SPORTS

Squash players perform in Trinidad

The members of the Cayman senior team pose for a
team photograph before heading off to Trinidad. From
left to right are Kim Rough-Moses, Jeff Broderick,
Ian Patrick, and Merta Day. Chantelle Day was already in
Trinidad when the picture was taken.

Monday,  August 22, 2005

The Cayman Islands senior squash team recently took part in the Caribbean Senior Squash Championships 2005 in Trinidad.

Six countries participated this year, but because of constraints on training in Cayman, a smaller team than usual was sent to represent the Island. The team, captained by Ian Patrick, and comprising Jeff Broderick, Merta Day, and Kim Rough-Moses, competed in the ladies and vets divisions.

Upon arrival in Trinidad, the team was joined by Chantelle Day, who had remained in Trinidad after playing in the Caribbean Junior Squash Championships earlier.

Chantelle Day competed in the senior individual competition before competing in the team event.

In the individual competition, Day, who was unseeded, made it to the quarter-finals, where she was ousted by number two seed Karen Meakins from Barbados in three games. 

The strong competition she faced in the senior competition most certainly aided Day in the development of her game, and was good preparation ahead of the team competition.

The veteran men came fifth out of six teams in the competition, which, considering the troubles players face when attempting to train in the Cayman Islands, is a very good result. Barbados came out winners of the event.

Although the team had a tough time, Jeff Broderick became the Caribbean Champion in the veteran men’s division, when he took the overall individual tournament. Even though he was suffering from a recurring injury, Broderick proved far too strong for the opposition, winning every one of his matches.

Although the ladies came sixth out of six, it should be noted that the team consisted of only three players, where many other teams had up to five. However, it proved impossible to field a full side because of the lingering after-effects of Hurricane Ivan.

In the Caribbean Junior Championships that took place earlier, Chantelle Day, who was seeded number one after her championship win last year in Cayman, retained her under 19 girls title for the second and last year, as she moves to the senior category in November.

Starting off slow in the final, Chantelle went two games down, before pulling back the third game. As Day piled on the pressure in the fourth game, her opponent, Joanna Scoon from Trinidad, suffered a pulled muscle. Although she valiantly tried to continue, the injury was too serious, and she had to capitulate, handing Day the title.

Although this was not the way Day would have preferred to take the title, her coach Dean Watson felt that Day was starting to dominate the match at the time her opponent sustained the injury, even though Day was still down on points.

Samantha Hennings, seeded number two in the under 15 girls division, was beaten in her semi-final match, but finished the event in third overall.
Alain Mudeen, who was seeded number one in the boys under 15 section, went down in the final to a much improved Justin Sanguinette of Trinidad.

Overall, the boys came seventh out of eight teams and the girls came sixth.

Their coach, Dean Watson, said, “I am very pleased with the team’s performance overall. The team hasn't had much court time over the last ten months.

“However, once the refurbished South Sound Squash Club is complete, serious training will begin, not only for the juniors but the seniors as well.”
The Cayman Islands Squash Association will be hosting the 40th Rosebowl Championships next April, and will also be sending a team to the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne 2006 for the first time.

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