CHENNAI: A flaky cluster of islands and mainland spanning 426 square miles and a populace of only seven million, Hong Kong has five players in the Women’s International Squash Players Association (WISPA) top 50.
So methodical is Hong Kong’s squash programmes that even the modestly talented racqueters are groomed into quality players.
Not that they have any “opium-induced” magic potion that renders the ordinary into extraordinary, but a systemised, pyramid-like structure that saps the best out of given resources.
Explained Hong Kong’s high-profile coach Tony Choi: “The system was chalked out in 1 9 9 0 wh e n squash was included among the 12 focus sports. Most schools in Hong Kong have the mini squash programmes for children between 6 and 10.
They graduate to district academies, from where they progress to the five regional academies. The best of them, called ‘elite’, are then drafted into the national sports school. Besides, there are a lot of training programmes, coaches’ clinic and exchange training programmes.” A modest player himself, having scaled a career best of 78, Choi was associated with the programme as the director of coaching since 1993, after he retired from professional squash. Though his coaching experience was then negligible, he soon established his credence as a shrewd and resourceful mentor to players from Rebecca Chiu to Annie Au.
But his philosophy of coaching is simple. “When I coach my players, I try and see them as different individuals and work towards their specificity. Training athletes is a question of mixing different elements, and once again, being aware of each player’s strength. You’ve got to define priorities,” he said.
Choi’s method of mentoring is specifically individual specific. “For example, if you take Rebecca Chiu’s body, she doesn’t have a European type of body. She is much smaller and cannot hit the ball as hard as some Europeans. So we try to adapt to what she can do, and develop her own style, a ‘Hong Kong’ style,” he said.
While world number 15 Rebecca Chiu is reckoned the pioneer of Hong Kong squash, youngsters like Annie Au (WISPA 22) Christina Mak (38), Elise Ng (43) and Joey Chan (47) have treaded her footsteps with conviction.
“Every sports needs is heroes, and Rebecca captured the nation’s imagination by winning gold in the 2002 Asian Games. Resultantly, more people pursued the game and Hong Kong is a power to reckon with in squash. That said, there is still a long way to go and we have to win medals in mega events like the World Championships,” Choi said.
Contrastingly, Dick Lau (83) is the only Hong Kong player in the PSA top 100.
“Wait for Leo Au to evolve,” warns Choi.
