RE: August Shropshire Squash Club Player of the Month

As you may have read in our Newsletter, Ian Thompson was voted August's SSC Player of the Month.

In case you missed it here's why Ian was nominated for POTM:

Ian has captained the Antiques Roadshow summer team (currently 5th in the summer leagues) expertly leading the oldest squad in the leagues!

He continues to play at a good standard (he is currently in league 4) and has won many of his summer league matches. He often gives away over 40 years to his opponents - many of whom he manages to ‘out fitness’ in the last 5 minutes of play!

Ian has also being quietly helping to manage the Summer Leagues. He has taken down all scores (having understood and correctly applied the fiendishly complicated scoring system!) for all teams and sends out an email update to everyone the next evening.

Ian continues to play on Sundays at Club nights and is always a great competitor in all games. He has also been supporting the junior players.

Ian was nominated for this award by not by 1 member but by 3, Guy rutter, Peter Rickard and Chris Ferriday.

Alexey handed the Trophy over and we caught up with Ian to discuss all things squash.

Scott : What’s your name?

Ian : My birth certificate says Ian Thompson and, despite rumours to the contrary, names my father. I can trace my Thompson ancestry back to the Black Country but the Scots and Irish have enriched the gene pool along the way.

Scott : Do you have a nickname?

Ian : Not that I'm aware of (!) but in certain parts of the country, anyone with my surname automatically is "Tommo". This doesn't seem to apply in Shropshire but was commonplace when I lived in Wiltshire. I can think of worse things ....

Scott : How long have you been playing Squash?

Ian : 45 years!

Scott : What’s your favourite thing about Squash?

Ian : It keeps me very fit, slows down the ageing process and I enjoy the competitive aspect and the camaraderie.

Scott : What’s the best game you’ve ever played?

Ian : The very first one at the age of 23 when a friend showed me the game and I got hooked.

Scott : Who is your favourite member of SSC to play against?

Ian : I don't have one. There again, there are some I don't like playing!

Scott : If you were Stranded on a desert island would you stay and avoid ever having to hear about Brexit again or would you escape?

Ian : Those eight records would get very tiresome after a while so once I had become an expert on Shakespeare and the Bible, I would have to try to blag an Irish passport and make my escape.

Thank you Ian for your time and on behlaf of the whole club, Congratulations!

Remember to get your nominations in for September's Player of the month to scottbass@hotmail.co.uk.

Scott