Growing enthusiasm for squash in Kerala

Kerala squash players pose for a picture

Squash is slowly but surely gaining ground in Kerala. It was at the National Games last year that squash made an official appearance in the State all thanks to the Kerala Police which approved a separate complex within its own Chandrasekhara Nair Stadium exclusively for squash. This is welcome news for squash enthusiasts.

Always known to encourage sports in general in Kerala, the Kerala Police’s involvement in developing and giving squash an impetus in the state augurs well for the sport. The latest information from the Kerala capital is that first batch of 32 players had come out of a special camp organized at this Police facility.

At a function organized in this connection, the State’s ADGP (Crime), Mr Ananthakrishnan IPS was the chief guest and Mr Manoj Abraham, IPS and IGP South presided. Parents and the participants attended this function which had a fair play in both visual and print media.

What is encouraging is that 18 players out of this first batch have expressed willingness to continue training along with the 22 who have joined in the second batch. The camp has been organized with the patronage of the Kerala Police.

Mr Anish Mathew, Secretary of the State Association, is confident that with the national championship, to be held in Thiruvananthapuram early next month, there would be more enquiries and the number of trainees in the camp would go up. He said the State Association had planned to organize similar camps soon in Kochi.

The start has been made for squash to grow in Kerala and indications are there will be a rich harvest.