Team win spot at nationals
Te Puke Squash Club’s D grade team is a mix of youth and experience.
It’s a well worn cliche when teams are made up of old and young members — but that doesn’t make it untrue.
That combination has won the team a place at the D Grade New Zealand Squash Nationals in Oamaru from September 26 to 29. The team won the place at the Bay of Plenty elimination tournament.
Second oldest team member and captain Glenn Kelly says the youngest team member is 14.
“We’ve got a good spread and that’s quite normal,” he says. “Squash isn’t a game where your age dictates how good you are.
“Our young guys were the ones that really pulled us through as well — they were playing well above their grade and holding their own and winning the games we needed them to win.”
Glenn has been to the nationals before, but not as a team captain.
“I went to the F grade nationals in ‘93 so that’s going back a while,” he says. “I’ve only just come back into squash, so it’s worked out quite good.”
After a bye in the first round of the elimination tournament, the featured teams from Tauranga’s Devoy Squash Centre and Tokoroa, Taneatua and Mount Maunganui squash clubs, the Te Puke team went on to have a three win, one loss record.
“Now more hard work starts,” says Glenn. “As well as training, we are looking for money to get us down there.” Training is likely to step up.
“I’m guessing our coach will be pushing us a little bit harder — but it’s up to us because if you want to be New Zealand champions in your grade, you’ve got to do something special.”
Glenn says his role as team captain is largely one of motivating the team, encouraging and keeping everyone focused.
“It’s building that team bond — we are going there to win, but we want to do it as a team, we don’t want to be a team of individuals.
“Although we are playing an individual sport, it’s a team sport at the same time.
“Supporting one another is where the team element comes in.”
The team is: Glenn Kelly (captain), Matthew Ward, Sam Stewart, Zac Reynolds, Vishard Chathury, Yavtar Chathury, Hayden Collier, Chris Brewer (coach) and Barry Ward (manager).