OTTAWA (ON) – Squash Canada today announced the creation of a new talent identification program for the start of the 2014 – 2015 squash season.
“The new Talent Identification Program (TID) creates an opportunity to be more involved in the development of our players at younger ages and with the support of Squash Canada and their home club’s and squash professionals we feel we can work together to propel our athletes to new levels of international excellence", said Squash Canada Performance Director, Jamie Hickox.
OTTAWA (ON) – Squash Canada today announced the creation of a new talent identification program for the start of the 2014 – 2015 squash season.
“The new Talent Identification Program (TID) creates an opportunity to be more involved in the development of our players at younger ages and with the support of Squash Canada and their home club’s and squash professionals we feel we can work together to propel our athletes to new levels of international excellence", said Squash Canada Performance Director, Jamie Hickox.
The TID Program has produced squad athletes from 5 provinces / territories in Canada with athletes residing coast to coast. In addition, to these junior aged named athletes, Squash Canada also recently named three junior aged athletes to senior high performance squads for meeting Squash Canada Performance Standards, they include: 18 year old David Baillargeon of Quebec City, QC (Men’s Transition Squad); 16 year old Chloe Chemtob of Montreal, QC (Women’s Transition Squad) and 18 year old Alyssa Mehta of Toronto who was recently named to Squash Canada’s (Senior Women’s High Performance Squad).
Squash Canada Executive Director Danny Da Costa said, “we are encouraged by the development of our players across Canada. The fact that we have athletes named from 6 different provinces is a testament to the great work being done by our coaches at the club and provincial level”.
The launch of the TID program comes on the heels of a cross-country tour by Squash Canada’s Performance Director Jamie Hickox who visited clubs and worked with all the best junior players in each provincial/territorial jurisdiction across Canada through the Centre of Excellence Program.
The selected athletes will receive the following benefits:
1. They will enjoy the prestige of being named as a national squash player of interest
2. They will receive advice and direction on career matters such as coaching, training and competition
3. They will have access to the Squash Canada Center of excellence program:
· They will have appropriate access to the COE – Toronto
· They will have access to the SC COE program through the COE country wide HP tour
· It is in the plan to create COE TID Camps
Young athletes were selected across Canada from the U13, U15, U17, U19 with members of the Squash Canada high performance community making recommendations.
The 2014 – 2015 Female Talent Identification Squad members are:
Name of Athlete | City, Province | Home Club | Age Category |
Sophie Mehta | Toronto, ON | National Squash Academy | U17 (16 years) |
Alison Richmond | Toronto, ON | Granite Club | U19 (17 years) |
Madlen O'Connor | Toronto, ON | Granite Club | U19 (17 years) |
Tara Shannon | Calgary, AB | Glencoe Club | U19 (17 years) |
Anika Alexander |
Winnipeg, MB | Winnipeg Winter Club | U19 (17 years) |
Grace Thomas | Victoria, BC | Cedar Hill Squash Club | U17 (16 years) |
Nicole Kendall | Newmarket, ON | Mayfair Parkway | U17 (15 years) |
Amy Commisso | King, ON | Executive Squash & Fitness | U17 (15 years) |
Hannah Blatt | Winnipeg, MB | Winnipeg Winter Club | U17 (15 years) |
Miriam Mansoor | Richmond Hill, ON | Executive Squash & Fitness | U15 (14 years) |
Andrea Toth | Richmond, BC | Sport Central | U15 (14 years) |
Emma Jinks | Charlottetown, PE | The Spa Fitness & Racquet | U15 (14 years) |
Bethany Churchill | Calgary, AB | World Health Edgemont | U15 (13 years) |
Charlotte Orcutt | Toronto, ON | Granite Club | U15 (13 years) |
Marlow Benson | Bolton, ON | Executive Squash & Fitness | U15 (13 years) |
Lucia Bicknell | West Vancouver, BC | Evergreen Squash Club | U13 (12 years) |
The 2014-2015 Male Talent Identification Squad Members are:
Name of Athlete | City, Province | Home Club | Age Category |
Carter Robitaille | Toronto, ON | Mayfair Parkway | U19 (17 years) |
Michael Thompson | Vancouver, BC | Jericho Tennis Club | U19 (18 years) |
Alexi Gosset | Toronto, ON | Toronto Lawn Tennis Club | U19 (17 years) |
Matthew Toth | Richmond, BC | Sport Central | U17 (16 years) |
Akasham Rajagopaul | Niagara Falls, ON | The Club at White Oaks | U17 (15 years) |
Michael Mehl | Calgary, AB | World Health Edgemont | U17 (15 years) |
Husam Hamour | Niagara Falls, ON | The Club at White Oaks | U17 (16 years) |
Brett Schille | Calgary, AB | Calgary Winter Club | U17 (16 years) |
Matthew Henderson | Victoria, BC | Cedar Hill Squash Club | U19 (17 years) |
Jackson Kay | Toronto, ON | National Squash Academy | U15 (14 years) |
Justin Ghaeli | Richmond Hill, ON | Executive Squash & Fitness | U15 (14 years) |
Julien Gosset | Toronto, ON | Toronto Lawn Tennis Club | U15 (14 years) |
Ryan Picken | Vancouver, BC | Jericho Tennis Club | U17 (15 years) |
James Flynn | Toronto, ON | Granite Club | U15 (13 years) |
Neel Ismail | Toronto, ON | Mayfair Parkway | U15 (13 years) |
Nikhil Ismail | Toronto, ON | Mayfair Parkway | U13 (11 years) |
Abdelrahman Dweek | Calgary, AB | World Health Edgemont | U13 (12 years) |
Dylan Deveril | Cambridge, ON | Kitchener-Waterloo Racquet | U13 (12 years) |
John Dempsey | Vancouver, BC | Jericho Tennis Club | U15 (13 years) |
For More Information Contact:
Danny Da Costa
Executive Director, Squash Canada
Email: ddacosta@squash.ca