IT HAS been a busy year for the Wellington Squash and Racketball club. During the early part of 2017 members refurbished the club interior, in July junior players celebrated their progress with a tournament and a barbecue organised by club coach Andy Anderson and in September the club hosted the Mayor’s squash fundraiser.

The club has two teams in the Somerset Squash League and has players who travel further afield to compete. Natalie Lawrence achieved 1) Feb 2017 runner up British open squash 035, 2) Feb 2017 Racketball open champion, 3) March 2017 European Spanish champion in Santiago 035 squash, 4) June 2017 played for England in the 035 Home internationals squash, 5) August 2017 - runner up European squash championships in Wroclaw in Poland 035 squash, 6) December 2017 - Welsh open masters champion 035.

Kim Sadler has been working with Holistic Performance Coach and Greek National team player Dimitris Karaoglanidis and has successfully competed in Greek tournaments, winning four trophies this year, most recently the Plate competition in the 2017 Greek Open Finals and the Ladies Crete Christmas Closed event.

Finally, junior member Finley Burns achieved second place in the Somerset County Tournament.

This year things are set to get even bigger for the club as they are now twinned with Heraklion Squash Club in Crete, Greece. Members from Wellington are heading to the sun in April to play against Heraklion for the first stage of a twinning celebration tournament. Heraklion players will travel to Wellington in October for the second stage. Peter Shaw, chairman at Wellington Squash Club said: “It has been a good year for the club and with the new opportunities presented by twinning this year is all set to be an even better one.”

His counterpart in Heraklion, club president Andreas commented: “We are very excited to welcome to Greece the players, supporters and families from our twin club in England. We already have a firm friendship with them and this will certainly be enhanced through sharing our love of squash in April and then in October.”

Peter added: “We will always welcome new members to join our club. It doesn’t matter what level you play at, there will always be somebody that can give you a game of squash or racketball and, if the idea of coming to Crete with us is appealing then all the better.”

KIM SADLER