Warren ‘Wazza’ Urquhart is better known for his exploits on the tennis courts than squash yet he has been selected for the Cayman Islands squash team for the World Island Games next week in the Isle of Wight in the UK.
Urquhart becomes the first person to represent Cayman in both tennis and squash at the Island Games.
For the two previous Island Games in Rhodes and Aland, Urquhart was a member of the successful men’s tennis team which won team bronze and silver.
Urquhart is a tennis coach for Cayman Sports and only took up squash seriously in the Cayman Islands.
“I started playing squash primarily because after work the last thing I wanted to do was play more tennis,” he said.
“Squash and tennis are very different with squash being far more wristy so I had to adapt to that, but there were some skills I could carry over from tennis.
I can throw in some shots that are not normally seen on a squash court which actually makes me a bit awkward to play against by all accounts.
“It started with playing my good friend Barrel each Friday lunchtime which we have been doing for seven years now and then I got a little more involved in the squash club and now I am playing more regularly.”
The team travels to the Isle of Wight next weekend and Wazza is looking forward to the Island Games from a new sporting perspective.
“It will be a big challenge playing against people who have played a lot more squash than myself, but I am excited about representing Cayman in something new.”
The team has been training twice a week at the South Sound Squash Club under the watchful eye of national coach Glenn Stark.
“When we trained for the tennis it was very basic and we essentially just played matches,” said Urquhart.
“The training sessions with Glenn have been fantastic.
They are a lot more advanced with a heavy emphasis on fitness and drills and I have gotten a great deal out of each session.
There are several exceptional players in the team, but they have all been very patient with me and helped my game immensely.”
Having represented New Zealand at a junior level in several sports – including boxing and football – and now Cayman in both tennis and squash what’s next on the agenda? “I think it will have to be table tennis next time,“ he joked. The rest of the squash squad going to the Island Games is; Janet Sairsingh (manager), Gabe Rabess (player-coach), Marlene West, Caroline Heal, Chantelle Day, Jaclyn Ridgeway, Cameron Stafford, David Finch and Myron Blair.
Urquhart provides tennis lessons on island, and is available for private and group tennis sessions, either at your own court or at one of his locations along Seven Mile Beach.
Call 926-2776 or email: [email protected] for further information
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