Fourth WSF Ambassador Programme Hailed As 'Inspirational' by Howard Harding 5 June 2014
- The latest WSF Ambassador Programme has "inspired" the impetus for
Squash in Papua New Guinea, said the PNG Squash President Edmond
Pereira at the end of the four-day visit to the capital Port Moresby
this week.
Malaysia's world No7
Low Wee Wern and Australian number one Cameron Pilley spearheaded the
World Squash Federation international promotional initiative devised to
highlight the appeal of Squash in countries where the sport is at a
developing stage. Launched three years ago, the programme was making
its first foray into the Oceania region.
Wee Wern and Pilley look forward to the first slice of a special cake made to celebrate their visit
As well as the two
leading players, the team also featured Australians Marc Forster and
Nathan Turnbull, who provided coaching and refereeing workshops,
respectively, and was led by WSF CEO Andrew Shelley.
The programme included
a press conference at the Airways Hotel, a visit to the PNG IOC HQ in
Port Moresby, plus a number of squash sessions at a variety of
locations which included training with members of the PNG national
squads, plus local school children and sponsors, as well as exhibition
matches between Pilley and Wee Wern.
Wee Wern makes a
presentation on behalf of the WSF to PNG Olympic Committee Secretary
General Auvita Rapilla, pictured with (L to R) Shelley, Pereira, Pilley
and IOC Press Officer Andrew Lepani
"The visit has been
excellent for us in terms of promoting the game," said PNG Squash
President Pereira. "It has inspired us to continue the development work
that we have started for the growth of the sport in the country and its
long term sustainability.
"Hopefully, in the future, we can produce some world class players in the sport.
"It's also been great
to see some of our former players coming back ¬- many now successful
businessmen in the region - and seeing what our new vision is, seeing
what we're doing to promote the game.
"We hope this visit
has given our supporters and people in government circles the chance to
see how we could learn from what has happened in other countries - for
instance Malaysia, where their success today can be traced back to 1991
and the development plans they put in motion after they won the rights
to host the 1998 Commonwealth Games, where squash made its debut. Wee
Wern is a product of that programme.
"Furthermore, the
experience our players have had in seeing Cameron and Wee Wern in
action, and also being on court with them, has been invaluable - giving
them the chance to see how much they need to improve their game.
"For the elite
players, the 2015 Pacific Games here in PNG is what we're targeting -
though we are also sending an eight-man squad to next month's
Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and two players to the 2015 Commonwealth
Youth Games in Samoa in 2015.
"What this WSF Ambassador visit has given us can only lead to a better development strategy in the future.
"I thank you for making the effort in coming across the world to promote this wonderful sport," Pereira concluded.
Cameron Pilley, who
was a finalist in the PNG International in both 2004 and 2005, was
delighted to make his debut as a WSF Ambassador: "It's been an honour
to represent squash on this WSF Ambassador Programme and help to spread
the word about our great game around some of the smaller countries.
"It's been 10 years
since I was last here - but the memories came flooding back," added the
31-year-old from New South Wales. "The people here are so great, really
friendly with great hospitality.
"Getting on court with
the kids - some of whom had obviously never seen squash before - was
really good. And some of them were absolute naturals, taking to it like
a duck to water!"
There are great
expectations of local player Linette Vai, a 15-year-old from Port
Moresby who recently moved to Penang in Malaysia where she is educated
at a local international school and trains with Wee Wern and her coach
Aaron Soyza.
"This has been a great
experience for all of us - we haven't seen play at this level here
before," said the teenager. "Both Cameron and Wee Wern are very strong.
"And the coaching and refereeing sessions with Marc and Nathan were also so helpful."
Low Wee Wern, a
three-time Asian Junior champion, was also celebrating her first time
on the WSF programme: "It's been a great experience. Playing with
youngsters like Linette so reminded me of when I grew up in Penang,
knowing nothing about squash in the early days and playing in
plaster-walled courts with no gallery!
"It was really good to
see kids from the Gordon International School on the first day, most of
whom had never been on a squash court before - then coming back on the
next day because they enjoyed it so much! They were so keen.
Girls from the Gordon
International School pictured with (L to R) Pilley, Wee Wern, Edmond
Pereira, Marc Forster and teacher Alex Rangrang
"Coming from Malaysia,
where we now have such a good national development system going, it was
quite an eye-opener to see the limited opportunities here, with few
courts, limited availability of rackets, etc.
During the visit, Malaysian High Commissioner Jilid Kuminding held a welcome reception in Wee Wern's honour.
"I was overwhelmed by
the reception I was given by the Malaysian community here too," added
23-year-old Low. "I knew the Embassy had arranged a meeting, but I
didn't expect about 30 Malaysians to join the High Commissioner himself
at a reception. It was like a mini-Wedding!
"And to have a send-off at the airport, too, as we left was just amazing!"
As a precursor to a
Commonwealth Games Federation-funded WSF Coaching workshop in Papua New
Guinea later in the year, Coaching and Refereeing workshops attracted
significant numbers.
"Being part of my
first promotional squash trip outside of Queensland was an amazing
experience," said WSF Referee Nathan Turnbull. "There were some very
keen referee prospects in PNG - and I will continue working with these
referees over the next 12 months to help get them accredited.
"The hospitality from
the whole squash community in PNG was amazing, seeing a new bunch of
juniors some of whom had never played before."
The WSF team pictured with participants and members of PNG Squash
Andrew Shelley summed
up the WSF response: "The WSF Ambassadors Programme is intended to
support the efforts of nations - but it really energises us too. You
cannot help but be impressed by the national development work and our
own desire to help is re-vitalised. PNG have done just that for us.
"We hope that the
national TV and general media attention the visit enabled, coupled with
governmental, business and squash community interest, will provide a
real leg-up to the Federation in PNG."
The WSF Ambassador
Programme first visited the Baltic country of Latvia in 2011, followed
in 2012 by a trip to the African countries of Malawi and Namibia,
before last year taking in Panama and Venezuela.
