Egberipou Craves Improved Squash Facilities
A board member of Nigeria Squash Federation, Wilson Egberipou has advocated improved facilities and provision of more Courts in order to move the game forward in the country.
Speaking at the just concluded Ex Squash Pros In Diaspora National Junior Squash Championship, he said that construction of more squash courts and improved facilities will help in the discovery of talented players that abound in many states of the country just as he commended the organisers of the tournament for their consistency in holding the championship.
According to him, what is needed to further develop the racket game in the country, is consistency, good training facilities and good coaches, positing that various state governments and corporate organizations, have a role to play in this direction.
” There’s no denying the fact that lack of good facilities is affecting the development of squash in the country. It will interest you to know that many states do not have a single Squash Court and even those that have, the Courts are in a state of disrepair.
” What this means is that when you don’t have functional Courts, the kids will not have anywhere to train thereby affecting the growth of the sport.
Egberipou was however happy that Kwara and Bayelsa States are now taking the provision of squash facilities seriouus, urging other states to emulate them.
” I’m happy with states like Kwara and Bayelsa for what they are doing to develop the sport. Kwara State is already building facilities while Bayelsa have two glass Courts that would soon be ready for commissioning which is highly commendable because when you have good facilities in an area, there’s the likelihood that you’re going to have players coming out from that zone or region.
“You know that the more we have good facilities, the more youths will play squash and by so doing, they will be taken off the streets and crime and be engaged meaningfully”, he stressed.
He emphasized on the importance of the various state governments and corporate organizations to partner with the Federation so that the game can be moved forward; saying that once this is done, a lot of talented players will be discovered and nurtured to become future champions.
” I have said it on many occasions that there’s need for the various state governments and corporate organizations to partner the Squash Federation to move the game forward. This is how it’s done in other climes and Nigeria should not be an exemption”, he concluded.
