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I REMEMBER WHEN STEFAN CASTELEYN
WON HIS 19th NATIONAL TITLE...
 My
best memory: this year’s Belgium National Squash
Championship when Stefan proved he was one of the great
sportsmen of Belgium sport.
As many sports people know, squash is one of the most
physical and mental demanding racket sports, with a high
level of technique, tactics and mental concentration and
requires a tremendous level of fitness endurance when played
at a very high speed.
Why do I believe that this 19th Belgium title was so
courageous and outstanding in his squash pro career? I am
going to reveal what a lot of players and spectators did not
know about his victory…
Stefan had contacted me 4/5 weeks before the event, not sure
about competing due to knee problems, after having one major
operation that kept him off the court for almost one year
and recently a second operation on his opposite knee.
 Moreover
he lacked of training and with Kim they just had a baby last
June, a little girl called Lily.
Plus, his opponent was Jan Van Den Herrewegen, a
young squash pro that has made a lot of progress on the
International scene and that had already beaten Stefan
recently in an inter-league competition (in the eyes of many
people, this time Jan was favourite to take his crown).
I explained to Stefan as his coach, that he had nothing to
prove to anybody as he is now 41 years old, had already won
18 National men titles, various international major
tournaments, 2 times USA national Professional champion, had
reached 7th in the World rankings and got to the semi-final
of the World Championships. But it was his decision to make,
to play or not to play, that is the question!
He decided to play, and came through the earlier rounds to
reach the final against Jan. The championship final was held
in the south of Belgium on a Sunday afternoon in Namur
Squash club in front of a full packed crowd.
What I did not know myself until a few days before this
event is that Stefan had a lot of pain and could not move
correctly his left arm. A week earlier he had an x-ray and
was told, due to a fall 2 months ago in the U.S., that he
had a broken left shoulder (Wow! That’s painful).
The final match got under way and started off at a high pace
with Jan taking the 1st game 11/3, Stef came back to take
the next two games 11/3, 11/9.
The fourth was a very tough physical game up and down with
Jan retrieving some amazing shots and won that game 11/7.
Near the end of that 4th game, I could see that Stef was
feeling tired and in pain from his knees etc, after almost
one hour of play against a very fit player of half of his
age.
As a coach, what to say between that game. Stefan is an
intelligent player but needs to feel confident and
encouraged with straight to the point remarks. To most other
players I might have said:" slow down the pace, lob etc".
But no! He’s a fighter - "Increase the pressure Jan’s
suffering, control that ‘T’ area and don’t hesitate or wait,
step into lose shot and take that ball earlier to the front.
You’re the best, the fittest, the strongest, fight - you’re
the champion!"
He went back on that court for the final game like a lion in
a cage and got 5/0 up before finishing off the game 11/6,
match and championship. The standing ovation from the
spectators brought him to tears of happiness.
19th Belgium title won!
On a personal note, it has been a great pleasure and
happiness to have trained, worked with and coached a friend
and an outstanding player for over 25 years. Stefan has a
wonderful personality on and off the court and has been the
International showcase of Belgium squash!
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