PSF drops idea of US training ahead of World Juniors

KARACHI: The country’s squash authorities have apparently dropped the idea of sending juniors to the United States to prepare for World Juniors.

It has been learnt that a top official of Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) had come up with the idea of basing top juniors in the US for better preparations for World Juniors.

The prestigious event is scheduled in France next month from 9-20 and top juniors of the country: Hamza Khan and Noor Zaman are to participate in this event along with other players.

“The top official during his visit to the US a few months ago met with a former national player based there and discussed this idea of sending top juniors to the US for some time,” said a source.

The source added that all matters in this regard were discussed in detail between the official and the former player, who is a coach at a local US club, and the idea was all set to get formalised.

However, as per the source, this idea possibly faced resistance from local squash legends and in turn the federation had to drop this plan of sending players to the US.

It is worth adding here that sending players abroad for a plausible time period to prepare them for international events is not something new for national squash authorities.

In 2019, PSF sent six junior players to Egypt for training bearing heavy expenses.

At that time too, the local squash fraternity criticised PSF for sending players abroad despite having good academies and coaches in the country.

It all started back in 2012 when PSF decided to base three junior players – Danish Atlas Khan, Farhan Zaman and Nasir Iqbal – in the US to help them gain experience.

In this regard, legendary player Jahangir Khan and the then Senior Vice-President of PSF Razi Nawab went to the US in order to arrange funds for the plan.

But that failed as only Farhan Zaman agreed to go there and spent a few months there, hence proving the whole idea futile.

Article source: https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/975639-psf-drops-idea-of-us-training-ahead-of-world-juniors