Home team's 'epic' success

The Cromwell D grade squash team celebrates winning the D Grade Superchamps nationals on Saturday...
The Cromwell D grade squash team celebrates winning the D Grade Superchamps nationals on Saturday. The squad is (from left) Steve Buchanan, Scott Dickie, Sam Woods, Gavin Strachan, Bill Reyntjes, Dayne McIlwrick, coach Shaun Madden, Chris Young, coach Chris Wallis and manager Scott Chapman. Photo by Lynda van Kempen.
Winning the first national tournament hosted by the club in its newly renovated facility capped off an ''epic'' year for the Cromwell Community Squash Club, its officials say.

The club's $400,000 upgrade of its facility was completed on Tuesday, just in time to host the D Grade Superchamps tournament, which began on Wednesday and attracted 20 teams.

Cromwell had a men's and a women's team in the competition and both reached the finals on Saturday, with the men's side beating the Henderson club and the women losing to Hawkes Bay.

''It's been epic having home teams in the final - we couldn't have hoped for a better result,'' the club's asset manager and manager of the upgrade project, Don McDonald, said.

The renovated complex will be officially opened next month. The project included the addition of a third court, new changing facilities and a new kitchen area.

''The finishing touches were done at 7.30am on Tuesday and the tournament began the next day,'' he said. The men's team manager coach, Chris Wallis, said a win on home courts was the ultimate result.

''What could be better? The team itself is a by product, really, of the club's commitment to the renovation project. That flowed through to a desire to field a team to win this trophy at our home courts. The players have battled through a few injuries and really lifted their game to win this.''

To have Cromwell's men's and women's teams in the final was ''probably more than we ever expected'', he said.

Teams competing in the Superchamps nationals gained their places by first winning a regional final. Tournament committee chairman Glen Christiansen and director Jackie Hamilton said players at the event ranged in age from 10 to 60.

The younger players were ''up and coming'' squash players, working their way up the grades, and some were ranked in the top four in the country in their age group.

About 180 people were involved in the tournament and the feedback from the visitors had been ''phenomenal'', Mrs Hamilton said.

''People are really loving their time in Cromwell.''

It was the first time the club had hosted a Superchamps event and the support of its sponsors was much appreciated, Mr Christiansen said.

The club was also grateful for the support of the Alexandra Squash Club, where some of the games were staged. Alexandra also provided referees so there could be no suggestion of bias.

-lynda.van.kempen@odt.co.nz

 

Add a Comment

 

Advertisement