Whangārei's Freddie Jameson has played his way into the junior world squash championships. Photo / Alan Bee
Whangārei's Freddie Jameson has played his way into the junior world squash championships. Photo / Alan Bee
A young Whangārei squash player forced from the sport by a rare health condition has bounced back better than ever to claim a spot as a New Zealand representative.
Seventeen-year-old Freddie Jameson was one of six teens nationwide selected to compete in the individual championship at the 2023 WSF World Junior Squash Championship in Melbourne next month.
Jameson is the only Northlander in the contingent of 12 Kiwi players headed across the Tasman for the competition beginning on July 18.
While it is the first time the Manaia Squash Club player has been named in a national squad, the top four under-19 New Zealand player is set to make waves internationally after accepting a squash scholarship at McCallie School in the United States.
Jameson has spent a decade playing squash but has been troubled by hemihyperplasia, a condition that means one side of his body grows faster than the other.
Freddie Jameson, 17, has undergone seven surgeries for hemihyperplasia during his squash career. Photo / Alan Bee
“My corrective surgery started on my 13th birthday with a tibia leg extension of my right leg. A few more operations followed over the next three years including my last one in May of last year when my left femur needed to be shortened by 3.2cm.
“I was trialling out for worlds at the time when I was notified that I needed this surgery so had to withdraw from selection,” Jameson said.
“This made me more determined to get my movement and fitness back to trial out this year.”
Making a New Zealand squad is no easy feat given players over time have to first draw the attention of New Zealand Squash and from there continue to land on their radar so as to learn about national selection tournaments.
Jameson said players both need to compete and stand out in a certain number of those tournaments.
“Since I’ve come back from my surgery I’ve always had that want to get to worlds.”
And in May, after weeks of a “nerve-wracking” wait, Jameson found himself on the phone with New Zealand Squash Hall of Famer Shelley Kitchen to hear the good news.
“When I was on the phone to her I was like, thanks so much. Then afterwards I called Mum up and got quite emotional.”
Hours are spent at the gym with his personal trainer, on the court under the guidance of his local coach Paul Hornsby or, if it is Saturday, with national coach Glen Wilson.
At the championships, Jameson will enter a draw alongside 128 players from all over the world. Some of whom he will take on during seven to eight roughly 40-minute long matches.
James said the competition is demanding physically and mentally, especially as players battle it out over two to three games a day.
“I’m looking forward to the exposure and going over to see how I compare to all the big players and being able to watch them play and see what I need to work on.”
He hoped to use the learning curve to again secure a spot in the same championship next year.
