By Jack Wyant, Head Coach, US Junior Women’s Team
While most squash players are cross-training, the US Junior Women’s Team is in the midst of final preparations for the World Junior Championships in Hong Kong, August 1-11. With Logan Greer and Olivia Blatchford having secured the two automatic berths, the last two spots on the team were up for grabs at Penn’s Ringe squash courts, June 7-10, at the US Junior Trials. Seedings were determined by accumulated points in the Junior Selection Series events throughout the ‘06-’07 junior season. Emily Park, the lowest seed entering the event, overcame Julie Cerullo in three games and Natasha Kingshott in five to reach the final where she met Sarah Toomey. By reaching the finals, both Toomey and Park assured themselves of a position on the team, but the winner of their match would secure the No. 3 spot. With the match knotted at one game all, Park overcame two game balls in the third and closed out the match in four.
In late June, the full squad, including those competing in the Individual World Championships, reconvened at Reflex Squash & Fitness in Wilmington for its final training squad with coaches Meredeth Quick, Jack Wyant and Damon Leedale-Brown, who served England Squash on their World-Class Player Programs and now works closely with US Squash’s various national squads. Prior to competing in Hong Kong, the team will travel to Kuala Lumpur to acclimate and train with the highly rated Malaysian National Junior team. A top-eight finish is a very real possibility for this young and talented team in Hong Kong! Track their progress at www.usasquasteam.com during the competition.
