Experience wins out on World Squash Day

The Bermuda Squash Racquet Club in Devonshire was buzzing over the weekend as it marked World Squash Day.

Bermuda's rising star Micah Franklin — world ranking 171 — was on hand to join forces with 23 adults taking on the best of Bermuda's junior players in an experience-against-youth, fun-based match-up.

After some fantastic performances from the young players, all aged between 7-17-years-old, they succumbed to the experience of their older opposition, going down by just a handful of points. 

The Ageing Athletes’ captain and most 'experienced' player Charles Jeffers put in a great performance, beating 11-year-old Shane White. He said: “I'm happy it was just one game!

“Things could have gone wrong in games two and three... I'm just happy to be part of a great event. It lovely to see all these kids having so much fun.”

This was the first kids-versus-adults match ever held at the BSRA but proved to be a massive success with lot's of spectators in attendance to cheer on all the players.

National champions Runa Reta and Patrick Foster took part, as did former Bermuda internationals Chase Toogood, Liz Martin, Stephen Smith, Caroyn Toogood and Spencer Moss. 

Franklin took on Bermuda's top-3 under-19 players back-to-back to huge cheers from the crowds as Nazhir Smith, Beckett Simmons and Kyler Knights battled hard for only a couple of points despite a lot of running. 

The match was followed by a family BBQ and a squash trivia quiz for the kids. 

BSRA director of squash Foster said: "This was our small part of World Squash Day and I hope that the world over clubs and associations like ours can continue to push to show that whole communities love their squash and that we still hope to get our chance on the Olympic stage.”

For more information on World Squash Day go to www.worldsquashday.com