Sport Afterlife

Life after being a a squash professional seemed uncertain. Who am I, if not an athlete? What are my skills? What would I do for a living or to use my skills well? What are my strengths and what would I need to improve? The answers were challenging to find and hard to think of - let alone put in practice.

It started with a vision - like it always does. Then moved to a plan and then action. That's how I want it to be. That's how I see myself satisfied, productive and happy. And that's exactly how it panned out. But not before a lot of settling in and self reflection. 

With education and work experience under my belt, a versatile skill set and lots of support from amazing people, I embarked on my new journey as a man looking for purpose after having done all the playing I wanted to do. 

The End

All things come to an end and so it is time for this Squash Player's Journal to close. A blog that started as a story for Aliya and to hopefully inspire youngsters has also given me a lot. Its been my journal, my diary, my outlet and also a history of my squash. Thank you for being a part of it.

The OZ PSA Series

I had taken a year off from the OZ Tour in 2015 - focusing on work, coaching and setting up back in NZ. However, this year I was back on the goals wagon and headed to Australia for a few tournaments. The focus was as much on playing as it was on watching our top NZ players play and promote PSA. Playing goals were simple - to play well and pick up world ranking points along the way to help my goal of qualifying for the World Championships in Seattle in November. At this age, it might be more a dream than a goal but hey, what's life without dreams!

NZ PSA Series 2015

The 2015 Season Begins

And so begins yet another Squash season and what a good start it was - getting the right amount of lessons and confidence in my first few events of the year. However, the results need to get a lot better if I want to give myself a shot at playing in the World Champs in Seattle this year - something I have set as a goal for myself.

The New Year

A two week break and a road trip to Cape Reinga and back was just what the doctor ordered. 2014 was a productive but busy year and I needed some time off. A getaway was perfect for a break from the surroundings and to freshen up. I returned to Palmerston rejuvenated and ready to take on the new year. 

The Off Season

After the success of the last off season and the results during the season, I was sure that I wanted to train even harder, smarter and better for the next season. I could hardly wait for the off season training to start. However, I knew I needed some time off - both physically and mentally. I had some good time off after Senior Nationals but stayed fit to be on court to help prepare our juniors for Junior Nationals. An excellent four weeks off and I knew I was ready to start training for next year. It was time.