Alexander Cheeks to compete at US Junior Open Squash C/ships in Connecticut

Dec 12, 2016 Sports

By Franklin Wilson
Multi talented national Squash player Alexander Aaron Cheeks is set to make his debut at one of the most prestigious junior tournaments in the world, the United States Junior Open Squash Championships which will attract players from around the world from December 17-20, in Connecticut.
The 16 year-old Cheeks, who will be using the tournament to gain valuable experience and exposure, will be competing in the Under-19 category and is expected to wing out of Guyana tomorrow for the USA.

Alexander Aaron Cheeks

Even at such a tender age, the School of the Nations 5th former has a wealth of experience competing locally and internationally for Guyana. Sports runs in his veins; he started competing in Squash and Karate at the age of 6 and was also a member of the Dolphin Speed Swim Club which underlines his love for sport while at the same time balancing this with his academic pursuits.
He is currently preparing to write the IGCSE exams in May/June of 2017 and is very much focused on excelling in both facets (sports/academics).
Cheeks would be joined by fellow Guyanese players at the US Championships, Rebecca Lowe, Taylor Fernandes and Shomari Wiltshire and they will be coming up against players from the host nation, New Zealand, Malaysia, Japan, Switzerland, Mexico, Canada, Egypt, Kenya, Brazil, Hong Kong, Paraguay and Ecuador.
Cheeks noted that whilst competing in a higher category where the competition is expected to be very challenging, he is anxious for the exposure since this tournament is the largest individual Junior Squash Tournament in the world and is considered the third most prestigious Junior Open Squash Championship after the World Junior and the British Junior Open Squash championships.
He recently competed in the Farfan and Mendes Skill Level Tournament, placing 2nd in Category A and was awarded the Most Improved Player trophy.
His exploits over the years as a consistent performer would have been recognised as he would have been nominated for the Junior Sportsman of the year award by the Karate Association for about three years.
Such a lover of competitive sports, Cheeks also takes part in all school sports and would take part in athletics, long jump, high jump and swimming and always medal.
The 2nd Dan Karateka has competed at tournaments in Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados at the Caribbean level; at the world level in Canada where he achieved his first international Gold in Karate at the Pan American Championships.
In his favourite sport, Squash, he has carried his racquet for the land of his birth at CASA tournaments hosted in Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Bermuda and Cayman Islands. His most recent competition at this level was in the Cayman Islands where he placed 3rd in the plate competition and won the qualifying match for the Boys team which enabled Guyana to win its 12th consecutive championship.
With many more playing years under his belt, Cheeks is already thinking ahead and planning his coaching career. To succeed in this regard, he has already been pulling on the knowledge of his coaches, Carl Ince and Colin Ming.
Very much a team player as he is a fierce individual competitor, Cheeks said he works along with all players his club – Georgetown Club – and always appreciates any coaching from his peers and seniors, the likes of Jason and Ray Khalil, Nyron Joseph, Kristian Jeffrey and Reagan Pollard.
After exams, Cheeks said it is his desire to assist with coaching the younger kids with whom he shares a great relationship. Looking ahead, he has his eyes set on preparing for the 2017 Junior CASA Championships which would be hosted in Guyana during the July/August holidays.

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