Squash Association receives EC$75,000 sponsorship from NLA

President of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Squash Association, Sherian Slater, has said that the OECS team slated to represent the sub region in the 18th Senior Squash Championships stands a good chance of doing well.{{more}}

Slater, who is not only the president, but also a player, says that the 18-member team, which includes players from St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the British Virgin Islands, Dominica and other OECS countries, consists of a number of regional and internationally ranked players who are expected to perform well.

“We have the likes of Joe Khani, a just recently retired professional player. We have Joe Chapman who represents one of the top squash colleges in the USA; Charlie Sonson, a former number one Caribbean player; James Bentick who is also in the top in the OECS and Southern Caribbean….

We will have Daniella Shuman, who is also a former professional squash player. We have Musunda Poole. She is a beautiful squash player; Amber Glasgow who has been doing quite well in England, we expect her to do quite well here as well.”

Other members of the team include Slater, Ica and Vonnie Roudette, Tessa Shallow, Greta Primus, Kevin Hannaway, Jules Snagg, John Osmond and Paul and Mark Cyrus.

The OECS squad will come up against defending champions Trinidad and Tobago, as well as Barbados, The Cayman Islands, Bermuda, Jamaica and Guyana.

Over one hundred players and officials are expected to be taking part in the tournament, which will be held here in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Slater used the opportunity to thank platinum sponsors, the National Lotteries Authority, for their contribution to the competition, which takes place from August 14 to 22.

She said that the early and ready donation by the NLA assisted the Association in getting the championships organized in good time.

She was at the time receiving a cheque for EC$75,000 from the NLA.

“Because the National Lottery came forward very early, we were able to do our plans. We were way ahead of the management plans of the championships, so we expect it to be very successful.”

Product Development Officer of the NLA, Anthony Dennie, said that his institution has had a longstanding relationship with the sport and was pleased to be a part of the tournament.

“We here at the National Lotteries Authority are more than happy to be associated with squash. We have been with squash for quite a number of years and are happy to be a part of this major tournament.

The competition will see action in three venues around mainland St. Vincent, including the National Squash Centre, incidentally in the same building where the NLA offices are located, as well as the Cecil Cyrus Squash Complex at New Montrose and the Grad View Squash Club at Indian Bay.

This is the first time that the Tournament is taking place on an annual basis. In past years it was a biennial event. (JJ)