GSA soaring to unchartered altitudes in 2011

– president anticipates very progressive year for the sport 

By Kiev Chesney 

The Guyana Squash Association (GSA) plans to ensure that 2011 is one of the most progressive years that the sport has ever seen locally, with their hosting of the Junior Caribbean Championships and their participating in World Championship tournaments as the focal points of the year. 

Association president Andrew Arjoon, a mere few months away from completing his first term in office, said that participating at the Women’s World Junior Squash Individual and Team tournaments in Egypt, to be staged from July 20 to 30, was in itself a momentous achievement for the GSA. Arjoon had announced late last year that the GSA had decided to send the girls’ Junior Squash Team to participate in that prestigious tournament in recognition of their dominance at the regional level. 

The girls’ team has won five consecutive team titles at the Caribbean Areas Squash Association (CASA) Junior Caribbean Squash Championships. The five girls that have been shortlisted to compete at this tournament are Keisha and Kayla Jeffrey, Ashley Khalil, Mary Fung-A-Fat, and Victoria Arjoon, but only four will be attending. Each of those girls has captured multiple CASA titles, except Kayla, who had a tough time in the same category with her twin sister, Keisha, and with Ashley Khalil.  

Though participating at that prestigious tournament is huge for the GSA, Arjoon said, he is even more excited about Guyana’s hosting of the 2011 CASA Junior Caribbean Squash Championships, in the second week of July at the Georgetown Club. Guyana are the six-time overall champions at Junior CASA tournaments. 

“I’m particularly excited by our hosting of Junior CASA, [because] it gives everyone the opportunity to be involved,” Arjoon said. The GSA’s leading man, parent of two Caribbean Junior Squash champions (Alex and Victoria), also said that the Guyana Squash Association has already made, with the Princess International Hotel, preliminary accommodation arrangements for foreign teams. 

Digicel Guyana will be the sponsors for the tournament, after signing a multi-million- dollar, three-year contract with the GSA last year. Arjoon said that the GSA will also be looking to attract other sponsors to come onboard. 

“I don’t expect that we should have a problem having other sponsors, because this is a prestigious regional tournament,” Arjoon added. The season is expected to begin with the Bounty Farm Handicap tournament early next month. 

The season is usually concluded in late August; and, according to Arjoon, the CASA Senior Caribbean Squash Championships, to be held in the Cayman Islands, should be the last event. Former National Junior Champion and U.S. National Squash player Richard Chin made his return to Caribbean Squash last year, and won the men’s title at Senior CASA. According to Arjoon, Chin has committed to representing Guyana more this year. The government-funded public squash courts are also expected to be completed this year.    

Meanwhile, reigning Sportswoman of the Year, Nicolette Fernandes, who has been voted the world’s most improved squash player in 2009, is now ranked 50th in the world. According to the Women’s International Players Association (WISPA) January rankings, Nicolette slipped four places from her December ranking.