James talks - missing out on Olympics in Beijing

Published: 15 Aug 2008 - 08:37 by rippa rit

Updated: 27 Aug 2008 - 08:40

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I can sympathise with James Willstrop while he is at his peak not being able to go for Gold, Bronze or Silver. Sure, the way squash is progressing with the IOC James might have a silver beard before squash gets in. Let's hope not for the sake of the sport.

It is true, when you sit for what seems like hours, and watch swimming heats, and yes the speed and times are unbelievable, you think squash is more athletic than this, save the syncronised diving. I cannot get excited watching heads bob up and down, and yes the cheering and screaming when the first place winner is announced blows your mind. Obviously the sports are not chosen on athletic abilities or number of competitors throughout the world, or squash would have to be included long ago. Maybe squash is not a gentleman's sport? Dunno. Then again it could be that some countries throughout the world would be embarrassed, and it would cost a lot in infrastructure to be involved in squash at this Olympic level of competition. Some would say that squash is too fast and they cannot follow it, but hey there are a lot of other sports that are hard to follow too unless you know the rules. Maybe if a game was over in a couple of minutes we would be a better show.

So, after I have rambled on, do we set up Olympic Squash, a knockout style of competition? The best shot or best rally wins the points?

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From rippa rit - 27 Aug 2008 - 08:38 - Updated: 27 Aug 2008 - 08:40

Beijing experience boosts Jahangir Khan's Olympic hopes for 2016.

Who can wait to 2016 for squash to be recognised as a top sport? Not me. Not our current bunch of pro players either.

There is a saying that goes something like this "if you keep doing what you do, you get what you got". If PSA get proactive, and I believe they are the people to make a difference, hopefully our sport will be out there proving itself to the world long before 2016. We do have the "goods" now let's look at how to "wrap" it up as a marketable item.

From rippa rit - 26 Aug 2008 - 20:09

The Olympic Dream - following my rush of blood about our sports coverage, the exposure of our tremendous skills to the public, the remuneration of our professional players, etc. I sent a couple of emails to WSF and PSA to see if I could be "heard" and was absolutely estatic that Richard Graham the new CEO of PSA related to my suggested formats, ideas, trials, etc. and I quote extracts from his email:

" I was mortified to see how some sports got covered at Beijing which are harder than squash in terms of capturing their essence on camera. Windsurfing and sailing.... almost incompehensible to a TV viewer to follow except for the "start/finish".

Some of what you mention in the email we are trying to implement in slightly different ways...

a) New formats - we're looking at a one-day event format ............. venues and broadcasters. ...........is worth doing - especially for new audiences who are not squash-friendly and would find it hard to sit through a let-ridden 5-setter.

b) Presentation - I inherited a promo-video.............................. I'm working on getting a new one prepared to my specifications, and when I do have that in hand I'll send you a copy. I've got some other stuff in the pipeline ...................................... more as a marketing tool.

c) Skills focus - I think there are some good ideas in what you suggest. I'll look at these in the same way that we are looking at ................................ package the sport in a more attractive way will be looked at, if we can do it well."

This is good news for squash and if, due to these initiatives and vision of PSA, we can get sponsors behind our sport by changing our event formats, and putting our skills in front of the public, wooooow !!!

From rippa rit - 22 Aug 2008 - 10:12 - Updated: 22 Aug 2008 - 10:39

I am still thinking about the Olympics, the public popularity, the sponsorship,the remuneration, the television, the sunsafe sport, and all of that - these rallies are top promotional material I believe. Imagine speciality routines that would incorporate nicks, volleys, corkscrews, etc. done to a time limit.

This would be the Olympic Nick Rally, maybe!!

What about an Olympic Volley Rally, maybe!!

What about Olympic Corners, maybe!!

What about the imagination of our members to take this a step further.

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