Discovering and cultivating potential young successors is the key to sustainable sports development. On February 28th, the Sports Bureau and the Macau Squash Association cooperate for the first time to organize the “Squash Youth Academy Selection Day” which attracted nearly 50 teenagers aged 7 to 15 to register for enrollment. Going through several basic tests and evaluation, 29 teenagers were accepted by the Macao Squash Association and they will join a 9-month training program from March 19th to December 31st. General coach Lim Chee Ming commented, “We will try our best to cultivate new blood for the squad.” 

Expand the foundation for enrolling new blood

It is the first time for the Macao Squash Academy to organize open selection day to recruit young athletes. The coaches of Macao Team and several senior players of squash circle were present to conduct open tests for the participants and enroll qualified teenagers according to their performance. According to General coach Lim Chee Ming, “The Squash Association has planned for quite long to organize selection days. In the past few years, we keep hosting carnivals in communities and schools in order to promote and foster squash and enable people to know more about the sport. Training squads is an important part of the sustainable development of squash. We selected several potential young athletes through this selection. Along with the long-practiced “Youth Training Program”, hopefully we can expand the foundation of selection.”

To train athletes in two age groups

To the question of how to define qualified athletes among so many participants, Lim Chee Ming commented, “We have formulated a set of criteria according to the essence of the sport itself, including testing the participants' skills, reflexes and physical fitness when they hit or catch the ball.” The Selection Day is for students in two age groups: 7 to 11 and 12 to 15. Wong Pok Wang, who was enrolled to the elementary “junior team” said, “My parents registered for me and accompanied me for the tests. It is my first experience with squash and I found this sport very interesting. The moment when I hit the ball was especially exciting. I hope I will be even more interested in squash after receiving the training.”  

Both boys and girls like it

There are girls among the participants on the selection day. Chio Ka Hei, who was enrolled to the “senior team” said, “I have tried playing squash before and it was quite nice. My father suggested me try more activities so I took the challenge as an opportunity to learn. I was not used to the tests at the beginning and started to acquire some skills afterwards. This sport is very exciting as it requires quick reacting ability.”