After a delayed start, the 2020 College Sport Squash season is finally set to get play underway on Monday 22^nd June.  64 teams from 25 schools will compete across seven different grades with matches played on Monday and Wednesday afternoons at various clubs, public facilities, and schools. 

The Boy’s Premier grade looks to once again be a showdown between last season’s top two teams Auckland Grammar and Mt Albert Grammar, with both sides featuring national junior squad members.  Led by NZ Junior Elite squad members Jack Conder and Mason Smales, the Mt Albert Grammar team returns with an almost identical side to the one that took out the treble in 2019, picking up the College Sport weekly and teams champs titles as well as the National Secondary Schools championship.  Despite losing their number one from last season in Elijah Thomas, Auckland Grammar also features a strong side including two NZ Elite squad members in the Fatialofa brothers Leo and Apa Jr.

All up 8 teams will contest the Boy’s Premier grade.  Contesting the top grade along with Auckland Grammar and Mt Albert Grammar will be Avondale College, Orewa College, Rangitoto College, St Peter’s College, Takapuna Grammar, and Westlake Boys. 

The Girls Premier division features four teams with Takapuna Grammar and Mt Albert Grammar both returning to the top grade replacing Epsom Girls Grammar and St Cuthbert’s, where they are joined by defending champions Orewa College and Westlake Girls.  The Westlake side sees the addition of Lucy Aspinall and Aishah Lotfy, who along with sister Myriam, Da Eun Baek, Hawon Ryu, and Anna Jowsey will make them the team to beat.  Their main opposition should come in the form of Takapuna Grammar who are led by NZ Junior Girls team member Natalie Sayes, while Orewa College number one Anne Leakey returns along with a large number of new teammates to one that claimed the grade in 2019.

Matches are played from 4.15pm to 5.15pm with the Girls Premier playing on Monday afternoons, while the Boys Premier takes to the court on Wednesdays.  The other divisions to be competed for are;

• Open A Boys
• Open A Girls
• Open B Boys (Central/East & North/West divisions)
• Open B Girls
• Junior Boys

In addition to the weekly competition the annual two-day Auckland Squash Team Championships has been rescheduled for 1-2 September at the National Squash Centre and North Shore Squash Club, after being postponed from its original mid-June dates.  Westlake Girls and Mt Albert Grammar are the defending champions.  The season concludes with the National Secondary School Championships that will be held in Tauranga at the Devoy Squash & Fitness Centre from 7-9 August. 

The College Sport competition offers a special opportunity for secondary school squash players to represent their school as part of a team, with much of the sport’s competitive opportunities being individual club-based events such as Junior Interclub and Junior 1-Day tournaments. 

For the full Premier Grade team lists - Click here

List of Schools Competing in 2020 College Sport Squash

Auckland Grammar

Avondale College

Baradene College

Botany Downs College

Dilworth College

Elim College

Epsom Girls Grammar

Green Bay High School

Howick College

Kings College

Lynfield College

Macleans College

Mt Albert Grammar

Onehunga High School

Orewa College

Rangitoto College

Rutherford College

Sacred Heart College

Selwyn College

St Kentigern College

St Peter’s College

Takapuna College

Western Springs College

Westlake Boys High School

Westlake Girls High School

Week 1 Premier Fixtures (all 4.15pm start)

Girls Premier – Monday 22 June

Mt Albert Grammar vs Orewa College @ North Shore Squash Club

Takapuna Grammar vs Westlake Girls @ Devonport Squash Club

Boys Premier – Wednesday 24 June

Auckland Grammar 1 vs Rangitoto College @ Auckland Grammar

Westlake Boys vs Avondale College @ YMCA North Shore

St Peter’s College vs Orewa College @ St Peter’s College

Takapuna Grammar vs Mt Albert Grammar @ Mt Albert Grammar

Article added: Friday 19 June 2020