Members

Jamie Bentley
Player

Jamie began playing squash at age 14 at the Cricket Club in Toronto. He was first a hockey player but after injury, switched to squash.

Jamie has an outstanding record in both hardball singles and hardball doubles squash. Between 1980 and 2008, Jamie amassed six provincial, nine national, five U.S., and over 70 professional titles.

Samantha Cornett
Player

Samantha was first introduced to squash at the Deep River Curling and Squash Club where she grew up playing with her parents and sister. Once hooked on squash, Samantha moved to Ottawa to train with coaches Vihar Joshi and Heather Wallace, and after graduating secondary school she moved to Toronto and trained with Jessica DiMauro. 

Rea Godbold
Builder/Volunteer

Rea was first introduced to squash at the University of Western Ontario by a good friend and great ambassador for the sport, Barry Grant, in 1965. To continue playing, Rea joined the Carleton Club in ’71 and had wonderful years at Toronto Squash, the Granite Club, the Cambridge Club and the Toronto Racquet Club.  

Stephanie Hewitt 
Player

Stephanie has been active in the squash community since the age of eight with an outstanding record in both singles and doubles.

In Ontario, Stephanie was the 1999 Ontario Open and Closed Singles Champion, an 11-time Ontario Open Doubles Champion, 10-time Ontario Mixed Doubles Champion, and six-time Ontario 40+ Doubles Champion, totalling 28 provincial titles. In 1999-2001 she was voted an OUAA All Star, and in 2000 she won the OUAA Team Championships and the OUAA Individual Championships in 2001.

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Mike Way
Builder/Coach

Mike was born in Kent, England, where he began playing squash. He reached a national ranking of #14 before moving to Canada in 1981, and subsequently reached #5 in Canada. He played for Team Canada at the in 1985 at the Pan – American tournament where Canada won gold.

Murray Christison
Builder

Murray’s vision was all encompassing. He wanted to build, and did, four magnificent squash clubs in Toronto, growing the game at the grassroots level. At the same time, he dreamed of bringing world squash to Toronto and he did that, many times. Seeing the best, our own players benefited significantly. 

Leslie Freeman
Player/Volunteer

Leslie’s skill on the doubles court brought her 22 Ontario, 18 Canadian, one US and three world championship titles. She was also a committed National Doubles Referee. Leslie was instrumental in growing the women’s doubles game as the co-founder and convenor of the Toronto Ladies Doubles T&D League. 

Penny Glover
Referee/Volunteer

Penny excelled on court and off, capturing several titles before she turned to refereeing. Penny was instrumental in the development of the national officiating program. She is an A1 national level referee, national instructor, and assessor. Over the years, she volunteered at the local, provincial, and national level.  

Patrick Richardson
Coach/Volunteer

Pat built robust junior programs at Montreal’s MAAA and the Toronto Cricket Club. Many of his players competed at a national level, champions among them, and many still play. His success as a coach was matched by his skill as a tournament organizer for many Canadian and World Doubles Championships. 

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Clive Caldwell
Player/Builder

Clive began playing squash at the Toronto Cricket Club when he was 11 years old. He attended Ridley College in High School and played #1 on their Squash Team. In 1969 he won the Canadian Junior Squash Championships. Clive went on to capture over 35 Professional singles and doubles events over a 20-year career on the World Professional Squash Association (WPSA) Tour including winning the 1980 and 1982 World Professional Singles Hardball Championships.

Peter Frost
Builder

Squash has been in Peter’s blood since he was a young boy and it has led to a lifetime involvement and commitment to the squash community, (provincially, nationally and internationally).He has many doubles titles on his resume, but his greatest contributions have been on off the court.

Vincent Taylor
Player/Builder

Vincent was born in Manchester, England in 1938. The family moved to Scotland at the end of the Second World War, then emigrated to Canada in 1951 and settled in Toronto where the whole family joined the Toronto Cricket Club. Vincent discovered squash at University at about the same time that the Cricket Club put in squash courts and he became a court rat.

Robert Brooks
Builder

It has been said that a true builder is “one who builds bridges and the way they do that is through friendships and relationships, and through authentic character”. In his life and in his profession, Rob Brooks has built many bridges and squash has been the recipient.

Victor Harding
Player

Victor’s squash prowess and determination made him one of the best left wall doubles squash players Canada has ever produced. His achievements on the court speak for themselves – 38 Canadian and International squash titles in both singles and doubles squash and another 25 Ontario titles over a 30-year career.

Jim Kenward
Builder

It has been said that if you give all you can as a volunteer, it can never be too little. Jim Kenward is the embodiment of that adage. He started squash in England in 1941, and found success, playing in British Junior Nationals and the Army Championship.

Mark Sachvie
Builder

Mark was both a visionary and a doer. He literally changed the face of squash in Ontario and Canada with his ideas and passion on growing the game. Always busy, he had time for everyone. He loved the game so much that he couldn’t help but convey that enthusiasm to everyone he touched – and he touched us all.

Melanie Jans
Player

Melanie had an exceptional playing career, with 3 Pan American medals, 4 Canadian Championship titles and numerous Ontario junior and senior titles. She attained a world ranking of 25, the second highest of any Canadian woman. An inspired national women’s team coach, Melanie is also a brilliant ambassador for the game in Canada and Ontario.

Barbara Cooper
Player / Coach

Barb’s playing career includes an impressive array on Ontario, Canadian, British Open and World titles spanning both singles and doubles. With her innate knowledge and understanding of the game, she successfully transitioned into coaching, serving as national women’s team coach and is a highly respected master course conductor.

