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 National League EN BREF: MAIN
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Everything you didn't know you needed to know ... |
MATT:
ANOTHER
 FUN
INTRO…
Matt Swanson knows how to create a fun atmosphere, I tell
you. His colourful presentation always sets the tone… We had
“Grumpy” Nick Taylor, “Cuddly” Tim Vail, James “The Body” Willstrop,
and the best of all, Azlan “the man with 100 haircuts and not one
good one” Iskandar…
Bless… |
GARNER: EVENTIS HAS A NEW BABY…
I just love Tim Garner. He is such a discreet, organised,
helpful, professional marvel. The first person I ever interviewed in
English, he has done his best ever since to help me out, for which I
am so grateful.
Just in case you don't know, Tim is at this point in time Head Coach
at Lambs, still playing for many leagues, the Big Man and Brain
behind the BSPA tour (look out for Ilkley and Colets in the next 10
days), and one of the Three British Musketeers of
Eventis,
with mates Peter Nicol and Angus Kirkland.
Eventis has brought to you the
English Open in
Sheffield for the past two years now, and they are preparing the
2005 event. “The first year, we lost our shirts, the second year, we
just about broke even, this year, we would like to end up in the
black… For that, we need to sell a few more tickets that we did last
year…”
They are also responsible for the
Canary Wharf Classic
in London, who allows crowd to see eight of the top players fighting
each other for five days, an event to which Jonathan Power
attributed his fitness hence his recent success at the Bermuda
Masters.
 Well,
another baby on the way, the
World
Squash Awards, a high profile event that will take place at
the RAC on Friday 6th May 2005.
“Eighteen months ago, Peter and
I were invited to a Cricket Award at the Hilton, where we had a very
good time. Then, seven or eight months ago, I went to the Sport
Industry Award, another brilliant evening.”
“And that’s when Peter and I decided that it would be a good idea to
have a high profile evening that would please players, promoters,
sponsors, officials, of the Squash Community, to showcase what the
sport has to offer, with a clear intention of making it a regular
event.”
“As usual, it’s the first event that is the hardest to organise and
promote… We have chosen the RAC, because it has a long history of
squash, and we just feel it’s a suitably impressive setting for the
event. On the more practical side, the players will be interacting
with the RAC members during the day, and that will add a nice feel
to it…”
With Lambs
on the verge of closing, Tim will have a bit more time to
work with Eventis..
 “I
have a lot of good ideas, but we are trying to develop project after
project, and to add maybe one or two events each year, to make sure
that we keep our high standard.”
But tonight, no promoter's cap on his head, just a Chichester
National League t-shirt on his back.
“I used to play for Chi for a couple of years, then I played for UK
Packing Connaught for five years, and when they dropped out, I came
back to Chichester, and I’ve been playing for them for three or four
seasons now…”
But with all his activities, why does he still come and put himself
through the pain and hard work of squash competition?
“I keep on playing squash because I just love it, it always was a
passion, and always will be…” |
THANKS GRAEME
 You
know me, always looking for photographers everywhere I go. Well, I
think that the more photographs on the site, the better. So, when I
spotted Graeme Hodge taking pictures, I rushed to him to try
to get some shots from him.
He kept his word, and first thing this morning, I received some
stunning shots, you know, the kind that “tell a story”, as Jenny
Line (the wife of Steve) would quite rightly say .
So, thanks very much, Graeme… |
TARO:
A HAPPY MAN…
 Taro
Nabetani, Squash Development Officer for Manchester City
Council, has this year taken over managing the Manchester/Pontefract
Team from Yawar Abbas. And he is a happy bunny…
“Sometimes, it’s a bit hard to get hold of Lee and James, as they
are always travelling around the world, but apart from that, I’m
managing the best team in the country. So yes, of course, there is
some pressure, as everybody always expects us to win…”
“This year, we have lost only one match, against Edgbaston, and I’m
pretty confident that we will win this year as we did last year.”
“As far as my work for Manchester City Council is concerned, I’m
working alongside Nick Taylor, and it’s always a real pleasure to
see how the kids respond well to him, how excited they are to have
the chance to work with him. We hope that, in the future, we’ll be
able to do even better than Yorkshire!!!!!!!
“Since I arrived from Japan six years ago, squash has taken over my
life. I’m living, breathing squash… I love the game because it’s an
individual sport, and winning is your responsibility, and because
it’s a mentally tough game… Squash gave a sense to my life…
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TAYLOR: LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE…
 Nick
Taylor, playing string four today for Manchester, is a happy
man. A squash career to be proud of, a beautiful family with a new
addition recently, little Charley, who comes after Olivia, 3, Sarah,
a “fantastic, very understanding and very supportive wife,” and
since January 2005, a new job for Manchester City Council as Head
Squash Coach.
“Nowadays, I’m mostly turned to the future, the future of squash for
the Manchester area. Manchester is now a very exciting place to be
as far as squash is concerned, we have the Nationals, one of the top
events not only on a national, but also at a international level,
great events like the Super 8, and not only but also the fantastic
National Squash Centre…”
 “We
have so many great juniors coming through, and we have so many kids
that come and train with us. We have in particular a great little
player, Emma Molyneux, who is not yet 13. Last year, she was
British Champion under 13, and she is already number 5 in the under
15. We have great hopes for her…”
“I’m still playing a bit of squash of course, like the National
League for Manchester / Pontefract, Northwest Counties League for
Village Hyde, and some exhibition events.
"That allows me to keep in contact with an audience, especially the
people of Manchester, who have been fantastic throughout the years,
and of course add a bit of an income.
“I love playing in the National League. I’ve been playing in the
team for two years now with Marcus, James and Lee. Jenny joined us
this year.
"There is something about this team, we are really getting on very
well, not to mention that it’s a pleasure and an honour to play in
such a quality team…"
Yes, a busy man, and to add to his “light” schedule, he is now
working with England Squash in assisting with the Junior Squad, from
the U13 to the U19, and of course, of course, he is heavily involved
in the “Nick Taylor Squash Academy”, and works closely for
Manchester University.
Pfew!
 “You
get so much back from coaching, you know … I don’t know what the
future holds; I know that I have the immense chance to have two
healthy children, a fantastic wife, and a job I love.
"And I also know that no matter what, I will always have been
involved in Manchester Squash, which has been so good to me, Jim
Quigley in particular. My heart is in Manchester, and that’s where I
want to stay…" |
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SANDY:
NOT JUST A PRETTY FACE…
 Before
the matches started, we were talking, Linda and Chick Elriani,
Sandy, gym instructor at Chi and girlfriend of Tim Vail, and
myself, about the mad schedule that the players (and your servant)
have had recently.
“I just came back yesterday from Texas,” said Linda, “I feel better
today, but one thing is sure, I couldn’t have played squash
yesterday.”
“Well, I thought that I was bad enough,” I replied, “as we all
arrived yesterday (Monday) morning at 7am at Gatwick, The Boss,
DP (David Pearson), Beach, Sir Simon Parke, and
I was recording in a studio at 12, but Parkie was even worse! He
then had to take a train to central London, another one to
Nottingham, and then his car to Bradford to go and play Alex
Gough!”…
“But how????” said Linda…
“But WHY???? Laughed Sandy…
Like I said, not just the pretty face, the Sandy girl…
 PS.
When Parkie told me his schedule, I smiled “Alex is going to kick
your butt, you know that…”. “No he won’t!” retorted Simon. And you
know what? He didn’t…. 3/2 for Parkie in 44 minutes… Amazing…
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National League EN BREF: MAIN
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Everything you didn't know you needed to know ... |
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