Six Bay of Plenty squash players are preparing to represent New Zealand in Egypt at the Junior World Championships.

Ella Hill, Erin Wyllie and Brooke Valois of Devoy Squash, Vihan Chathury and Jack Lord of Te Puke Squash, and Aria Bannister from Mount Maunganui, will travel to Cairo in July as part of the New Zealand team.

For Ella, 18, this will be her second time representing the New Zealand girls’ team at the World Juniors, after going to Texas, US, last year.

She was Squash Bay of Plenty’s 2024 player of the year, Squash NZ’s most improved junior female, and has received a scholarship to attend Tufts University in the US.

Ella had been playing since she was 12 years old after being gifted a racquet by Lisa Aitken, a professional squash player.

“She was the world No 6 at the time and gifted me my very first racquet, and that’s when I started to play properly because I actually had a racquet to play with.”

She enjoyed the competitive aspect of the game.

“You can always do better, and there’s always something to improve on.”

She has been coached by Becky Clark since she started playing and said the sport had a really good community, “especially in the Bay” – the “hub of squash”.

She said being selected again was “a bit of a relief” and also exciting.

“Not many people get to say they’ve worn the fern and played for their country, so that’s always special.”

 Squash players from the Bay of Plenty

She said Egypt was the world’s top country for squash. “It will be cool to see how they train, their facilities and also gain more international experience.”

Jack Lord, 16, plays for Tauranga Boys’ College and Te Puke Squash Club and is coached by Graeme Randolph.

He has been playing squash for five years and started because his mum used to play.

Jack said he joined her for a “few hits” and “really liked it”.

“I just like the competitiveness and like being an individual [in the sport] as well.

 Jack Lord, 16, has been playing squash for five years and this is the first time he will be representing New Zealand. Photo / Supplied

“Being able to play in school has been really good over the last couple of years, especially with us winning nationals last year.”

He said being selected to represent New Zealand as an individual for the first time had been his goal for a few years.

“I’ve put in heaps of hard work, so it’s really good to see it pay off,” Jack said.

“I received messages from all my mates saying that I made it, and I didn’t believe them.”

Then he arrived home to the same news from his mum.

“It didn’t quite feel real.”

Jack said he was most looking forward to being immersed in the environment of a country that was “so strong” at squash.

“Being able to see some of the players with the ability of squash they produce over there will be really neat.”

Squash Bay of Plenty coaching director Robbie Wyatt said he would like to think the Bay of Plenty region was the leading district in New Zealand for squash.

“It’s a funny thing to say that the world champs are a stepping stone, but I mean it’s an opportunity for these kids to do it [squash] as well as they can playing for New Zealand.”

 Ella Hill receives some advice from Squash Bay of Plenty coaching director Robbie Wyatt. Photo / Supplied

He said Ella’s turning point in her squash journey was when she played in Texas last year.

“She played probably the game of her life, and I think from that point she turned the corner.”

He said Jack was a newcomer but had “absolutely shot ahead” in leaps and bounds.

“For Jack to get selected is massive for him, he’s put in the hard work, he trains every day, and he’s gone from strength to strength.”

Wyatt said he would like to think Squash Bay of Plenty had contributed to their success.

“They should be trying to do as well as they possibly can, and this gives them an opportunity to see what is around the world.

“It’s a stepping stone to an incredible experience.”

The competition runs from July 20 to August 1.

Kaitlyn Morrell is a multimedia journalist for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has lived in the region for several years and studied journalism at Massey University.