Jamaica Squash unveils new junior team kit
Published:Saturday | June 28, 2025 | 12:10 AMOâbrian Wynter/Gleaner Writer
A fresh chapter has begun for Jamaica Squash, the newly rebranded governing body for the sport on the island. Formerly known as the Jamaica Squash Association, the organisation has not only adopted a new name, but also introduced a new look for its national junior team.
To mark the occasion, Jamaica Squash hosted a cocktail reception on Wednesday at the Liguanea Golf Club in New Kingston. The event featured the official unveiling of the national team kit, with members of the junior squad modelling the new uniforms that will represent the black, green, and gold at the upcoming Caribbean Area Squash Association (CASA) Junior Championships in the Cayman Islands.
Chair of the Fundraising and Marketing Committee, Imani Duncan-Price, who is also the head of Deloitte Jamaica and a proud “squash mom”, described the new look as part of a deliberate push to inspire pride and confidence in the team.
“We wanted a modern look in a uniform. We wanted Jamaican colours with movement. We also wanted to represent the kind of balls used, which are a critical part of our fast-paced squash game,” Duncan-Price told The Gleaner. “We wanted to have a unique, but clean look and where the ‘Jamaica’ could stand out. Because sometimes we find in our uniforms that there’s so much happening, that results in the [word] ‘Jamaica’ getting lost. So placement is important.”
The new gear showcases bold Jamaican colours with crisp, clean lines, designed to make a strong visual impact both on the court and in the eyes of spectators. The design includes variations – a green version, a black version, and a special individual player kit – offering a fresh look for each appearance while maintaining a cohesive national identity.
“You’d be surprised that when you look and feel good as a player, it helps to boost your confidence and how you step on a court, and that was a motivating factor in how we decided,” Duncan-Price explained.
The national junior team headed to Cayman was selected through rigorous trials at the All Jamaica 2025 Championships held in March. The top athletes in each age category from under-11 to under-19, earned their place on the national team. Those who didn’t win their categories, but demonstrated potential, were added to the broader training squad.
The athletes train under Canadian coach René Denis, who brings a wealth of international experience to the court. Training includes three weekly sessions plus physical conditioning, making this one of the most disciplined national junior squads yet.
Karen Anderson, president of Jamaica Squash, is clear-eyed about both the challenges and the opportunities ahead. With squash now officially added to the LA 2028 Olympic Games, there’s newfound energy across the squash community in Jamaica.
“When they announced that squash was in the Olympics, most of the squash community was like, what?!” said Anderson as she happily, added, “We were very excited about that as it’s been a long time coming.”
Although qualifying for 2028 may be an uphill climb, given the draw of 16 players per gender, Anderson is hopeful that this Olympic inclusion will ignite a deeper investment in grassroots development and talent cultivation across Jamaica.
“I think it’s gonna be very difficult for us to qualify at this point to put a team there or put up an individual because there’s no team,” she said. “But nothing is impossible. So if we get the opportunity and we hear somebody is out there that wants to play for us, we are open to it.”
Squash may not be as familiar to the average Jamaican as track or football, but Anderson encourages everyone to give it a try.
“It’s exciting, challenging, I called physical chess for a reason,” she said. “You meet amazing people, and once you pick up that racquet, you’ll never want to put it down.”