The annual squash training camp hosted by Kingswood College was once again a huge success, with 24 of Grahamstown’s up-and-coming players taking part.
The annual squash training camp hosted by Kingswood College was once again a huge success, with 24 of Grahamstown’s up-and-coming players taking part.
These included a number of Grahamstown’s top squash players.
Organiser Ian Knott-Craig said seven Kingswood College players have the opportunity to compete for a South African Schools Top-10 placing this year.
The training camp, at the Kingswood squash courts from 9-11 January, was run by Eastern Province squash coach Alan Stapleton.
Knott-Craig said the camp was intended to prepare players for the new squash season.
He said it was his intention to grow the training camp in future years to include more players from various schools, and enlist support and coaching staff from other schools.
Knott-Craig said Grahamstown currently produces many Eastern Province squash players from U11 to U19 and it is the aim of the training camp to increase these numbers.
Stapleton coached two groups of players based on ability (elite players and beginners), focusing on the basics of squash and getting players to work on developing their ‘Middle Game’.
“The idea of planning and setting goals for this year was necessary as it appears that the players have a very busy squash schedule and need to manage their time effectively,” said Knott-Craig.
Kingswood old boy Matthew Tait, who has just recently graduated at Stellenbosch with a BSc Sport Science degree, took the players through fitness, agility and movement components of the course, as well as teaching them how to plan and develop a training schedule.
Parent Roger Bills, who is a Level 1 coach, was also on hand to help with running various sessions on the courts. The squash season starts on 31 January with seven Kingswood players being invited to participate in the EP Mini Trials. This allows the top four EP players to participate in the SA Schools Closed Tournament later in March.
This will be followed by the FNB Invitation team tournament (Boys’ first team) hosted by St Andrew's Schools in Bloemfontein during the first weekend of February. Individual players will also prepare themselves for the Bloemfontein Schools Open tournament to be held towards the end of February.
