Blend of experience and youth forms new executive of Guyana Squash Association

David Fernandes will lead the Guyana Squash Association (GSA) for the period of 2023-2024 with support from a team mixed with youth and experience.

Fernandes was elected as President when the Association held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on February 9 at the Georgetown Club, Camp Street.

The past president was Owen Verwey, and Fernandes served as Vice-President.

According to a GSA release, stepping down to give the younger members a seat at the table were long-serving Executives Garfield Wiltshire and Suzanne DeAbreu.

Wiltshire has given decades of service to the sport, as a player, executive treasurer, and manager to both junior and senior teams on regional and international tours.

The Wiltshire name is synonymous with the sport, with Garfield at the head of a family of talented CASA Champions and National players.

DeAbreu was also a player and board member, spending years in the role of executive secretary before sidestepping to head the fundraising committee.

She too will remain within the close squash fraternity despite her exit from the board.

Also handing over the reins was Assistant Secretary/Treasurer Anabelle Singh after five years of service.

GSA expressed their gratitude to all the exiting members “who have and continue to be the cornerstone of the sport.”

According to the GSA, the new board has the value of experienced members along with the vitality, enthusiasm, and technological capabilities of the younger generation.

Fernandes thanked the previous committee for their hard work, celebrated the successes for 2022, and looked forward to the future of the sport.

“Those leaving are a huge part of squash and will still be around in an advisory capacity to offer their expertise and experience to those young board members coming in. I am so proud to see our younger members step up and be willing to help steer our association on a new path.

2023 is going to be a big year for us- with a budding junior academy, new facilities in the pipeline, refurbished courts around Georgetown, and the top junior and senior teams in the Caribbean striving to raise their standard even higher to compete on a broader international field”, the long-standing squash executive expressed.

Guyana Squash Association Executives: David Fernandes (President), Lorraine Ince (Vice-President), Ashley DeGroot-Khalil (Treasurer), Victoria Arjoon (Secretary), Ashley Khalil (Asst. Secretary/Treasurer), Robin Low (Chairperson for Clubs Committee), Deje Dias (Chairperson for Competitions Committee), Taylor Fernandes – Henry (Chairperson for Junior Affairs Committee), Alex Arjoon (Athletes Representative).

The Appointed Sub-Committees: Juanita Fernandes (Chairperson for Fundraising), Jonathan Antczak (Chairperson for Competitions), and Tian Edwards (Chairperson for Junior Affairs).