except for the squash community nobody knows it and nobody cares!

Business Weekly caught up with Zimbabwe Squash Association ZSA president, Lucky Mlilo who says that the lack of funding from both the corporate world and Government has hampered the growth of the sport. While any form of sports currently enjoys high levels of investment in many advanced capitalist countries, this was not the case in Zimbabwe. ZSA has failed to finance the national teams for World Championships over the past three years.

“We have failed to register at the senior World Championship due to lack of funds in the last three years.  We don’t receive any Government backing financially and we have been operating from personal pockets and a hand from a few companies. Safeguard is our biggest sponsor and they fork out $5 000 for an annual tournament. The previous minister of Sport Makhosini Hlongwane had promised us financial assistance at the beginning of 2018 but I don’t know if the new Government will honour us,” he said.

Mlilo added: “That’s why at times we have struggled to organise tournaments at all levels. The attention squash gets is different from football, cricket among other highly rated sport disciplines.

“We have to be organised and mobilise ourselves to stage tournaments while individuals have to sponsor themselves. While he admitted the association has been marginalised Mlilo said there is need to explore alternative sources of funding such as sponsorships, aggressive fund-raising activities and other methods to meet international standards.”

Belgravia Sports Club is one of the few facilities with professionally built and well-maintained squash courts in Zimbabwe. Manager, Douglas Nzvengwe said: “We have six squash courts here and they are well maintained. It is a sport known for the most energetic high intensity workouts. But squash is also fun and social.

“Most of our clients are company executives who play squash after work. It’s very busy after working hours. Squash is a brutal sport. You have to be extremely quick to get to the ball but you also have to have great endurance and recovery.

In trying to maintain consistency and reaching out to young players, Dzvengwe said the club is offering free services to the less privileged children.

“We are trying to involve the community by allowing less privileged children to use our facilities for free. They come here every week. I understand that St John is one of the schools with squash courts and the majority of Zimbabwean children do not have the opportunity to play.”

With most national sporting associations operating from a zero budget the new Sports and Recreation Minister Raymond Kazembe is expected to play a big role ahead of the new season. Kazembe said one of his major priorities would be to upgrade small sport.

“Yes, small sports are priority and these are some of the issues to be highlighted in my report to the President soon.”

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