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Childrens Health Week
at Bermuda Masters |
by Roger Sherratt |
Encouraging young children to follow a healthy lifestyle was the
focus of an innovative Childrens Health Week programme created the
Bermuda Squash Rackets Association (BSRA) during this year's
Virtual Spectator Bermuda Masters.
Our programme was sparked by an article in Forbes magazine
naming squash as the No. 1 Healthiest Sport.
The first part of the programme was kindly sponsored by Montpelier
Re who provided several hundred tickets to children interested in
watching the worlds top players competing in the Bermuda Masters.
Youngsters were also able to participate in a coaching clinic given
by Dan Jenson, Simon Parke and Anthony Ricketts,
while one lucky young lad was awarded a one year scholarship
providing him with free racket and kit, free membership to the BSRA
along with enrollment in the junior squash programme, and free
weekly lessons from the club pro.
All too often girls can easily be left out of junior squash
programmes, but we were also able to organize a special Girls Day
event generously sponsored by PartnerRe (sic). PartnerRe donated
free tickets for girls to attend the Finals Day, and even paid to
have Shelley Kitchen fly to the Island to give a coaching
clinic for girls where they asked about her training schedule and
how to lead a healthy lifestyle.
Shelley was supposed to play Vicky Botwright in an exhibition match.
This was the only hiccup in an exceptionally well organized
tournament because Vicky was due to fly to Bermuda as soon as she
was knocked out of the Texas Open WISPA tournament but she managed
to reach the semi-finals and was unable to get to Bermuda in time,
much to the disappointment of lots of male squash fans! However this
meant that some of the Bermuda girls got the opportunity to play
against Shelley on the glass court.
PartnerRe also kindly sponsored a free one year scholarship to a
lucky young lady who was delighted to receive a free racket and kit,
free weekly coaching sessions, club membership and enrollment in the
junior squash programme.
It is quite amazing that an Island the size of Bermuda with a
population of only 58,000 people, can compete on the world stage and
host the second largest squash event of the year. The PSA Bermuda
Masters is being held for two years on this tiny semi-tropical
paradise Island, and Bermuda will then host the PSA World Open in
2007, as part of the biggest agreement ever signed by the PSA.
The BSRA is firmly committed to encouraging more young Bermudians to
play squash, and with innovative programmes such as Childrens Health
Week our junior squash programme will continue to thrive. As one of
the smallest Islands in the Caribbean region we are proud to
currently hold both the Caribbean Mens singles and Mens doubles
titles, and to have two graduates of our junior programme ranked 68
and 116 in the PSA world standings.
Now watch out for our women!
Roger Sherratt
Roger is Press Officer for the Bermuda SRA |
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