Passion Is The Answer

Oh yah! Just ask the squash community. From pushing hard to popularize the game of squash, for squash to be recognized by the world, to getting squash into the Olympics. 3 times bidding for Olympics, squash was heartbroken again for not being selected to Tokyo 2020.

“We have to stay together and support each other. Passion and our heart towards the sports we loved will guide us to go beyond. If we don’t help each other, no one will”, expressed Sharon Wee, founder and head coach of Sharon Wee Squash Pro (SWSP) Academy.

It was a great day with sunshine. What a relief! It was not hazy. A perfect celebration for the National Sports Day. It was more meaningful as 10 October 2015 was also World Squash Day 2015.

As organiser of #PlaySquash event in support of this special day, Sharon welcomed the squash community, sports celebrities, university students, underprivileged children, friends, volunteers and sponsors to play squash in University Malaya Squash complex.

YAM Tunku Zain Al-‘Abidin Ibni Tuanku Muhriz, Squash Racquets Association of Malaysia Committee Member and Founding President of the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs, IDEAS was the guest of honor.

He himself is a squash ‘Kaki’ Malaysian sports icon, Noraseela Khalid, former 400m hurdles champion made her appearance in support of her good friend’s initiative in squash.

A message from Nicol David, our Squash Queen, “Wish everyone Happy National Sports Day! Let us invite more friends join in the fun playing squash!!”.

Underprivileged children from Desa Amal Jireh and Rumah Victory picked a squash racket and hit the ball for their very first time. What a joy to see their smiling face and SWSP Academy are very sure there are squash champions among them.

Dance warm up was fun. Leong Ee Sa and Tiffany Cheng from Sunway Dance Club lead the players with some exciting moves.

While squash ‘Kakis’ had great time meeting new friends and played squash, university youth coaches volunteered to coach the children patiently.

Besides conveying the objective of Hari Sukan Negara the brainchild of YB Khairy Jamaluddin, Minister of Youth and Sports, which is to encourage Malaysian to exercise and get healthy, Sharon Wee, a former Malaysian professional squash player also supported World Squash Day 2015 initiative in aid of the United Nation’s Children Fund(UK).

Doing it for Malaysian children especially the underprivileged children, SWSP Academy is championing the Underprivileged Children and Youth Squash Program.

It is at the stage of getting squash community, sponsors, ministries, sports council, and very passionate team to make this happen.

“I promise to pull it through. The underprivileged children deserve the opportunity to be a champion in squash and champion in their life. Squash has given me a great journey of life. I want to pay it forward. Squash is my school of life and I want the children to experience it too”, said Sharon with enthusiasm.

Leadership and Team Engagement Activities for Children and Youth by Raymond Phoon from PowerUpSuccess wrapped up a great squash day for the children and participants.

For SWSP Academy and Sharon herself, it was a successful Hari Sukan Negara and World Squash Day 2015. She promised to give her heart to squash and continue championing Malaysian squash.

Passion keeps this squash community together. And passion will get them united in creating future Malaysian squash champions and keep believing squash will be recognised as an Olympics sport one day.