Ritzbury Powers 21st Junior National Squash Championships

The 21st Junior National Squash Championships conducted by the Sri Lanka Squash Federation and sponsored by Ritzbury Chocolates will be held at the Gymkhana Club Squash Courts in Maitland Crescent, Colombo 7 from 18 to 25 September this year.

Commenced in 1990, in preparation for the Asian Junior Championships which were held in Colombo in January 1991, the Junior National Squash Championships are today considered Sri Lanka’s premier squash tournament of the year.

A national ranking tournament, this year’s championships are billed to feature great squash and performances of a very high standard, especially with the participation of top ranked players. The eight day long tournament will consist of 18 events which include: Boys and Girls under 09, 11, 13, 15, 17 and 19, Novices Juvenile Boys and Girls under 12 and Under 15, and also Novices Junior Boys and Girls under 18, 15 & 12.

Junior National Squash Championships will feature the ‘Circuit Draw System’ thus ensuring fair participation and with more matches to all top ranked players. Entries will be accepted only at the SLSF Secretariat, Tamil Union C & A Club, Colombo 08 up to 5.00 pm on Monday, 13 September 2010. The draw will be held at 06.30 pm the same day. The age cut-off date will be 01 July 2010.

President of the Sri Lanka Squash Federation Oliver Guruge said, “Having conducted the 3rd Asian Junior Individual Squash Championships with extreme success in Colombo in early July, the Sri Lankan Juniors have had an excellent opportunity to, apart from having international competitions at their own door step to play against players from all over Asia in their own age groups, they also saw great Squash players in action, which should give them a very good knowledge of Game Plans’ and finer points in Squash! It was none other than ‘Qamar Zaman’, former British open and World No.1 who, whilst addressing the Sri Lankan contingent to recently concluded Asian Senior Championships in May 2010 stated that ‘there is no rocket science in squash’ but with hard work, more hard work and with determination and endurance, that any one could reach the top in Squash.”

Seeds of that statement definitely seem to have gone in to the Sri Lankan Juniors with our two top players in boys category namely Gihan Suwaris and Binura Jayasuriya having, for the first time ‘stretched the Pakistani two top players to a four setter, at the 3rd ASF Junior in Colombo in early July.

Guruge added that enthusiasm in squash is currently at an all time high and the committee of the SLSF will continue to take took wide ranging steps to active popularize the game among schools in Sri Lanka. “We expect a record number of youngsters to take part in this Championship and are also happy to welcome Ritzbury Chocolates on board for the third consecutive year as Principal Sponsor”.

Brand Manager of Ceylon Biscuits Ltd, Nilupul de Silva said that they were proud to partner the SLSF on the 21st Junior Nationals. “We see a perfect brand fit with Squash as many players tend to consume chocolates prior to a match as it gives instant energy. Ritzbury being the market leader and trendsetter in the chocolate industry is very happy to be associated with the Junior National Squash Championship, which we see as the first stepping stone for future champions”.

“We’re happy to note that squash has seen a great resurgence in popularity literally overnight, among all age groups in Sri Lanka and in record time. This is amply demonstrated by the increasing number of entries each year”, he added. Guruge added that the Federation is also making efforts to improve the quality of Technical Support and in the year 2009, an additional 16 were qualified as ‘Asian Squash Federation Certificated Level 1 Coaches.

Two of our top Referees, in N.S. Jayashantha and Wing Commander Jaliya Jayasekera are being invited now, on a regular basis to overseas championships, most recently being at prestigious ‘Malaysian Open’ where worlds top ranked players were in action.

N.S. Jayashantha of course has now been selected to the ASF Official Panel of Referees to officiate at the up coming Asian Games in China, in Nov 2010, the first Sri Lankan to be invited to officiate with all expenses being met by the Hosts.

Gihan Suwaris of S. Thomas’ College Mt. Lavinia, who won the 2009 title is expected to defend his title but with stiff competition from players like Binura Jayasuriya, from Royal College.

Sharya Guruge, formerly of Holy Family Convent Colombo 4, who won the Girls under 19 title will also be defending her title, again she will have to battle it out with the likes of Nadindi Udangawa, Dulakshi Elikewela, Kavini Amarasekera and Gayara Jayasuriya.

The Winner of Boys Under 19 will be awarded the ‘Navin Piyatissa Challenge Trophy’, named after the 1st Junior National Champion in 1990, whilst the Girls Under 19 winner will receive the ‘Nirasha Guruge Challenge Trophy’, named after the most successful Girls Junior National Champion, who has won 6 times from 2003 to 2008.

In addition to above, two special awards will also be awarded to the ‘Most Improved Player’ in the Girls and Boys under 17 and Over 13 categories”.

Photo caption: (from left) Rohantha Peiris (Vice President Sri Lanka Squash Federation), Nilupul De Silva (Senior Brand Manager, Ceylon Biscuits Ltd), Nadeeja Karunathilaka (AGM, Marketing, Ceylon Biscuits Ltd), Oliver G. Guruge (President, Sri Lanka Squash Federation), Brig. Tissa Jayasuriya (Vice President and Chairman Tournament Committee) and Kalum Katipearachchi (Treasurer, Sri Lanka Squash Federation)