PASSION DOESN’T RETIRE

Q Tell me about the end. When did you realise you were ready to walk away?

A

I finished in April 2016. I’d thought about retiring for a long time and the only thing that had stopped me initially was the thought of playing in the Commonwealth Games here on the Gold Coast. But it was just too far away and I was over the training and travel. It was getting harder and harder to leave Australia too, which made Mum happy.

Q You’re coaching juniors now and it’s easy to see you’re passionate about it.

A

I am really enjoying it. I work with (fellow squash coach) Marc Forster, pictured, now and I get so much satisfaction from it. Some people regret retiring later on but I like showing the juniors what I’ve learned and I really try to emphasise the mental side of the sport. What I’ve realised the longer I’ve coached is that everyone learns differently. I like to give my players diaries. We do some video analysis too because what you think you do is often different to what you see on film. We talk about body language too. It’s all on you. It’s not like a team where you can’t control the outcome as much. It really helps build character within your everyday life. I’m working with teenagers a lot and I like to think I’m giving something they can take into the rest of their lives. I love seeing when they get it and it clicks.