Gershwin lights up squash world
A MUIR College pupil is making huge strides in the world of squash.
Gershwin Forbes, 16, a rising star in the Eastern Cape, is making a name for himself in the best way possible – by delivering excellent performances.
He participated in the SA Schools Closed U16 competition, ending the tournament as the fifth-best squash player in the country.
Forbes also participated in his age division in the Bloemfontein Open earlier in the year, where he finished in a respectable sixth place.
These are just some of the highlights of a career that is on the rise, so much so, that he has received a sponsorship deal from equipment manufacturer Dunlop.
Forbes started playing squash at the tender age of seven.
“I enjoyed it and it seemed like an interesting sport,” he said.
The Grade 10 pupil has been at Muir for four years and has been in their first squash team for roughly the same amount of time.
Forbes made his first appearance for Eastern Province in 2008. He has gone on to represent EP since participating in the U11 division and said he was very happy to have made the move higher up to where he is today.
He participated in the EP U16 interprovincial tournament where he finished as one of the top three players in the province for his age division. Forbes said it was an amazing experience he would not forget in a hurry.
He hopes one day to become a professional squash player and play in various tournaments around the world.
Forbes is also a member of the Old Grey Squash Club in Port Elizabeth, having joined up with them only a year ago and said he would like to be successful at the club. He plays for the club’s second league team is already challenging many players with far greater experience.
According to Forbes, the future for EP squash is a bit like a two-way street, in a sense that things looked good going forward, but at the same time, there were areas of concern that needed to be ironed out for it to really flourish in the Eastern Cape.
“Eastern Province squash helps underprivileged squash players by sponsoring their equipment,” said Forbes, which helped to grow the sport in the region.
Forbes only has two years left in school and said once he had completed his matric, he would like to continue pursuing his squash career, and further his studies at a tertiary institution.
At this stage he is not sure what career to embark upon, but a future in medicine is one of the options he is considering.
“My biggest inspiration from the sporting world has got to be Ramy Ashour (of Egypt) because I like his style of play,” Forbes said.
He has a clear and simple message for anybody looking to take up a sport in the future: “The most important thing to remember is to enjoy the sport you’re playing. Show good sportsmanship by never giving up and fighting to the very last point.”