2017 Jesters Pacific Northwest Junior Championships
Dear Jesters
This year’s event drew a record 233 entries and included many of Canada’s leading players. I’m pleased to report that our BC contingent fared very well. Grace Thomas (Victoria) and Andrea Toth (Richmond) met in the Girl’s Under 19 final with the win going to Thomas in a tight four game match. In the Boys Under 19 semi-final, Ryan Picken (Shawnigan) eliminated top seed Akasham Rajagopaul (Niagra Falls) but was unable to overcome 2nd seed Brett Schille (Calgary) in the final. Additional B.C highlights are listed below.
Over the years, Jester’s sponsorship has helped us to maintain a reasonable entry fee for this event. Additional Jester’s funding in 2017 allowed us to enhance player meals, upgrade the tournament souvenir and to add a third place award in all fifteen divisions.
A volunteer crew of over fifty provided vital services including court control, meal services and registration. In addition, we had 17 local players referee all the Under 19 and Under 17 quarter finals and beyond, plus all the first matches each day. In total there were 476 matches played at three venues on 13 courts. We gratefully acknowledge and thank St. Michael’s University School and Stuart Dixon at the Victoria Squash Club for the use of their facilities. We also thank Lynne Grass of Shawnigan Lake School who provided an inter venue shuttle on Friday. And finally, a special thanks to John Roche who I believe has assisted at every PNW hosted at Cedar Hill since 1993 – amazing!
The Pacific Northwest Junior tournament was inaugurated in 1969 and has now run continuously for 48 years. In that first year, I was among the participants. I believe it was here where I was introduced to and then thrashed by John Hungerford. Tragic as that was, my occasional glimpses of the front wall cemented a lasting affection for the game and this event in particular. It was my pleasure to run the tournament numerous times from 1970 through to 1982. After a four year stint at Edmonton’s Royal Glenora Club, I returned to Victoria in 1986 and this was the beginning of an unbroken thirty year association with the PNW. How time flies!
In 2018, the PNW will be hosted under new leadership. I am confident that Ben Uliana and his team will continue to enhance the event’s reputation as one of Canada’s most popular Junior tournaments.
To all B.C. Jesters: thank you for your enduring support of Junior Squash in the province
With thanks,
Philip Green
Other notable BC results in Open divisions include:
Boys Under 17
John Dempsey 2nd
Emilio Carrillo 3rd
Sayeed Mavani 4th
Girls Under 17
Sarah Cao 1st
Boys Under 15
Christian Yuen 3rd
Girls Under 15
Julia Horsey 1st
Boys Under 13
Joseph Toth 1st
Girls Under 13
Grace Huang 1st
Maria Min 2nd
Ava Bicknell 4th
Boys Under 11
Ryan Vest 2nd
Galen Armstrong 3rd
Six ‘B’ divisions were also offered
Boys Under 17/19 B
1. Lucas Galloway
2. Mark Felea-Motet
3. Amir Djearam
Girls Under 17B
1. Annika Lakhani
2. Angel Hu
3. Carolina Mees
Boys Under 15B
1. Ian Heck
2. Cole Parmar
3. Oliver Kerr
Girls Under 13/15B
1. Bernice Xiao
2. Juliana Angel
3. Ava Galloway
Boys Under 13B
1. Razaan Lalji
2. Tyler Driscoll
3. Ryan Khakzad
Boys Under 11B
1. Nathan Campo
2. Anderson Brown
3. Jonathan Gower