Blue Gum Juniors shine at the 2025 Australian Junior Open

Article written by our very own junior, Josie Jones.

While many of us were winding down for the Easter break, a hard-working group of 18 young squash players from across WA - including six of our very own Blue Gum juniors - were on their way to the Melbourne Sports and Aquatics Centre (MSAC) for the 2025 Australian Junior Open (AJO).

Prepped and packed for a full-on week, we made sure to rest up before jumping headfirst into our matches.

AJO is an incredible opportunity not only to grow our skills and confidence but also to meet some amazing people from around Australia and beyond, with athletes making the trek from Norfolk Island, New Caledonia, France, Japan, Pakistan and New Zealand. The competition was tough, but I think I speak for everyone when I say we left everything on the court - and it was well worth it. MSAC’s facilities were outstanding, with the added bonus of a full glass show court, which Hannah and I were lucky enough to play on!

We had a lot of fun and some fantastic results across the board, particularly considering that for the majority of our WA crew, this was their very first AJO. National tournaments like these provide juniors with unmatched experience and opportunity. As a club, we should be extremely proud of their efforts and continue encouraging them to access more events like this in the future.

A big shoutout to all the parents who came over - thank you for supporting us, feeding us, watering us! None of this happens without you. Also, a huge thank you to Sue Hillier and Lisa Christou, who volunteered their time to coach every junior from WA throughout the week.

Congratulations to our incredible Blue Gum athletes:
🏅 Miranda Clarke (U11)
🏅 Ella Clarke (U13)
🏅 Kayla Clarke (U17)
🏅 Ashton Clement (U17)
🏅 Hannah Slyth (U19)