En Bref

Nationals EN BREF: from Framboise & Steve
Everything you never knew you needed to know about the Nationals

I’M STAYING... Framboise

As you know by now, Manchester City Council has been bringing school kids by the ton to watch the British Stars. And you know what? They love it.

After the 3rd game between Adrian Grant and Steve Meads, one of the teachers came round to the kids that were sitting watching those two battling away, trying to take them away to have a bite to eat.

“We won’t have the time to watch that match AND have something to eat”, said the teacher, trying to lure the boys and girls away from the show”.

“I’m watching “ firmly one of the boys. “Well, it could be another 2 games”, insisted the teacher…

There was a bit of consultation between the children, but not more than a few seconds, and the leader repeating, “I’m staying”.

And when I asked them who was going to win in their opinion? “The young one”, I was told…

QUIZZED BY THE KIDS
Steve

Manchester Leisure have one of the best junior development programmes in the country - if not the world - and this week there have already been several group visits by aspiring squash players from several junior schools in Manchester.

After watching a bit of squash, some of the groups have been taken into the main arena (where play hasn't started yet) for a Q&A session with the likes of Peter Barker, Nick Taylor and Becky Botwright.

There have been some cracking questions so far ... here's a few examples ...

"What's it feel like when you win?"

"Does it hurt when the ball hits you?"

"What is your best match?"

"Have you ever won this championship?"

"How many matches have you lost?" (Peter Barker estimated about 100)

"Is it like tennis?"

"Do you get bored travelling the world?"

"Can you play straight away without practicing first?"

and, from a five-year old who is clearly destined to go far ...

"How do I improve my volleys?"

ONLY TWO INCHES Steve

When they were adjusting the height of the tin after the women's match, ready for the men's match to follow, it struck me that most of the players competing in the early stages of the Nationals had probably not played very often on the lower 17" tin used by the PSA.

"It takes a bit of getting used to," said Jonny Harford, who was due on the court once the adjustments had been made. "Especially when it comes to getting to the dropshots, as they all seem to be that much tighter. It's only two inches, but it does make quite a bit of difference.

"It's hard to get practice on it too, as you can't just go into most clubs and ask them to lower the tin!"

JONAH ON JOEY Framboise

Every time I have the extreme pleasure to meet Mr Barrington Senior, father of, we talk about everything, and everybody, on the record, off the record. Things are easy, things are obvious.

Although he may feel a bit “hors du temps”, “out of the ratpack”, one can feel the passion for the game he still has, and the love for the juniors he trains.

And of course, we talk about Joey. Well, not exactly. He talks. I listen…. I’m a good listener. And he is a mighty good talker….

So here are a few extracts of the last conversation we had, minutes before Joey’s quarter against James….

“Joey was genetically disposed to sports, already as a youngster, he was gifted for all sorts of sports, he was a very good young rugby player for example, and he’s got his mum’s qualities as well, she was a long distance runner. His physical predisposition led him to a career in sports…”

“He started very late. He was never part of the “pack” like the other juniors, and it is very hard for him somehow not to “belong” to the group. But then again, squash is such an individual sport, although it helps to get the emulation from the “pack”, you don’t need to be part of one to get to the top of the ladder…And I think he must be one of the only player to have reached the quarters of the Nationals without having been playing on the junior scene”

“He has been improving a lot in the past two years, and as long as he stays injury free, there is still a lot of room for improvement. He is extremely ambitious. Extremely ambitious. And he works extremely hard. He never actually voiced his goals, he never said, “I want to become this, or reach that level”. He just told me one day that he wanted to be the best squash player he could be, and see what that leads to. I think that’s the best goal one can have….”

Today he is meeting James, who is a player one really look forward to playing. I think that even if he hadn’t been trained by Malcolm, who always coached his players discipline, fairness and perfect behaviour on court, there’s a pretty good chance that he would still have had all those qualities, because that’s the kind of person he is, he got all his mum’s good qualities….

“One of Joey’s problems is that he’s got very high highs, and extremely low lows. He can achieve wonders, and suddenly sink very low for a few rallies, and with that scoring, it goes very quickly. You cannot afford to lose concentration. You’ve got to stay focus at all times…”

“What I said to Joey when he was in Hong Kong, and he has one of his lows, is that whatever he achieves in squash, whatever life takes him beyond squash, his mother and I are extremely proud of him. And I needed him to know that.”

LITTLE & LARGE Steve

James Earles is just 13 years old, from Hull, the reigning British U13 Champion and winner at the recent England Squash Grand Prix at Nottingham in January.

And this week he became the youngest player ever to play in the senior British National Championships ... and possibly the the shortest.

So wouldn't you know it, he just happened to be drawn against Philip Nightingale, who must be one of the tallest players in the competition.

No, James didn't win, but he certainly tried his hardest and gave Phil a good workout ... you know the saying "enjoy it while you can," because James will be back next year, and for many years to come, we suspect, and in a few years' time you won't want to see your name against his in the draw ...

MISSING PETER… Framboise

When I arrived Tuesday night, late from working Monday and Tuesday in London, I was “browsing” from court to court really, not watching any match, glancing, chatting, catching up with who was there, what had been happening, and I saw that Peter Nicol was in a bit of trouble on court number two again Ben Ford.

So for a minute, I sat down, looking at those two players fighting hard, and suddenly, I heard Peter Kramer's voice announcing a “yes let”. And it wasn’t. Obviously. It was Dean Clayton’s voice.

And that’s when it hit me. That Peter was actually gone. That I would, that nobody would ever hear him announcing a score, or explaining a decision, or laugh, or have a pint at the end of a long day of refereeing.

And that's when I said my goodbyes.

I miss you Peter.

BACK FROM BADMINTON Steve

If you glanced at the Badminton Nationals site (link at the bottom left of this page), you may have noticed two squash players in the audience. Georgina Stoker and Laura Lengthorn were as surprised to see me there as I was them!

No sooner was the Badminton over, the roadshow moved across the road (literally) from the Velodrome to the NSC, and guess who two of the first people I saw there were ...

"It was really good," said Georgina. We'd only ever seen it on TV so we thought we'd go and have a look, although it was Gail Emms and Nathan Robertson we really wanted to see.

"I don't think I'll be taking it up," added Georgina, "you probably need to be fitter to play squash, but some of the things they were getting back, especially at the net, were just incredible."