Please read below for a press release written by Squash Canada, in celebration of International Women’s Day. This press release comes at a time when sport organizations across the country have been encouraged to develop policies and practices that result in gender equity, increasing female participation in all areas of sport thanks to federal budget funding. At the provincial level, Squash Ontario has designated two female leaders (Liz McBeth from the Toronto & District Women’s Squash Association and Leah Desbarres from the Headwaters Racquet Club) to receive training on female sport participation, while the organization has gone through an audit and a subsequent consultation, identifying gaps in gender participation. We are excited to get to work on gender equity targets in the next few months!

Every year two championship events take place where each of the 8 Squash Ontario defined regions of Ontario compete in a team format at both junior and masters age divisions. The Toronto & District, Niagara and Western regions steal podium finishes with Toronto & District North winning gold, Western region winning silver and Toronto & District West winning bronze one the junior side. For the Masters, it was Niagara Region winning gold, Toronto & District winning silver, and Western Region taking home the bronze.

Coaches Allan Cook and Tara Mullins traveled with boys team made up of Liam Marrison, Neel and Nikhil Ismail and Dylan Deverill, and the girls team of Charlotte Orcutt, Brianna Jefferson, Molly Chadwick and Salma Mounir. Ontario reigns over the country with double gold medals in the boys and girls team events, a gold in the boys individuals (Liam Marrison), two silvers (Charlotte Orcutt and Neel Ismail), and one bronze (Brianna Jefferson).

Canadian squash teams from every province and territory are getting ready to join thousands of athletes in Red Deer, Alberta, for the Canada Winter Games. The squash portion of the multi-sport event kicks off this Sunday with individual and team matches taking place over the course of a week. The Canada Winter Games happens every 4 years and is the opportunity of a lifetime for these athletes to represent their province amongst 18 other sports.

The 2019 Canadian Men’s Team Championship was hosted by Club Sportif MAA in Montreal where powerhouse Team Ontario captured the title in dominating fashion over Team Quebec #1 ending their hopes for a three-peat. Meanwhile, Team Alberta used home field advantage to stun heavy favourites Team Ontario to win the 2019 Canadian Women’s Team Championship hosted by the Edmonton Squash Club. 

On a cold, snowy day in late January there was no better place to be then sitting by the fireplace and sipping a drink at the oldest, coziest squash club in Canada. This was the majority of the city at the 2019 Ontario Men’s Veterans Doubles Championships hosted by Blair Finlayson, Robert Dube and the incomparable Toronto Racquet Club team. Thanks to sponsors The Weir Team (Cam Weir), TGG (Peter Sidgwick), Platinum Art (Chris Knight) and Slaight Music (Gary Slaight) this tournament delivered amazing value and a very fun weekend.  

The Queen’s Gaels women were successfully able to defend their title holding off Western for their fifth straight championship. The Western men continued their dominance in OUA squash as well on Sunday at White Oaks Resort and Spa in Niagara on the Lake, winning their 36th straight OUA championship.

Under the Hennessy & Hinchcliffe and Slaight Music banner, a successful Ontario Women’s Veterans Doubles Championship took place at the Mayfair Lakeshore under the guidance of Tournament Organizer Lolly Gillen, with help from Diane Naughton. The wine and cheese was flowing all weekend in the court lounge thanks to Mayfair staff and Leslie Freeman and Cathy Tuckwell played dual Tournament Referee and Competitor roles.

The university squash scene continues to expand across the province with each season and the level of squash on display is increasingly exceptional. The 2018-2019 season welcomed numerous new teams into the league and this past weekend was a brilliant event to culminate the season for the Division 2 Teams and Emerging Teams from the Jesters University League.

Attention squash fans! The week you've been waiting for is nearly upon us with the return of the 2019 edition of the Troilus Canada Cup Squash!  The CCS will take place at the Cambridge Club March 3rd-7th in Toronto and various GTA clubs. The event boasts a spectacular line-up including 8 of the top-20 players in the world.