Scotland’s new champion

November 2, 2023 6:01 pm

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Scotland has a new UK champion in 12-year-old Balerno High School squash player, Thomas Myers.

Thomas, who is a member at both Hatton SC and Edinburgh Sports Club, where he is coached by Ross McHoul, travelled to Sheffield at the weekend and fulfilled his top seeding in the under-13 event by winning all five matches without dropping a game.

In the final Thomas defeated the English No 1, Joe Thomson, and a new challenge awaits next month as he visits the US Open in Philadelphia to play in an overseas tournament for the first time.

Thomas will be accompanied by his dad, David, a keen squash player and coach.

Unsurprisingly, it was David who helped start Thomas, the reigning Scottish champion in his age-group, on his squash journey.

“Thomas has been playing since aged eight and it was partly the prospect of playing team squash with my son that got me back into the sport after a bit of time out.

“Thomas has always been very sporty, playing with a ball since aged about two and competing with older brothers.

“Before squash took over he played football for Currie FC and has been a member of East of Scotland age group hockey squads.”

And boy has squash taken over as it is believed he is the first Scottish male winner of his age category at the UK nationals since Peter Nicol in 1992. Peter, from Inverurie, went on to become a world men’s champion.

David is keen to stress the benefits of squash overall and the further boost that will hopefully come from a long awaited entry into the Olympics in 2028.

After a tough time during the Covid pandemic when indoor sports were closed he is pleased to report that around 400 youngsters competed in various age-groups at the UK Junior Championships with a 15 per cent increase in female participation.

Closer to home he praises the Squash Stars project being run at Oriam by coach Donna Lobban which caters for 5-9 years olds.

https://www.squashstars.co.uk/