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'' ' EGYPTIANS -SQUASH-
CROWN- ENTIRETY ' ''
EGYPT'S SQUASH HEGEMONY offers lessons in how any country can compete in an individual sport, with the right combination of history, culture and geography.
Some History. Squash was born at Harrow, a private school in England, early in the 19th century, and was exported to colonies through clubs built for British officers. [To this day, Egyptian players score and referee their matches in English.]
For years, the sport was a niche product in Egypt, until 1996, when young Ahmed Barada tore through the draw as a wild card at the inaugural AI-Ahram international the first time a tournament was held beside the Great Pyramid at Giza.
Much about Egypt's playbook could be gleaned during a visit to Cairo in September, at a three day match attended by six of Egypt's best clubs. Among the men's players were Ali Farag, the world No.1, Tarek Momen, the No.3, and Karim Abdul Gawad No.4.
On the women's side were EI Welily' Nouran Gohar, No.2, Nour EI Tayeb No. 3' and Nour EI Sherbani, No 4.
Egypt has about 400 courts and fewer than 10,000 players, say players and coaches. But the finest Egyptian players are bunched in about 10 clubs in two cities, Cairo and Alexandria, which are about a three-hour drive apart.
For aspiring players, proximity to greatness ''is like a performance-enhancing drug,'' said Daniel Coyle, author of ''The Talent Code,'' which chronicles talent outbreaks in different sports and countries. ''These young players get to see how how the greats play, train, eat.''
But how did Egypt produce so much talent in the first place?
It is one the most compelling mysteries in sports. Twenty years ago, Egypt could point to a handful or two of great squash players in its history, and -
And the last time it had produced a worldbeater was in the mid-60s, when Abdelfattah AbouTaleb, better known as A.A..AbouTaleb, won the British Open three years in a row.
Today, if victory were a cake, the Egyptians would be gluttons. The top four men in the world rankings are from the country, and six others are in the top 20. Since 2003, an Egyptian has won the men's world championship 10 times.
Some History. Squash was born at Harrow, a private school in England, early in the 19th century, and was exported to colonies through clubs built for British officers. [To this day, Egyptian players score and referee their matches in English.]
For years, the sport was a niche product in Egypt, until 1996, when young Ahmed Barada tore through the draw as a wild card at the inaugural AI-Ahram international the first time a tournament was held beside the Great Pyramid at Giza.
Much about Egypt's playbook could be gleaned during a visit to Cairo in September, at a three day match attended by six of Egypt's best clubs. Among the men's players were Ali Farag, the world No.1, Tarek Momen, the No.3, and Karim Abdul Gawad No.4.
On the women's side were EI Welily' Nouran Gohar, No.2, Nour EI Tayeb No. 3' and Nour EI Sherbani, No 4.
Egypt has about 400 courts and fewer than 10,000 players, say players and coaches. But the finest Egyptian players are bunched in about 10 clubs in two cities, Cairo and Alexandria, which are about a three-hour drive apart.
For aspiring players, proximity to greatness ''is like a performance-enhancing drug,'' said Daniel Coyle, author of ''The Talent Code,'' which chronicles talent outbreaks in different sports and countries. ''These young players get to see how how the greats play, train, eat.''
But how did Egypt produce so much talent in the first place?
It is one the most compelling mysteries in sports. Twenty years ago, Egypt could point to a handful or two of great squash players in its history, and -
And the last time it had produced a worldbeater was in the mid-60s, when Abdelfattah AbouTaleb, better known as A.A..AbouTaleb, won the British Open three years in a row.
Today, if victory were a cake, the Egyptians would be gluttons. The top four men in the world rankings are from the country, and six others are in the top 20. Since 2003, an Egyptian has won the men's world championship 10 times.
The dominance of the Egyptian women may be even more impressive, given how few played the game at the turn of the century. As with the men, all four of the top female squash players are Egyptian, including the world No.1, Raneem EI Welily.
Reinforcements are on the way, too: The girls junior national team has won the world championship seven years running.
''I get asked all the time, ' What is the big secret?' '' EI Welily said in a recent interview. ''I tell them that is the million dollar question. No one really knows. But there are few theories.''
Just some weeks ago, those theories were revisited as Egypt demonstrated its squash prowess in a quintessentially Egyptian setting.
The Professional Squash Association held it's women's world championship, with the matches at night in an outdoor glass court set up in front of the Great pyramid of Giza.
In 1996, a breakout performance by a 19-year- old started a craze. The best athletes in Egypt were drawn by squash's new cachet, which was bolstered when top American universities and prep schools started recruiting here.
Success begets success, and now Egypt's biggest problem is a lagging supply of courts to meet demand. Omar EI Borolossy, a former No 14. said there were more than 2,000 players age 5 to 10 among his academy and two other squash clubs.
''That's enough to dominate squash for the next 20 years,'' he said.
The Honor and Serving of the Latest Operational Research on Squash and Games, continues. The World Students Society thanks author David Segal.
With respectful dedication to the Squash players the world over, and Students, Professors and Teachers of Egypt, and then the world.
See Ya all on The World Students Society -for every subject in the world - : wssciw.blogspot.com and Twitter - !E-WOW! - the Ecosystem 2011:
''' Concentrated Qualities '''
Reinforcements are on the way, too: The girls junior national team has won the world championship seven years running.
''I get asked all the time, ' What is the big secret?' '' EI Welily said in a recent interview. ''I tell them that is the million dollar question. No one really knows. But there are few theories.''
Just some weeks ago, those theories were revisited as Egypt demonstrated its squash prowess in a quintessentially Egyptian setting.
The Professional Squash Association held it's women's world championship, with the matches at night in an outdoor glass court set up in front of the Great pyramid of Giza.
In 1996, a breakout performance by a 19-year- old started a craze. The best athletes in Egypt were drawn by squash's new cachet, which was bolstered when top American universities and prep schools started recruiting here.
Success begets success, and now Egypt's biggest problem is a lagging supply of courts to meet demand. Omar EI Borolossy, a former No 14. said there were more than 2,000 players age 5 to 10 among his academy and two other squash clubs.
''That's enough to dominate squash for the next 20 years,'' he said.
The Honor and Serving of the Latest Operational Research on Squash and Games, continues. The World Students Society thanks author David Segal.
With respectful dedication to the Squash players the world over, and Students, Professors and Teachers of Egypt, and then the world.
See Ya all on The World Students Society -for every subject in the world - : wssciw.blogspot.com and Twitter - !E-WOW! - the Ecosystem 2011:
''' Concentrated Qualities '''
Good Night and God Bless
SAM Daily Times - the Voice of the Voiceless
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