O’Connell up for added challenge
WHEN Sophie O’Connell came to Dunedin she was not planning on playing squash.
Now she is the twotime Otago Open defending champion and is into the semifinals of this year’s title defence.
She has a tough task to win her third in a row, with this year’s competition — which doubles as the South Island championships — attracting ace A1 Aucklander Abbie Palmer.
Despite the added challenge, O’Connell is glad Palmer has come down for it.
She hopes to make the final and have the chance to play her for the first time in three years.
While O’Connell has never beaten Palmer, she said it was good to add to the pool of players, which was otherwise a lot of the same faces.
‘‘There’s a few top B1 women [at the championships], all the top Otago women, which is nice. It’s good they’re all playing,’’ the 21yearold said.
‘‘But it’s just the same people we often end up playing, it’s pretty much the same draw every tournament, it’s not much different.
‘‘So it’s good she’s come and mixed it up a wee bit.’’
O’Connell is in her third year of an accounting degree at the University of Otago, having moved south from Nelson in 2015.
After taking up squash at about the age of 9, she had been among the country’s best as a junior (under19).
That meant she was involved in national squads throughout her last years of secondary school, with about 10 of the country’s other top juniors.
While not originally planning to play in Dunedin, she ended up joining the University club.
Despite having struggled with shin splints on and off over the past two years, she was enjoying herself.
‘‘I ended up joining as a fitness thing. This club’s quite social, and it’s a lot more fun down here.
‘‘There weren’t many young people that played in Nelson, which was fine, but it wasn’t very fun for me.
‘‘But it’s fun down here, so I’m quite happy playing.
‘‘But I play pretty socially, not as serious as it used to be.’’
She is still doing all right for someone who describes her involvement as social.
Alongside backtoback Otago Open crowns, she is ranked as an A2 by New Zealand Squash.
That places her among the country’s second tier of players, with A1 representing the pinnacle and many of those players being professional.
She had been in and out of A2 and B1 over the past couple of years.
Reaching A2 had been a goal as a junior and, while not as serious as she used to be, she is hoping to hold down her spot in her current grade.
‘‘I still don’t really like losing. I’d still like to maintain my grade and level of squash, if I can.
‘‘But it still depends on what I’m doing and how busy I am and when I start working. It can all change. But we’ll see, I’m still enjoying it.’’
As well as playing, she had been coaching over the past three years, taking the Otago junior girls squad, as well as coaching for the OUSA.
O’Connell plays her semifinal today against fellow Otago player Angela Button, at the Otago squash club at 1.20pm.