PESHAWAR: Atlas Khan, the gold medallist of the World Team Championship in Otto, Canada and elder brother of former world champion Jansher Khan, on Thursday said that for regaining glory focus would be on establishing modern squash academies across Pakistan.

Atlas was recently appointed as PAF Squash Academy Peshawar’s coach.

Talking to APP, the four-time Malaysia and Singapore Open champion, Atlas said: “For achieving the lost glory we have to work harder instead of taking things lightly. The players should have to go through four-hour daily practice session alongside physical training on modern lines in order to face future challenges in the world of squash.”

Atlas, who is the father of world No. 14 and Asian champion Aamir Atlas Khan and Pakistan number one Danish Atlas, said that in just two months times he has changed the schedules and working of PAF Squash Academy in Peshawar and has ensured equal time to the players rather than putting their name plates on squash courts at the PAF Hashim Khan Squash Complex.

“We have to change the old perception and trend of just hanging name plates on courts rather than concentrating on players training under the supervision of qualified trainers,” he remarked.

A Pride of Performance award holder, Atlas lauded president of the Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman for bringing international squash back to Pakistan.

“More international level events in Pakistan would help our players get better equipped for competitive squash and provide them with a chance to play alongside top players of the world on home courts.

“I have decided to work with the PSF for promotion of squash and have devised a plan according to which the game will be promoted at the grass-root level,” he disclosed. “Hard work and fitness are keys to success and that is why I have introduced a system at the PAF Squash Academy where every player on a daily basis will have court training for two to three hours.”

The former player lamented that the youngsters lacked passion and dedication for the game. “We used to practice for hours but youngsters nowadays lack passion. In squash, fitness holds the key and I believe our players are probably utilising just 20 per cent of their fitness currently.

“Our players enjoy better facilities and support than players from rest of the world do,” observed Atlas. “We have the best talent available here and with hard work we can regain our status within a few years.”

Published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2018