By SHAMAOMA MUSONDA –
NKANA Squash Club will next month host a Junior Open tournament in Kitwe that will see well over 50 players from across the country competing for honours.
Club secretary Mwewa Kapata said the tournament would be among the biggest junior tournaments held in the country that would see the best in the business competing for honours.
“We just want to keep up with our tradition as Nkana Squash Club of promoting junior squash and we are again this year holding the Nkana Squash Open. Last year’s tournament was a big hit and we expect this year’s to be even bigger,” he said.
Nkana has been Zambia’s leading club in promoting junior squash with national champion Sharon Chimfwembe leading the way while the other players have dominated both at junior and senior levels.
Monica Chimese, the losing finalist during the ZSIC Midlands Open held two weeks ago, is expected to be the top seed as she aims to defend her title while slowly rising to the top of the Zambian squash pyramid.
Kapata said that invitations had been sent to all clubs in the country and hoped the projected 50 players would be surpassed this year since there was increased activity in squash.
He said that last year, Lusaka sent 12 players and that there should be more prospects this year, adding that more clubs outside the line of rail could take part in the prestigious event.
“We want to help grow squash in the country and while we go out looking for sponsors, we are also carrying the message that we have to equip the youngsters a lot. So in this tournament, we are going to give out as many requests as possible,” he said.
He called on the corporate world to come on board and help develop the sport by helping the Nkana Junior Open.