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Gordon impressed with local squash
World number 57th ranked professional squash player Christopher Gordon was delighted with his overall experience of the local squash community and thinks that the sport has a very promising future.
Christopher Gordon
In an invited comment, the American born squash star said, “All in all squash in Guyana is on the [way] up!”
Gordon visited Guyana during the Christmas season and agreed to play a few exhibition matches with some of the country’s best players on Thursday night at the Georgetown Club. Gordon took on Guyana’s 20-year old two-time, reigning national champion Alex Arjoon, four-time senior Caribbean champion Nicolette Fernandes and US-based Guyanese veteran squash campaigner Richard Chin. As expected, Gordon prevailed in his matches in straight games (2-0) and was delighted by the support that he received from the local crowd.
“I think the exhibition was a huge success. We got a great crowd and everyone seemed really excited to see me and Guyana’s top players go head to head,” Gordon said.
Additionally, Gordon said that he hoped that the exhibition would serve as more than an exciting display of high level squash and also have collateral benefits. “Hopefully it can serve as a springboard to energize the local community about the game and inspire some of the young players to go the extra mile in their training.”
Chance to boom
Gordon felt that squash in Guyana has several great elements working at the moment and once acted upon correctly, the sport could take off. Two of the aspects that Gordon identified were superior coaching available to local players through Level IV Elite Coach Carl Ince and the convenience of facilities like the Georgetown Club and the public courts at the National Racquet Centre.
“With the right cultivation and support, squash in Guyana has every chance to boom. From a facilities stand point the Georgetown club has a great atmosphere and I’ve heard that the first public courts in the country have just opened which can only mean good things in terms of opportunity to expose the game to the broader population,” Gordon said.
Gordon also stated, “From a coaching stand point Carl Ince is a world class coach and his mentoring can help cultivate the next generation of Guyanese champions.”
Last but not least, Gordon underscored the advantages of having a world renowned squash player in Nicolette Fernandes who he felt is in the peak of her squash career.
“Finally from an overall awareness of the game, Nicolette Fernandes is really coming into her own on the WISPA world tour and can provide the inspiration and public persona to hopefully raise awareness and attract local interest and sponsorship to the sport,” Gordon stated as another reason why he felt that squash in Guyana is on top.
Gordon’s analysis was on point as the Guyana Squash Association has been sponsored by Digicel Guyana, who up to recently sponsored Fernandes, Mary Fung-A-Fat and Ashley DeGroot to attend the Women’s World Open Squash tournament in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands.
The 26-year old professional player was coached by Chin, the Guyanese born 2010 senior Caribbean champion and former US national player, as a junior player. Gordon said that visiting the hometown of Chin, who has mentored him a great deal, was a huge part of the reason for his trip to Guyana. Gordon also stated that his stay in Guyana has been incredible and the hospitality was second to none.
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