Ex-national squash coach: Where are the players gone?

SQUASH in TT needs a revival, says former national squash player and coach, Roger Salandy, whose Isquash Academy will commemorate World Squash Day, tomorrow, with a series of exhibition matches and squash-related activities.

Salandy, who opened the small squash facility (owned by Bmobile), located on Abercromby St, Port of Spain, in January, will feature in one of the exhibition matches against either his son, Chad Salandy, a seven-time former national junior age group champion or his opponent, Christopher Anthony, a five-time former age group champion.

There will be other matches featuring the academy’s more experienced players.

“It’s to highlight World Squad Day and to encourage increased participation in the sport,” said Salandy (Roger), lamenting the considerable drop in player recruitment in recent years, which he attributed partly to a lack of facilities and ineffective or insufficient programmes to promote the game.

“Without a doubt, you’ve had a decrease in the number of squash players (within the last ten years) and adding salt to the wound, the quality of players has also gone down.”

To be fair to the players, Salandy said, opportunities for them to develop their skills are scant. “We’re just trying to do what we can at Isquash, which is only academy in the country,” Salandy said, adding that apart from more squash academies and schools, new courts are desperately needed across the country. The exhibition series is being hosted for Isquash Academy members only as the court was not designed to seat spectators.

The academy has an arrangement with the property owner, Bmobile, to use the facility rent free. There is no charge to join, while there are coaching services also offered by the academy.

“The court itself is a solid back wall, not a glass back,” said Salandy.

“That’s the reason why we are using the fun tournament as a half-court. We’re going to be using the front half of the court, and the back half is where we’ll (watch from).”

He is encouraging both novice and experienced players to register with the academy, which they can do through its social media platforms by searching for isquashacademytt.

Salandy, whose family is well known within the squash circles, has played the sport for over 30 years. He said up until about a decade ago, there was an enthusiasm surrounding the sport, which has since dwindled.

“We (coaches and players) can only do so much. It’s up to the administrators to do their part.”

The academy now trains 30 participants and is targeting more players from primary and secondary schools, emphasising on marketing, recruitment, and development, all areas where the TT Squash Association is lacking, he said.

With his academy growing and optimism of its continued trend, Salandy said he intends to acquire another court to meet the demand next year.