A HUDDERSFIELD team representing the Phoenix Squash and Racketball Club reached the final of the inaugural Jersey Racketball Festival.
A dozen teams from all over the UK visited the Channel Islands for the tournament, run by Nicky Taylor of the Jersey Squash and Racketball Association and sponsored by England Squash and Racketball and the Head and Bedell Group.
The Phoenix Club’s owners, Graham and Val Stacey, sponsored the team and went along to support them (Graham playing in one of the games) as they defeated Devon and Exeter’s second team, Guernsey and Brampton, from Chesterfield.
In the final, however, they came up against Devon and Exeter squash club, which was effectively the Devon County side and were well beaten.
The inaugural event was held at three different venues on the island and each team comprised five players.
Representing Phoenix were James Lord, Theo Woodward, Phil Bowker, Ian Cawthorne and National Ladies age group champion Julie Lawton.
Organisers, who also arranged social events for the players on the Friday and Saturday nights, are hoping to make the festival an annual event, with more teams involved next year.
Racketball is undoubtedly a growing sport, being run in conjunction with squash at several clubs, and is certainly helping boost membership with squash currently at a bit of a low ebb.
