Squash Ireland honour for Ballymena's Mark

BALLYMENA man Mark McKane was named Volunteer of the Year at the recent Squash Ireland Awards in Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club in Dublin.

The Ballymena Squash Club Committee - and founding member - was rewarded for his unwavering dedication to growing the sport in the community.

As the driving force behind the town’s new club he has expanded membership, advocated for new facilities, and introduced countless young players to the sport through outreach programs.

His tireless efforts, from organising Leagues to securing local support, have ensured that squash continues to thrive in Ballymena.

McKane’s passion, leadership, and commitment make him a truly deserving recipient of this award.

“I was really shocked to be nominated alongside Eugene Walker (a legend in Irish squash) and even more flabbergasted at winning it,” outlined McKane, adding the win was not about him, but was about the squash playing community in Ballymena.

“Ballymena has such a rich squash heritage, with numerous locals representing Ireland including Norma Waring, Silvia Wallace, Harry Cook, Dr Richard Rea, Myron Evans with around 35 caps and Alex Richardson around 45 caps. I just play squash socially; I’m not even selecting myself for the team.”

He said all they have been doing is tapping into a pool of players that have either been playing socially or lying dormant waiting for someone to start a club.

“So, we’re here for those that want to give it a try, or need someone to play the game with, or need some guidance on how to get those shots out of the back corner or scraped off the wall,” he continued.

“There must be lots of folk doing the same thing across Ireland, and I’d bet they’re doing it better, with more qualified coaches, so this must signify something else and perhaps acknowledges the speed of growth of the club, from mothering in 2023 to 44 registered members and many more having visited the courts. And I know this is just the beginning, because there’s lots more squash players in our community that aren’t interested in being involved in the club, and that’s great because that’s how I played my squash up until a year ago. We’re also reaching out to the next generations of youth groups to offer taster events to allow others to find this great world and new Olympic sport. We’ve already identified at least two youngsters with lots of potential.”

Award winner McKane said they are also trying to provide a voice for squash players in the area to ask for a long-term home for the sport when the new Leisure Centre opens.

“There is still lots of work to be done to persuade the Council to maintain a home for our great sport, so if you enjoy the game and want the next generation to have a chance to experience the game, please join us,” suggested McKane.

The 2024 Squash Ireland Awards took place following two days of national Masters competition.

The awards dinner included prize giving to the winners and runners up in each draw, the announcement of players to represent Ireland in the forthcoming home internationals and other awards for contributions to the sport.

Northwest League – Round 8 – Ballymena v Limavady (away in Coleraine)

Ballymena Squash Club sent their strongest team to Coleraine Leisure Centre to face Limavady Squash Club on Thursday evening 6 March 2025. The three-person team consisted of Hugo Carlin (seed #1), Geoffrey Smyth (#2) and Jonny Workman (#3) to face Shaun Higgins, Eddie McGregor and Stephen Dunlop respectively. The number one seeds battled it out, both experienced league players from former years with tight games. Shaun got the better of Hugo this time, but Ballymena came away victorious from the team encounter winning 3-0, 3-0, 1-3, moving Ballymena to second place in the standing for however Mid-Ulster C have a game in hand and Strabane have two games in hand. Foyle appear to have the best overall win % so far, so they’re going to be difficult to catch.

Next round will be on Thursday 20 March when Ballymena will travel to face Foyle before the final round against Strabane on 3 April.