Bay prepares for World Junior Squash Championships

The volunteers' venue manager for Queen Elizabeth Youth Centre, Karl Brown, and Megan Cleverley, co-ordinator for volunteers, polish the viewing glass ahead of the Squash World Junior Championships.

Scores of volunteers - 150 of them all up - have stepped up to help the World Junior Squash Championships run like clockwork in Tauranga this month.

"They are a great bunch, and we couldn't run the championships without them," says Megan Cleverley, who is co-ordinating the volunteers.

They range in age from 12 years old ( 24 of them) up to retired people and include Lions club members and people who pursue other sports codes.

The jobs include driving players between venues, staffing the doors, looking after the VIPs, selling merchandise and being part of the medal ceremonies.

The youngsters probably have the most vital job of all - cleaning up the court in the brief two-minute window between games.

"We have rosters for them, and we're training them up to do a fast, efficient job," said Ms Cleverley.

Their role begins when the players start arriving from July 14 onwards.

In all 150 players, all aged under 19, from 28 countries will be taking part in the tournament, says Char Niles, the event's communications manager.

Sixteen international referees will also be at the championships.

The event kicks off on Tuesday July 18 with a welcome at ASB Baypark Arena and Stadium for the players, coaches and VIPs from the nations taking part.

Competition begins for individuals on July 19 at four venues - the Devoy Squash and Fitness Club in Tauranga, the Mount Maunganui and Te Puke squash clubs and a glass court, to be installed at the Queen Elizabeth Youth Centre next week.

Quarter-finals, semis and finals will be held on the glass court, where 1000 seats will be set up. Entry to this venue will be a gold coin because Squash NZ wants the championships to be affordable for families, says Ms Niles.

Play will begin at 11am and run until 8pm. Entry to the three clubs, which have all recently upgraded their premises, will be free.

After the individual championship the junior women's team championship will run from July 25 to 29. The teams' championship alternates between male and female teams from year to year. This year it is the turn of women's teams.

The men will be involved in an unsanctioned test series.

The visiting players will stay at the Trinity Wharf Hotel and Hotel Armitage and travel to clubs for practising.

Two Bay of Plenty players are included in the New Zealand squad for the championships - Camden Te Kani-McQueen, 18, who is trained by her father Danny McQueen, who attended the world juniors in 1982; and 16-year-old Nadia Hubbard. Both the young women are from Rotorua.

The event is expected to generate $5 million in spending from players and their supporters. The Tauranga City Council has invested $60,000 from its major events fund, and the Government contributed $110,000.

Matches played at the Queen Elizabeth Youth Centre will be broadcast on the tournament's web page: www.wsfworldjuniors.com