Ten-year-old national champion a first
A 10-year-old squash champion has not only gained his club’s first individual national title, he is fulfilling his goals.
Reece Holmes of Ha¯ wera Lawn Tennis and Squash Rackets Club is the New Zealand Under 11 Boys Squash Champion.
Holmes recently won the nation competition in Christchurch, his goal for the year. It was also the first time the Ha¯ wera Squash Club has had an individual win a national title. Despite the fact the New Zealand squash rankings were released in July and ranked Holmes the number one in the under 11 boys category in the country - he was surprised with his win.
In the past year Holmes has travelled all over the country, won many competitions and been presented with many awards.
He was the Oceania Runner Up in Under 11 Boys, AON NZ Junior Open Championship Division Winner, Central Districts Under 11 Boys Champion, Central Districts Under 13 Boys Runner Up, South Island Under 11 Boys Champion, North Island Under 11 Boys Champion, and the Junior Boys Champion at the Ha¯wera Squash Club Champs.
Holmes was also awarded the Most Improved Male at the Ha¯ wera Squash Club and the Junior Sportsperson of the Year at the South Taranaki Paddy Manu Junior Sports Awards.
After all of this he was determined to become number one in the country.
Holmes trains five times a week and is still enjoying the sport. His goal for next year is to get close to B-grade.
He played his first tournament when he was four years old and his mother Denise Holmes said he picked up a squash racket when he was two.
Holmes said he first started playing because his dad got him into it and nowadays he mainly plays against adults - and wins.
Holmes’ success added to previous national awards for the Ha¯wera Squash Club recently when it picked up its second team national title in its history. A team of Ha¯ wera D-grade women were crowned the New Zealand Super Champ Team in their grade last month. Players Jaime-Lee Careswell, Megan Meerkerk, Brooke Reid, Alana Ryan, Abbies Holmes, Philippa Duffy and Denise Holmes were managed by Lynda Ryan and coached by Mike Careswell.
The last team to win a national title for the club was the Ha¯ wera Ladies F grade in 1987.