Reflections on six years of the East Glos Squash Doubles Tournament
Celebrating six years of squash and fun of the highest quality
By Tom Ford
Beginnings always hide themselves in ends…
For those of you who weren’t able to stay until the prize-giving on the Sunday of the tournament, this report is to announce that I will be stepping down from organising the tournament.
Probably close to seven years ago, I was sat having a coffee with Brian King after having just turned professional, and when he suggested that I resurrect this well-known tournament, I don’t think I could have quite imagined the life it would take and what it would become.
In the past six years we have watched, chatted with and even played with some of the best squash players in the world – Jonathan Kemp (HWR #20), Simon Parke (HWR #3), Fiona Geaves (HWR #5), Peter Marshall (HWR #2), Alex Gough (HWR #5), Tom Richards (World #22), Laurens Anjema (HWR #9), among many other current top 200, 100 and 50 players in the world rankings.
Many junior players from across Gloucestershire have had the opportunity to play and learn from all of these professionals due to the “hit with the pros” initiative. Not that that stopped them before and after!
We have had a total of 18 sponsors, with the highest prize pot offered in one year being £2,800. The majority of these local businesses have sponsored multiple years, and I would like to name them all individually, as, without their generosity, we would not have had the privilege of everything that goes with the above paragraphs.
Brian King of Christchurch Consultancy; Graham Wildin of Wildin & Co; Nick Lawrence and Jane Lisk of Cheltenham Physiotherapy; Simon Firkins of SF Planning; Ian Bloomfield of Focus Networks; Jon Griffin of Regency Interiors; Keith Sanzo of Eurotaxis; Dan Heaton of AMPM 24/7; Rob Brady of The Good Beer Co; Suzanne Temple of Blue Clothing; Alex Parker of Parker SW; Laurence Boakes of Azimuth Engineering; Nick Griffiths of Nick Griffiths Estate Agents; Peter Dunham of Raymond James; Adrian Brown of Freelance Platers; Keith Sawyer and Steve Gallienne of Karakal; Vaughan Howell of SevernSigns; Chris Phillips of Dunlop.
And lastly, thank you to all of you. Each and every one of you who entered, supported and contributed in your own unique way. This is a tournament for everyone, which will continue and flourish in the motivated hands of Mark Toseland with the help of Tony Briscombe. I have no doubt of the fine job they will do in not only continuing the event but with the help of myself and countless others, make it better than I could ever do alone.
I have no idea where I will be by next year’s tournament, but I hope to see you all from the other side of the tournament desk and aiming to get my name on that trophy!
Have a wonderful year and hope you all rock East Glos for another weekend in 2020.
Tom x