Players of the Cayman Islands senior squash team are celebrating returning home from the Senior Caribbean Area Squash Association Championships with silverware and new qualifications.
The championships, held in Guyana in November, featured over 120 athletes from nine nations – Guyana, the Cayman Islands, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Bermuda, Barbados, the Dominican Republic, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and the British Virgin Islands.
Following the devastation in Jamaica caused by Hurricane Melissa, Guyana stepped in to host the event on 15 days’ notice, allowing the competition to proceed. The Cayman senior squash team reflected on this change saying that because of this kind gesture, “this year felt especially meaningful.”
“We’re incredibly grateful the tournament could still go ahead, and even more proud that the event helped raise funds for relief efforts,” they added.
At the tournament, the full Cayman squad earned a commendable fourth-place finish overall, an achievement significantly boosted by the performance of the women’s team, which fought hard to secure third place.
This bronze finish for the women is especially significant as it officially qualifies them for the Central American and Caribbean Games in the Dominican Republic in 2026.
The squad also celebrated individual achievements among its veteran players, with Margit Daugela taking first place in the Women’s Over 50s and Marian Goodall finishing second in the Women’s Over 60s divisions. Collectively, both Daugela and Goodall received second place in the veteran women’s category.
The tournament marked an exciting return to the court for several players – Lara Conolly, Eilidh Franklin, Isaiah Robinson, David Pitcairn, and Christian Dubé – all returning “after short breaks from the sport and coming off of impressive junior careers representing Cayman”.
Conolly, in particular, made a strong comeback with a second-place finish in the plate division.
The traveling delegation also consisted of coaches and players Julian Jervis and Sardar Khan, manager Janet Sairsingh, and players Gerry Armstrong, Kali MacLean, Keith Higgins, Jade Pitcairn, Caroline Laing, and Eilidh Franklin.
The team said they are proud of the success achieved from this tournament and they are excited to keep the momentum going as they prepare for a busy 2026 season.
