Nicolette Fernandes and Carl Ince among six inducted into Squash Hall of Fame

The Guyana Squash Association (GSA) marked 60 years of the sport in the country by establishing a historic Hall of Fame, inducting six of its most significant contributors at a gala ceremony at the Pegasus Hotel.

The inaugural class of inductees, led by the celebrated Nicolette Fernandes, features some of the biggest names to have shaped the sport nationally and regionally.

She is joined by Ron Hughes, Josephine Whitehead, Mike Watkinson, Carl Ince, and Mahdu Wellingkar.

The event was organised by the newly established Guyana Squash Archival Project (GSAP), designed to chronicle and preserve the sport’s legacy.

Guyana’s most successful professional player, Nicolette Fernandes was honoured after a stellar career that saw her reach a historic World Ranking of No. 19 in 2013.

In an emotional acceptance speech, Fernandes delivered a powerful message of national belief.

“Guyanese are capable of achieving great things in the world,” the former star told the returning generations of athletes who gathered for the three-day anniversary weekend.

The inductees will be permanently displayed on the wall at the National Racket Center, inspiring the next generation.

Veteran coach Carl Ince, widely considered the central architect behind many of Guyana’s international successes and the “pillar” of Fernandes’ professional development, was also inducted.

Ince, who has stepped back from the sport recently due to age, used his speech to highlight the foundation of his career.

“My family has been a bedrock of support and allowed me to instill the key elements of the sport to players,” Ince stated, crediting them for enabling his long career of developing champions.

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr., was present and applauded the GSA for the initiative, calling the Hall of Fame a “catalyst to awaken dreams.”

Minister Ramson Jr. urged all sporting disciplines to establish similar recognition events to unlock local talent development.

GSA President David Fernandes congratulated the inductees on their “stellar contributions” and encouraged young players to use their success as motivation to excel.

The GSA also used the occasion to reaffirm its future ambitions, announcing a clear goal to move beyond being a dominant force in the Caribbean to significantly impacting the wider Pan American region, with a strong focus on junior development.

In a special recognition ceremony, long-standing squash supporter Dennis Dias was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to the community over the past 50 years.