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 30-Oct-06:
Re-living the Glory Days at
Chapel Allerton LT and Squash Club
Mike Dickens reports from a 'Chapel A' on the up ... |
Leeds, 31-Oct:
Dublin a Fair City for Harford
by Fred Willis, Leeds Today
A Leeds-based professional has upset the seedings to take the
Leinster Open Championship in Dublin
with a masterful display.
 Jon
Harford, now in his second season playing for Chapel Allerton,
joined the Yorkshire Premiership side's squad last season, helping
them to win the title.
Since then Harford has come on leaps and bounds and is now aiming to
break through the 100 world ranking barrier.
He was recommended to Chapel by Gloucestershire county colleague
Alister Walker, also in his second season at the club.
Harford, seeded fourth, took his debut PSA Tour title by defeating
Italian Luca Mastrostefano, the second seed. In the quarters Harford
put out Ireland's John Rooney while in the semis his victim was the
favourite Mohd Ali Anwar Reda (Egypt), all ousted in straight games.
Chapel Allerton Premiership team boss Mike Dickens hailed the
23-year-old's success as a stunning triumph for the player and a big
boost for the north Leeds club.
"He has proved a fine addition to our club where he is a very
popular figure with the juniors he coaches," said Dickens, who added
that it was tremendous to have such talent at the club which helped
to give it some world-class status.
Harford has a reputation for being a stylish, steady player who can
often produce winning nicks which prove energy-sapping for his
rivals.
In the Dublin final Harford played several precision shots to
outsmart his opponent. And as he turned the final screw of dominance
Harford finished by producing near exhibition play, hitting some
fine nicks with his brilliant technique.
Only recently Harford was a member of the British Universities Team
which won a gold medal in Hungary in the
World Varsity Championships.
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Easy Ryder seals key Chapel win
Chris Ryder proved a crucial match clincher for champions Chapel
Allerton as they pipped Heaton in the Yorkshire Premiership.
With the match level at 2-2 Ryder defeated Chris Truswell 3-0,
helping to secure 18 points for the Leeds side in a crucial away
fixture. It was the first defeat Heaton had suffered this season.
Chapel skipper Mike Dickens said: "We knew this one was going
to be close. They are a very good side, but in the end it was Chris
who clinched it for us."
Alister Walker continued his fine form which had been on
display in the recent Hong Kong Open where he reached the last 16 of
a world-class field.
Walker took on Heaton's Simon Parke at first string, beating
the ex-Harrogate player and former England international 3-0.
Chapel Allerton lead the Premiership on 85 points with a stronger
rubbers' average than chasing rivals and four wins from five
outings.
Cybex Pontefract are second on 78 points following two defeats while
third placed Wigginton are 28 points behind but have a match in
hand.
Harrogate, who also have a match in hand, are fourth, also with 60
points but with an inferior average.
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Same again is the aim
CHAPEL Allerton, captained by Paula Arrowsmith are bidding to retain
the Yorkshire Women's League title.
The side also includes Claire Walker, who as Claire Fleetwod was the
former Yorkshire county skipper and youngster Carrie Ramsey.
Chapel made a promising start to the season, but suffered a 4-0
setback to a strong Pontefract side. However, they edged home
against Heaton on rubbers when the match score finished 2-2.
Yorkshire Women's League
Thirsk 3 Abbeydale 1; Pontefract 4 Chapel Allerton 0;
Heaton 2 Chapel Allerton 2 (Chapel won on games).
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In the Beginning ...
Twenty two years ago Chapel Allerton hired Dave Pearson to
take over the squash section as the head coach and to play for the
teams. The appointment had a remarkable effect on the standard of
squash at the club and encourage a lot of new members to join. The
Mens and the Ladies top teams both won their respective Yorkshire
League titles two years on the bounce (1984-85). D.P also led the
men's team to National Club success in the same year.
During the late eighties DP moved on and Peter Edwards was
made head squash and set up his own squash coaching school. Peter is
still with us and the junior section and adult coaching is growing
nicely aided by ex-england junior Neil Guirey who is a very
accomplished coach. Neil also coaches many of the pros that now
train at Chapel A.
After top England player DP had left there was a drought of no
titles for twenty years.
When I was first introduced to the club as the Sports Development
Manager I worked hard with the Committee to bring in a resident
professional as the standard of the adult team players had dipped
and we were eager for success. We wanted a young player with great
potential who would act as a role model for the juniors and
strengthen our team considerably. The appointment of Alister Walker
was made in August 2005 and more players followed.
Training regularly at the club are Jon Harford, Shaun
LeRoux, Aaron Frankcomb, Dave Barnett as well as
appearances from Ong Beng Hee, Mike Pearson,
Laurence Delasaux, Steve Coppinger and Chris Truswell.
On the Up ...
This had a huge effect on the squash section with the Men's first
team winning the Yorkshire Premier League title ahead of Pontefract,
coming third in the Men's National Club Event, North East Area
Champions and fifth in the National Cup.
The Ladies first team also won the Yorkshire League, came Runners Up
in the National Clubs O35’s, North East Area Champions and came
third in the National Cup.
The squash at Chapel A is going from strength to strength and it is
my aim in the future to have a club that can work alongside the
great Pontefract in running huge junior events or even PSA
tournaments. It would also be nice to see Chapel A back in the
National League.
We have a great acquisition in the form of Alister Walker and he is
encouraging a number of our juniors to take their squash to higher
levels. It is also nice to here the members remark that “seeing all
these pros is like the good old days of DP and company”.
I hope that Chapel A’s results will feature on squash site more and
more in the future.
Chapel A Sport Development Manager
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Jon Harford and
Maximiliano from Chile
Alister Walker, Neil Guirey and James
Durbin, one of our very talented youngsters |
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