PAF coaches impart training to 24 players

The 21st badge of Pakistan Air Force Squash Academy comprising 24 players of different age groups will participate in the six-month training under qualified coaches at PAF Squash Complex here on Monday.

Former World Champion Qamar Zaman was the chief guest on the occasion of PAF Squash Academy Colour Awarding ceremony held here at PAF Hashim Khan Squash Complex wherein Director Sports PAF Sports Control Board Group Captain Shahid Nadeem, OCS PAF Ijaz Khan, Mehboob Khan, coach of Jansher Khan, national coach Farrukh Zaman, squash players and spectators attended the event.

In his address, ex world champion Qamar Zaman lauded the efforts of PAF and its contribution for the promotion of squash in the country. He said PAF was playing a key role in the promotion of squash in Pakistan besides it is the first Academy which teaches squash to the kids of all ages.

“PAF Squash Academy is playing vital role from the last one decade by training and coaching bidding youngsters of squash and now around Pakistan and even outside Pakistan most of its players coached and training by this academy are servicing the country,” he added.

He said it was first Academy of its kind in Pakistan having services of qualified trainers like Saeed Khan and Boota besides services of qualified coaches like Gulab Sher, Nazir Khan, Kamran and Sajid Khan. “The facilities and all infrastructure of PAF Sports Control Board are available around the clock for the players free of cost besides services of qualified and training coaches to the kids,” he said.

Qamar also appreciated the dedicated and commitment of the Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) president towards promotion of squash. He said now they players would play in the US Circuit which can help them improve their ranking at international level.

He said that it was for the first time that female players were also included in the academy in three different groups like U-11, U-17 and U-19 and hopefully females would also come up at national and international levels. He said world fame Maria Torpakey and Saeed Gul, the current Under-15 Asian Champion, was training and coached by PAF Academy earlier on but with the participation of female in different age group attract more female toward squash.

The short-listed players comprising, U-19: Zeeshan, Abbas Shoulat, Ismail Rauf, Mehmood Mehboob; U-17: Ahsan Ayaz, Arbab Aizaz, Aamir Khan, Iqtidar Khan; U-15: Faizan Khan, Fawad Khakil, Zeeshan Gul, Asghar Khan; U-13: Abbas Zeb, Hamid Habib, Zeshan Zeb, Waleed Khan; U-11: Uzair Shoukat, Rashid Daulat, Hamza Sharif, Kheizer Hayat; Girls players: U-11: Iqra, Laiba Ijaz Ahmad; U-17: Nida Khan and U-19: Noorjad Khan.