Tauranga is reaping the rewards of having New Zealand's newest state-of-the-art squash facility located in the city, with the Devoy Squash and Fitness centre dominating Bay of Plenty's regional Superchamps over the weekend.
The Devoy centre fielded seven teams in various graded divisions, with teams of five competing against other clubs in the district. Four teams won through tough competition to win regional titles and will now go on to represent the Devoy Club and Bay of Plenty at the national Superchamps in mid-September.
Membership is up by more than 70 per cent since the club moved to its new facility on the corner of 16th Ave and Devonport Rd.
"Seven team entries this year is our strongest showing in many years and bodes well for the future of the club at a competitive level," president Dame Susan Devoy said. "The teams have trained really hard and the courts have been heavily utilised in the lead up to this tournament."
The B-grade men showed their depth, cruising past Te Puke in the opening encounter. Club pride was on the line when the team matched up against former winners Mount, with a gutsy 3-1 win in the title decider.
The E-grade women's team, top seeds in their division, had the toughest draw but showed their skill against some determined players to meet rivals Geyser in the final playoffs. The Devoy team proved too strong, trouncing the second seeds in a classy 5-0 win to take the regional title undefeated.
The F-grade men, fielding an inexperienced team of mostly junior players, stunned their opposition with their court play. "Most of these players are under 13 and their potential is obvious," Dame Susan said. "They are just starting out at squash and developing their skills so watch out for these kids."
The F-grade ladies, coached by Dame Susan, stamped their dominance on the event early, dropping only one game on their way to the title win. "These ladies are also all beginners and for most was their first tournament.
"They had to overcome their nerves but completely outshone their opponents."
The modern centre, which is open for all to use, has seen membership grow by 72 per cent since opening in October last year and has quickly established itself as the hub of squash in the region.
The club caters for competitive and social players, and organises events for absolute beginners who just want to give squash a go.
Sponsorship is being sought to send the teams to the national competitions.
Devoy centre regional champions