Engen squash series resuscitated
Amanda Kagiso | Friday May 20, 2022 05:52
The first leg of the series was held earlier this year at the National Squash Centre, breaking a lengthy period of inactivity. The series will run for 12 months. The event has already attracted sponsorship from Engen Botswana and will include athletes from five to 16 years.
According to Alpha Squash Academy head coach, Koketso Ntshebe the series will be divided into three legs over four months and a final in each quarter.
"Each series will play three rounds in three months and a final on the last month, and then we start all over again until we finish the competition," Ntshebe said.
The series aims to generate interest in young players in a bid to keep the game alive, as well as help athletes, accumulate points for their rankings.
The second part of the series will see between 45 and 55 players participate while preparing for the Under-19 team that will play in the Inter-Provincial tournament scheduled for Cape Town next month.
The team consists of players such as Leungo Katse, Angel Otshabeng, Neo Phatsima, Peo Gosalamang, and Kakanyo Ntshebe. The players will be in action to improve their rankings before they leave for Cape Town.
Ntshebe also said some of the players made huge leaps in rankings in the previous event, which helped build players' confidence and resilience.
Kakanyo, Lisa Maseko, Beda Gaoalafale, and Annah Otshabeng are the country's top-ranked players.
For the players in the national team who will be going to Cape Town, the coach has mixed young and older players to give younger ones some experience in bigger tournaments to have familiarity long after the more senior players have left.