A group of Barbados’s leading junior squash players recently returned from facing several of the best junior squash players in the world.
The 2002 US Squash Rackets Association Junior Olympics, an annual event, was held December 19-22 at Yale University. 18 year old Shawn Simpson, the eldest in the group, led a team of young talented Barbadians including Nadia McCarthy, Bo Harris, Bryant Cumberbatch and Rhett Cumberbatch. The conclusion of the event saw all of the Barbadians winning matches and several Barbadian names in creditable finishing positions signaling the steady progress the game is making in Barbados.
Boys Under 15
Bryant Cumberbatch finished in the top 10 in the under 15 boys after winning his first two matches against Americans William Brown and James Clark, to advance to the round of 16. There he met the Number 1 seed and succumbed 3-0. He won his next match and but lost the following match 3-1, ending his play in the tournament.
Boys Under 17
Rhett Cumberbatch also won his first match in the boys under 17 against New Yorkan, C. Thompson, but lost his second match to a number 5-8 in the tournament (3-0). Rhett put up a good fight losing those games at close scores and proceeded to win his first match in the plate. He finished in the top 30 in this category.
Girls Under 15
Bo Harris, after a fine performance in the Canadian Junior Open (Top 10 finish) earned a 5-8 seeding but had a tough first match against Sandra Mamamachit of Pennsylvania. With her usual quiet determination, she overwhelmed her first opponent in her first match in the plate the following day 3-0. In her final match of the tournament she gave a good showing, bowing out 3-1, with a narrow loss in the fourth game.
Girls Under 17
Nadia McCarthy, seeded 9-16, in her first US Open faced stiff opposition in her first match against Laura Pyne of Connecticut. A combination of nerves and the high level play of her opponent, ended in a loss. She went into the plate and steam-rolled through her first game, 3-0, playing the type of game needed for the level of competition. Her debut ended in her next game when she lost to a stronger opponent who moved the ball around and played patient squash.
Boys Under 19
The continuously improving Shawn Simpson, outpaced his first opponent, Adam Gibbs of Connecticut, 3-0, with hard low shots on both sides. In the round of 32, he faced a 9-16 seed and lost 3-0, but the scores in the games reflected a good effort. Shawn noted that his opponent was a bit more aggressive and cut off a lot of drives putting him under pressure. In the plate, Shawn won his first match 3-1 with consistent squash, capitalizing on his opponents’ errors. His run ended in his next match (3-1) to a top Canadian player. He led 8-6 in the third game when the games were tied at 1-1 but lost the game 10-9 and the final game, 9-4.
Well done Bajan Junior Squashers!
