Stu MacGregor is Welsh Junior Squash Champion

Top Ilkley junior squash player, added his biggest title so far to list of achievements, when he won the Welsh u/15 Boys Squash Championships. MacGregor fought his way through 4 matches against opponents from all over the world to make the final and play the top seed from Ireland, which he won well 3-0.. MacGregor was totally dominant in the final and his speed around the court and his good shot making were too much for his rival. This Friday a team of ilkley juniors will take on a team from the Otley squash club. It is part of a programme, to get the juniors to play matches against other clubs in the area.


Another Outstanding Performances From Ilkley Squash Juniors



Ilkley's top 2 Junior squash players, had superb results at the England Closed Squash Champs, held in Surrey last week end Jack Bearpark, got through to the semi finals of the Boys u/17 event and was leading 2 sets to 0 but just could not finish the match off and lost to 5/8 seed Josh Turmel, in a match lasting 60 minutes. Bearpark had earlier beaten 5/8 seed Ben Windle from Surrey in the quarters. He then lost the playoff for 3/4 place to Bradley Masters from Kent 3-0. A fantastic effort from Jack, which should see his national ranking climb higher from his present one of 15. Ilkley's other top junior, Stu MacGregor, equally performed to his best in the boys u/15. MacGregor lost a marathon match in the quarters to 3rd Seed Harry Falconer, in 5 hard sets. But he then bounced back to win his next 2 games and finshed 5th. MacGregor should see his national ranking improve from 8 to possibly top 5, which would be a outstanding effort. These were great results, which backed up the excellent performances from a week before in Hull and showed these 2 players to be in the elite group of players in England. Squash at Ilkley has been on a high,with the performances of these players and with 5 junior members of the club all part of the Ilkley Grammar squash team, that has made it to the National Schools final, to be played in 2 weeks time.


Junior Squash players excels again




ILTSC junior members, representing Ilkley Grammar School under 15 Boys squash team have made it through to the finals of the National Schools Competition. This will be held at the National Squash Centre 18 – 21 March.


The team defeated Manchester Grammar in the previous round. Then they beat Nelson Thomilson School in the quarterfinal 4-1, to reach the semi finals for the first time. The standard of squash was excellent and the player of the day for Ilkley was Tom Luxton, who won a hard fought match to win in 5 sets.


The Ilkley team has a talented line up of players and will be hoping to pull off further victories to win the under 15 title. The opponents are yet to be decided, but last years’ finalists Gosforth Academy, John Hampden, Tewkesbury, Lancing College or even Eton maybe in the frame.


The team is led by Stuart MacGregor, who has a national ranking of 9 and is the Yorkshire number 1; Matt Heap, who has a national ranking of 35; James Morgan, a former Yorkshire junior representative; Tom Luxton and Tom Hewitt, are both good young club players. Team Coach Robbie Burnett coaches all the boys at Ilkley Lawn Tennis & Squash club.


Junior Squash Player wins major tournament



24th Feb 2013
Ikley junior squash player, Stu MacGregor, won his first Silver squash tournament, defeating top seed and England number 4 Harry Falconer in the Boys u/15 final at the Hull & East Riding squash club. Stu, who has a national ranking of 8, won a hard fought 5 set match, which saw him fight back from being 2 sets down. As the match wore on , MacGregor's fitness, was a major factor, as he moved his much higher ranked opponent to all corners of the court and forced Falconer into a number of errors. By the 5th set, MacGregor was in control and closed the match out in style 11-3. Stu had beaten 2nd seed and England number 5 Mark Richmond in the semi finals, which he won 3 - 0. Jack Bearpark nearly made it a Ilkley double, when he lost in the Boys u/17 finals. Jack lost a tough match to top seed and England number 4 James Blythe 3-1. Bearpark, started strongly in the final and won the first match, but lsot is way in the next couple of sets, making a number of unforced errors , he recovered well in the 4th set, only to lose it narrowly. A third junior player, Matt Heap also played the tournament and caused a upset in the first round of the boys u/15, when he beat a higher seeded player Oliver Walls in a tight 5 set match, only to lose to MacGregor in the quarter finals. He finally finished in 7th position.




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Tennis Walk On Rate




After listening to members feedback, we are trialling a new walk on rate for adults. Between 2-5pm on weekends you can now get a walk on rate of £10.00 per hour. Juniors still get their walk on rate of £3.50 per hour.