Jay Gillespie
Player

Jay is a true ambassador and promoter of squash both on and off the court. He has excelled at the game with an impressive record of singles and doubles titles including 3 World, 3 US, 21 Canadian and 15 Ontario titles. He inspires others not just with his squash but with his passion.

Peter J. Hall
Builder

For five decades, Peter has led by example on the court. He has an impressive array of championship titles to his name – seven U.S. Championships (one in hardball and six in doubles), most notably in 1977 partnering with Victor Harding to become the first Canadian team to win the U.S. National Doubles – eight Canadian Championships, including one softball, two hardball and five doubles – fifteen Ontario Championships, primarily doubles.

Graham Ryding
Player

Every province, every country, no matter the sport, wants to send the very best athletes into competition but equally important, they want the athletes to be representative of the very best of the nation and of the game. Graham Ryding represented Ontario and Canada with great professionalism both on and off the court.

Gordon Anderson
Player

The term, “fair play” epitomizes Gordon’s on court and off court behaviour. His ready smile and sense of humour together with his superb racquet skills made him one of the most popular players on the Professional circuit in the ‘70s and ‘80’s.

Frank Baillie
Builder

Frank Baillie played a key role in the creation of Squash Ontario; serving on its Board for two years as treasurer. He went on to guide the International Squash Rackets Federation and when his term was completed, built The Club in Oakville which became synonymous with excellence. He brought world calibre squash to Ontario.

Gary Waite
Player

Gary Waite won more titles than any other junior squash player in the history of Canadian squash. He continued this trend into the professional ranks to become one of the most accomplished professional squash players in the history of the game, at one time holding the #1 ranking in hardball and doubles and #12 in softball

Tony Swift
Builder

Tony was responsible for steering the development of the coaching program at the national level and chaired Squash Ontario’s Coaching Committee for a number of years.  He was a gifted course conductor and was instrumental in mentoring many coaches over the years.He devoted significant time and effort to the development of officiating world-wide.  He was chair of the ISRF (World Squash Federation) Rules and Referees Committee for 10 years from 1981 – 1991.

Donald Leggat
Player

Don Leggat’s record is second to none in the history of Ontario squash. When one thinks that he has won 23 National Championships, countless Ontario Championships as well numerous invitational events in both Canada and the United States, there is no question that his record is outstanding.

Barney Lawrence
Builder

To be considered a “builder”, suggests that one’s contributions to the game of squash are many faceted. Barney’s contributions and passion for squash are second to none, and is evidenced having helped “build the game” as a player, club founder, coach, volunteer, financial supporter, and for many years as a guest speaker.

Anne Smith
Builder

Her prowess on the squash courts was matched only by her commitment to and passion for growing and promoting the game of squash. She ran for the Board of Directors of Squash Ontario in 1984 and soon became its President. After she completed her term, she successfully ran for the Squash Canada Board. She served as Vice President and then for 8 years as the President.

She was a respected and forceful voice for Canadian squash at the World and Pan American squash levels.

Gerald Shugar
Player

Gerry Sugars’ squash career has spanned 4 decades, beginning in 1966 to the present. During this period, he achieved North American notoriety in two different games. He won 10 Canadian Hardball Championships and 7 U.S. Hardball Championships.

Ernest (Ernie) Howard
Player

Ernest Howard was the first Canadian squash player to gain any fame or international recognition outside of Canada when he first won the U.S. National Singles Championship in Buffalo in 1953. He preceded this by winning the Canadian Singles Championship two weeks earlier in Ottawa. At that time, this was an unprecedented feat.

Jonathon Power
Player

Jonathon is the only North American player to ever reach #1 in the world. He marched to the beat of his own drummer and with his quirky, go-for-broke, robust style he injected excitement into every match that made him the competitor that every tournament director dreamed to have in their event.

Heather Wallace
Player

Heather is the only Canadian, male or female, in any sport to have won 11 consecutive Canadian titles, 11 of which were closed championships and one, the Canadian Open.

Heather represented Canada senior women for 12 years; she was coached both the Canadian Junior Women and Canadian Senior Women’s Teams.

Ian C. Stewart
Builder

Ian Stewart was Squash Ontario’s founding chair. Ian has been president of Toronto’s Badminton & Racquet Club, the Canadian Jesters Club and Squash Canada. From 1981 through 1985, Ian was president of the International Squash Rackets Federation, now known as the World Squash Federation – the first and only Canadian to ever hold this position

Susan Swift
Builder

Susan Swift was instrumental in bringing the three squash associations in Ontario (men’s hardball, soft ball and women) together to create Squash Ontario in 1976. Sue chaired the organizing committee of the Women’s World Championships that were being held in North America for the first time. Susan was the first woman to be elected president of Squash Canada.

Jack Fairs
Builder

Jack Fairs’ University of Western Ontario squash teams have won over 30 team titles and 20 singles titles in Ontario University Athletics, making the squash teams the most successful in UWO history. UWO has won US Intercollegiate team and singles titles and many team members have earned All-American honours.

Sharif Khan
Player

From the mid ‘70s to mid ‘80s, Sharif Khan dominated squash in North America and he remained the reigning wizard for almost two decades. He won every major North American tournament during that period and holds the twelve-time winning record for the North American Open Championship

Jim Mason
Builder

“Fun, Fitness and Friendship” were the bywords of the remarkable Jim Mason.

Although Jim was the recipient of all of Ontario’s major awards, it speaks to the character of the man that he was not defined by a singular recognition. His essence was for human caring, one person at a time.