BTB Academies

Do you want to look like a Squash player? Then you’d better start training like one. Remember that your motivation, your passion or your enthusiasm, alone will not get you to achieve your goals but rather the correct habits you create are responsible for achieving your goals.

It is no secret that training is a requirement to achieving ones goals. I need to go one step further and say that training correctly is a necessity to achieving ones goals. Time wasted is time never to be made up. Remember that academies neither are not magical four-day success plans.

“It is a physical contest of skill, tactics, mental powers and determination”

An academy of three days and getting advice from the top coaches in the country does not make you a champion. It is what you do with the information after the academy that is important. Applicants are screened before they are accepted to the academies. An academy is not a motivating tool getting you excited and hyped up for only one day. An academy is an educational tool to assist self-motivated and passionate squash players that have specific and clearly defined goals to realizing those goals and those dreams.

Academies are support systems that direct the self-motivated squash player on the road to training correctly. What is the definition of training correctly? “Training is the complete spectrum of the initial components to prepare  squash players in achieving their goals. It has to do with the knowledge of knowing what to eat, what to drink, when to rest, how to manage with the mental and emotional phases, the physical, technical  and the tactical aspects of training”.

Objective of a BTB academy

• To educate squash players on specialized and specific squash training for a specific season

• Educate squash players how to formulate their own training program for a specific season whether it be out, preseason  or in season peaking towards certain tournaments.
• Receive information on how to utilize this information on their own.
• To educate squash players on the importance of the ingredients necessary for success.
• That training can be fun and does not need to be difficult and complicated but simple and specific. N-O-T to get you fit, and skillful in four days.

1. Post holiday BTB academy (January)
   Prepare the player for the tournaments ahead. In season is only three weeks away. Reaffirmation of goals. Introduction to pre-season and in-season training. Cost R650.00 and BTB Pupils R250.00
2. Pre IPT peaking BTB academy (Feb – June)
   IPT’s are 20 weeks away with 7 – 10 tournaments in  between. Which ones should you play in? Periodised programs are discussed on how to peak for a specific tournament. Cost R650.00. BTB pupils R250.00 and R150.00 to pupils that attend 2 sessions per week or 2 siblings attending 1 session each per week.
3. Out of season BTB academy (July – October) The most important preparation for a squash player, as the consequence of a good out of season program is usually with positive outcomes. Affirm goals. Cost R650.00. BTB pupils R250.00 and R150.00 to pupils that attend 2 sessions per week or 2 siblings attending 1 session each per week.
4. Mid out of season BTB academy (October – November)
   Re-affirm goals and discuss the mid out of season training. What training have you done so far? What do you still need to do before the end of out of  the out of season? Candidates accepted for this academy are the ones that participated in the out of season academy as they are on a program that needs to be looked at. Cost R650.00.  BTB pupils R250.00 and R150.00 to pupils that attend 2 sessions per week or 2 siblings attending 1 session each per week.
5. Pre festive season BTB academy (December)
   What to do during the festive season regarding the consumption of food and drink.What to do before the in season begins. Cost R650.00. BTB pupils R250.00 and R150.00 to pupils that attend 2 sessions per week or 2 siblings attending 1 session each per week.

I hold 5 x 4 day squash academies annually. Since private schools and government schools have different schedules, I hold one for the government school kids and one for the private school kids. The academies are held at Boksburg Squash Center in Boksburg (Corner Trichardt and Dumane Street). Dates and times are set as the program becomes available. The academies are divided according to age and playing strength.

Academies are priced as follows:

• Group of excellence academies are  by invitation. These are limited to current BTB pupils
• An academy schedule is based on the time of the year and on the objective of the training. Considering the type of schedule presented, all academies involve warm up, stretches and match play.

 

Player Portfolio

In the 13 years I have been coaching professionally I have had no less than 35 S.A. Schools national players and 6 protea players representing S.A. at the world junior championships. The majority of my pupils present and past were and are A team provincial players. To name a few national players; Next to the name of the player is the best ranking they achieved in the year they were playing squash.

Pano Hjiphilippou

No1 for Cyprus National team / No1 in the European Small Nations 2002 – 2010

George Hjiphilippou

S.A. No. 3 u19 National player 2005 / No. 3 Cyprus National team 2002 – 2008

Jason Cole‐Niven

No. 1 u19 2006 and Captained the S.A. team to the world Junior championships in New Zealand in 2006

Dean Russell

S.A. top 10 and No. 4 in the S.A. National team to the world Junior Championships in 2008

Ceanne Cole‐Niven

S.A. top 10 player from u14 – u19

Mignionette de Bruin

S.A. top 10 player from u14 – u19

Tennille van der Merwe (Swartz)

Former S.A. No 1 and world best at No. 28 (was a member of the BTB Squash coaching academy for two years)

Samantha Kleynhans

S.A u16 No. 4 in 2009

Mikki Westmorland

S.A. u14 No. 3 in 2009

Richard Dodd

S.A. top 10 since 2003 and S.A. No. 1 u19 2007

Chanelle Birch

S.A. top 10 since 2004 and National open champion 2006

Rene van der Westhuizen

S.A. No. 1 u14 2009 / S.A. Schools Top 10 2011 and 2012

Jaco van der Westhuizen

Unbeaten at IPT U11 2009 / National u14 champion 2011 / No 4 S.A. 2012

Mary‐Ann Boden

S.A. top 10 since u14 and No 3 in S.A. team to World Juniors in 2005

Liam Boyd

S.A. No.10 u16 National player 2011

Isabel Lambrecht

S.A. No. 7 u14 – u19 National player

Johan Olivier

S.A. No. 6 u14 National player 2005

Individual attention results in the fastest improvement rate, where I subsequently introduce more advanced training methods, but as a beginner it can be more fun to learn in a small group where your skills can be developed while playing games with other beginner players.

The group environment is also a great way to find a partner or two which can often prove difficult when you first start playing. I have very strong links with Dunlop, Prince and Wilson who offer an excellent range of squash equipment as well as excellent service and advice.

I am also very proud to be sponsored by Dunlop and can highly recommend their excellent equipment for squash. Be part of a successful organisation and train with some of South Africa’s and Easterns top players.

You train with the best...you become the best and ... I can teach old dogs new tricks!! Please let me know if you are interested in joining The BTB Squash Coaching Academy.