FORM two student Habib Mwaita of Azania Secondary School, started playing squash last November.
This was a few months after his friend, Abubakar Abdul, had started learning the game himself and begun trying to persuade Habib to join him, on the Dar es Salaam Gymkhana Club Squash Section’s (DGCSS ) training programme.
Now Habib is happy for this new additional way he has to past-time and tells the ‘Sunday News’ he can see that he is making some progress.
He openly admits how he finds it amazing that now he is able to control the squash ball, as opposed to when he first started. Then he couldn’t even hit it, much less try and place it in any particular spot of the court.
These are the kind of things that he is learning now, together with building a stronger forearm. It is with a broad smile on his face that Habib tells the ‘Sunday News’ how he got into playing squash, after resisting the invitations for a number of months.
“I got inspired when my friends kept on asking me to join them. I could see there were some changes not only in their physical form and movements but also in their performance in class.
Now I can see that this even applies to me for I feel much fitter and have noticed my thinking capacity is much quicker when I’m in class,” Habib told the ‘Sunday News’ after Friday’s training session.
He actually comes all the way from the Chamazi outskirts of Dar es Salaam, which is off the Kilwa Road just after the Mbagala Rangi Tatu Bus Stop, to school then comes to squash.
This was the same journey he had to travel to participate in both of the first two Junior Bell (JBT) squash tournaments, at the club. These are held every second Sunday in the month.
Last month (May) Habib did not even reach the knockout rounds but this month he managed go beyond this point. Now he is training hard because in next month’s episode he wants to get even higher and to reach at least the quarter-finals.
However, for him to participate next month, he will have to be ready to handle some changes, which did not apply before.
In an earlier conversation with their coach, Marwa Busigara, who coordinates this youth training programme, it was learnt that the next JBT will be on the 12 of July, and is set to begin after 7:30pm.
It is expected that the Holy month of Ramadhan will begin at any time from this weekend, after sighting of the new moon. That being the case, the 12th will fall during that time.
This is why it was agreed by the youths and the section for the competition to be placed outside of the fasting hours. That is why it is being scheduled for after 7:30pm.
“All of the children, who are on this training programme agreed to have the tournament at this time, instead of not at all,” Busigara told the ‘Sunday News’ when asked for the reason behind the change.
Habib’s friend Abubakar, who was also present at Friday’s training session, confirmed to the ‘Sunday News’ that he was waiting for these competition with much expectations.
He was pleased to know that he was able to get his friend to join the programme and is very satisfied to see the kind of progress he is making.
He resides in Kigamboni, which he says is not that far from the club, so he does not envisage anything will stop him participating in the next JBT.
Concerning the children having to be returning home after ten o’clock on the night of the third JBT, Busigara said the section is thinking of making some arrangements for those living far away to be given temporary accommodation for the night.
They are pleased to see that the children are all eager to play so think this is the least they can do, as a club to accommodate them.
He told the ‘Sunday News’ that he is happy with the young players preparations for this next JBT. “As you know now that they are on holidays but a number of them have been so dedicated to coming, they have their remedial at school but once they have finished that they come to train.
They have been working on their weakest point, in accordance to what was displayed at the last JBT,” he said.
He further explained that they still have to work on improving combination together with the sharpness and quickness when getting to the ball and going back to the tee.
An elevation in their level of aggressiveness, Busigara also feels is necessary for them to play a better game.
The tricky part he says is getting the children to be more confident when playing in a competition. He can do his part by talking to them and giving them as much opportunities as possible to play with other players but in the end is left to them to meet the requirements.
With reference to attracting more girls into the training programme, he mentioned having an appointment with Kisutu Girls on the 14 of next month, which if positive will change that situation.
By IMAN MANI, Tanzania Daily News