“She actually started with lawn tennis when she was 6 years old. We used to drive down from Vasco to Gasper Dias Club in Panjim, four times a week. We could manage that for only one and half years and then it became too taxing with increasing traffic. So for more than a year, she wasn’t playing any sport though she yearned for tennis. Then we thought why not another racquet sport. Our close friend, Mahesh Prabhu, is the Treasurer of Goa Squash Association; he suggested we introduce her to squash. Initially, she was hesitant to change her game. But as she started training at Naval Officers Institute, she started enjoying the game,” explains mum Sneha about how Samairah got into the sport.A class 5 student of Naval Children School, Vasco, Samairah is supported by her principal and teachers. “Her teachers help her cover up the academics whenever she is out for tournaments. She follows a fixed curriculum and balances her academics well. In fact, the school takes great pride in her sport and is always willing to encourage her to do better. She is also training in Hindustani classical vocals and will be appearing for exams shortly. She is training under Pradeep Naik. Squash is a physically demanding game so her interest in music actually helps her relax,” adds Sneha.
Samairah watches sports channels and wonders as to why squash is not as widely watched and telecast as much as tennis.To play squash, one needs good hand-eye coordination, agility and spatial awareness. All these skills are further enhanced as the child starts playing regularly. Physical fitness is of utmost importance in this sport. Samairah practises for two hours, four times a week and on Saturday and Sunday, she practices for two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening.“It is a much more challenging game as I cannot see my opponent, their expressions and their next move. You have to be completely ready for what comes next,” says Samairah.Though she was already used to playing lawn tennis, it took some training to make the switch to squash. “The way you hold the racquet, the swing and footwork are all totally different in both sports. Coach Rehman had to work on her swing and grip quite a lot since muscle memory would make her hold the racquet in a tennis grip. She is a very competitive child, and she takes her game seriously. Yes, she does lose and initially it would upset her a lot. The game has taught her to be resilient and mentally strong. Just recently, she won against an opponent who had defeated her in December. That was a great high for her,” says Sneha.Sneha is constantly travelling with Samairah for the tournaments across India. “She has played in Mumbai, Secunderabad, Chennai, Chandigarh and Delhi and her next tournaments will be in Jaipur, Kolkata, Guwahati and Dehradun.To conclude, Samairah says, “My aim is to get better at my game and to get a better position in all forthcoming tournaments.” [H]
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