Squash pins hopes on youth

MANILA, Philippines - The Squash Rackets Association of the Philippines (SRAP) is stepping up efforts to prepare for the future by training outstanding teenagers with the sport expected to make its Olympic debut in 2016.

SRAP vice president Jovie Vilar said yesterday the thrust is to focus on the youth and with more international exposure, there’s no reason why the country’s top under-18 prospects can’t mature to become world-class.

“The future of our junior players looks very promising, especially among the girls,” said Vilar. “Myca Arebado, for instance, could give us our first gold in the Southeast Asian and Asian Games and may even qualify to represent the Philippines in the 2016 Olympics.”

Arebado, 15, recently topped the girls under-17 division in the third leg of the Milo Sports Excel circuit in Kuala Lumpur. It was the first squash championship for the Philippines since local resident Elaine Hinnegan-Stevenson won the women’s title at the 10th East Asian tournament in Manila in 1985 and the first by a Filipino since Fausto Preysler ruled the men’s division in 1977.

A third year student at Makati High School, Arebado trimmed Sherilyn Yang of Singapore, 7-11, 11-3, 11-3, 14-12, for the crown. The Taguig City teener earned the ticket to the finals by whipping Malaysia’s Adele Han, 11-5, 11-7, 11-5, T. Mithila, 9-11, 11-2, 11-6, 11-8 and Julia Cheah, 9-11, 12-10, 11-7, 11-5.

Arebado displayed remarkable composure by coming back from 0-1 deficits to win her last three games in four sets.

“Myca faced a very tall, lean and experienced opponent in the finals,” reported Vilar. “In her first finals of an international tournament, she was both nervous and excited.”

Arebado dropped the first set but regained her bearings to outhustle Yang, running after every drop, retrieving lobs and scoring with her patented drop boasts, cross court volleys and close-to-the-wall length shots.

Arebado’s teammate Ayssa Dalida took sixth place in the same bracket. Dalida, 16, beat Malaysia’s Goh Jing Sin, 11-4, 11-7, 11-2, but lost to Cheah, 8-11, 11-6, 11-10, 11-8 in the quarterfinals. In the losers plate, the University of Makati freshman from Pasay City swept Mithila, 11-7, 11-8, 11-6, then lost a five setter to Malaysia’s Michelle Wong.

Two Filipinos also competed in the third leg as David Pelino, 15, wound up 16th in the under-17 category and Reymark Begornia, 17, finished 16th in the under-19. Both teeners are sons of squash pros. Pelino’s father Frankie is employed at Nomads while Begornia’s father Arnel was once the country’s No. 2 player and now works at the Manila Polo Club.

The tournament featured players from Japan, Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines. Squash in Malaysia is enjoying a renaissance with the emergence of local girl Nicole David as the world’s No. 1 player.

Team manager Romy Dona said to contend for honors in the Southeast Asian or Asian Games, the juniors must continue to gain experience and confidence by campaigning overseas.

“We recommend more training,” said Dona in a report to SRAP president Romy Ribano. “The training program should be strictly enforced to improve on their court endurance with daily running or jogging, proper diet and more international competition.”

Vilar said squash’s inclusion in the Olympic calendar will surely trigger a reawakening of the sport in the country.

“If squash becomes an Olympic sport, we hope the SRAP will finally get the proper assistance from government and the private sector,” said Vilar. “Squash gives us a great opportunity to win a gold medal in the Olympics because it’s a sport where neither height nor brawn is required to excel. Speed, agility, tactical strength and desire are the major components in playing competitive squash.”

Vilar said local competition is shallow and the top junior players have run out of opposition.

“They need to pit themselves against the best international players on a regular basis,” continued Vilar. “Training abroad will help so that they can gain more knowledge of the latest trends in playing the game. It will also boost their confidence.”

Ribano said he will seek assistance from the PSC and private sponsors to send Arebado to Hong Kong in August for a tougher tournament.

The probability of squash making it to the 2016 Olympics is considered high as only a simple majority is required from the IOC Congress for recognition. In the voting for the 2012 Olympics, a 2.3 vote was required and squash fell short of the numbers but at least got the support of the majority. Now that the requirement is down to a simple majority, squash appears to be a cinch for 2016. The decision will be made during the IOC Congress in Copenhagen this October.