Young athletes from 38 countries are in Niagara-on-the-Lake this week to take part in the World Squash Junior Championship, a six-day tournament of more than 500 matches.
The tournament kicked off on July 26 at White Oaks Resort & Spa and is running until this Friday.
For Simon Hall, squash player, coach and tournament volunteer, the event solidifies NOTL’s place as an international sports hub, due to its athletic facilities and local charm.
“We’ve got two high-calibre clubs with courts … and they have opportunities here for shopping and sightseeing,” he said, adding how excitement for international sports sparked by the World Cup flowed into the event.
The tournament was primarily hosted at White Oaks, though courts at Ridley College were also used. Players and families from across the world explored the town between matches — in Hall’s words, taking advantage of NOTL’s “cultural richness” and “gorgeous” views.
Though this squash junior championship has not been hosted in Canada since 1984 in Calgary, Niagara regularly hosts national tournaments, such as the Canadian National Junior Championships and the Canadian University and College Championship.
White Oaks is a base for major squash tournaments because it includes a hotel and courts in one location.
“Niagara-on-the-Lake and White Oaks are known worldwide,” Hall said.
Still, the number of local players does not match the scale of NOTL’s squash resources. Matt Easingwood, squash director at White Oaks, says he hopes to recruit more young players following the junior championship.
“We’re always looking for beginners because we really want more kids to play,” he said. “People can come and try it out for free.”
The victorious young players of the singles half of the tournament represented Egypt and India, with Egypt’s Mohamad Zakaria winning the men’s division and India’s Anahat Singh winning the women’s.
Both 18-year-old athletes made history during their time in NOTL: Zakaria became the first male player to win the world junior title three times, while Singh was crowned India’s first junior champion.
“She was just such a sophisticated player for a young person,” Hall said, describing Singh. “She played so intelligently, smoothly and precisely. From my point of view as a coach and a player, it was beautiful to see.”
He says the athletic ability, paired with the positive sportsmanlike environment, is why he enjoys volunteering at tournaments.
“The talent is through the roof,” he said. “They’re just wonderful people and they’re doing their level best in a very competitive situation.”
Playing squash is like playing in a fishbowl, especially at the championship level. The court, with see-through walls, sits in an arena surrounded by spectators on all sides, an atmosphere Hall says can be intimidating.
But even with the stiff competition, players typically end matches with a handshake and words of congratulations.
“I always say that it’s fun, fitness and friendship in squash,” Easingwood said. “There’s a lot of friendships in squash because it’s like a small community.”
Players will compete in the team championships until July 31, now the individual championships have concluded.
On the first day of the team event, Canada’s men’s team lost to Japan, while the women were victorious in defeating Nigeria.
Egypt, defending champions in both the men’s and women’s leagues, also opened the team tournament with success — the women beating Brazil and the men beating both New Zealand and the Netherlands.
Matches are livestreamed, but fans can purchase tickets to see the action in person, ranging in price from $25 to $70.
“It’s neat to be just a regular person, a member of the (White Oaks) club, and having such amazing talent coming to us here in Niagara,” Hall said. “I just love being a part of it.”
