Bay of Plenty had an outstanding performance at the NZ Junior Inter-District Teams, 6-8th October, with the Boys and Girls Under-19 teams finishing second. The BOP team, led by coaches Robbie Wyatt and Becky Clarke, without a doubt represented the Bay superbly.
The Bay of Plenty Boys team exceeded all expectations at the event, finishing second in a thrilling and highly competitive tournament. Seeded 7th, the team—comprising Vihan Chathury, Jack Lord, Ciaran Manning, Kyle Steyn, and Quinn Mulcahy—entered the event with the intention of gaining experience, but their outstanding performances quickly shifted the focus from development to competition.
In the quarterfinals, the boys pulled off a stunning upset by defeating 3rd seeded Auckland by 15 points. The highlight of this victory was 14-year-old Vihan Chathury's exceptional win against Auckland's top player, Liam Linton. To put it in perspective, Linton had recently represented New Zealand at the World Championships in the USA, making Vihan’s triumph particularly impressive. Following this, the boys had little time to rest before taking on 2nd seeded Wellington. Yet again, they rose to the occasion, winning 3 matches to 1 in what was described as a spectacular display of skill and tenacity. The next day, they continued their momentum by defeating Waikato 4-0, securing their place in the final.
In the final, the team faced a strong Canterbury side and, despite putting up a valiant effort, couldn’t overcome the more experienced squad. However, with the entire Bay of Plenty team set to return next year, the future looks bright, and the boys have undoubtedly shown what they are capable of.
Equally impressive were the Bay of Plenty Girls, who also finished second in their competition. Led by coach Becky Clarke, the team of Ella Hill, Erin Wyllie, Sienna Dadley, Sophie Jensen, and Charlie Stubbing had a phenomenal tournament. They began with a commanding 4-0 victory over Waikato, where each player performed exceptionally well. In their next match, they faced a tricky encounter against Southern but continued their strong form, winning 4-0 once again.
On the final day, the top three districts—Bay of Plenty, Wellington, and Canterbury—were drawn to play each other in a championship pool. The girls delivered a gritty performance against Canterbury, with the tie ending 2-2. However, thanks to a heroic effort from Sienna Dadley, who won a crucial set against a higher-ranked opponent, Bay of Plenty secured the overall win. In the final match against Wellington, the girls gave it everything, with standout victories from Ella Hill and Erin Wyllie. Ella defeated Maiden-Lee Coe for the first time, and Erin played brilliantly to beat McKenzie Tait in three games. Despite their efforts, Bay of Plenty fell agonizingly short, losing to Wellington by just one game.
The future looks incredibly bright for both the Boys and Girls teams, with most of the players still young and eager to improve. A special mention goes to team manager Linda Boubee-Hill, whose hard work and leadership were invaluable throughout the event. Helen Hodge, who supported the team with everything from organising meals to helping with logistics. Finally, a huge shout-out to Becky Clarke, whose remarkable coaching has led to continued success for Bay of Plenty squash teams over the years. The dedication and expertise of these incredible women have been instrumental in the team's achievements.
With such promising talent and strong support, Bay of Plenty can look forward to even greater success in the future.