FROM the time Karen Meakins picked up her squash racquet at the age of 10, little did she know that it would be the start of a love-affair with the sport.
“I was one of these kids that tried everything, swimming, tennis, brownies, but got bored with everything after a few weeks,” she revealed. “My mum and dad played a little bit of squash but I tried it and loved it even though I wasn’t very good.”
In fact, Karen admits that she was pretty bad at the game, so bad that a coach worked with her for hours on end to help her perfect her skills. That desire to perfect her game unleashed Karen’s competitive fire and increased her love and appreciation for the sport.
Now 38, Karen has not only perfected her game but she has cemented her place as one of the best squash players not only in Barbados but the region as well.
Although she did get better as the years progressed, Karen knew that playing competitively for England would only be a dream. And since squash could not have been a lucrative enough career, she actually worked as a firefighter for five years.
“It was great”, she said of being a firefighter. We worked four days on and four days off. Actually one of the hardest decisions about moving away from England, besides leaving my family, was walking away from the profession.”
Though the English native never played for England, when she moved to Barbados back in 2000, she got the opportunity to play for the Barbados team and coach up and coming players as well. She has also risen in the female squash ranks.
If there was any doubt about her commitment to the sport, then one need only look at her record. She has been the dominant female squash player in Barbados during the past decade, and has not lost to any Barbadian player in any competition at home or abroad since taking up residence in Barbados in 2000.
Last year proved to be one of her best years ever. She was the Barbados national champion for the tenth consecutive year; she won the Barbados Open and the Trinidadian Open; won the Sports Personality of the Year Award; went to the World Masters and captured a silver medal in the Over 35 Event, and was the gold medal winner in the women’s team event at the Caribbean.
For Karen playing squash has become the focal point of her life. When she’s not playing professionally or practising her game, she’s coaching and teaching others how to play the game.
“Teaching squash actually came easy for me because I’m a very patient person,” she said. “Plus I remember I wasn’t good when I first started out and I love to see how children evolve when they’re playing sports. It builds their confidence which can only impact on their schoolwork.”
While she loves coaching, she is especially concerned about the lack of participation by girls in the sport.
“There are definitely lacking in girls and not just here but in the whole of the Caribbean,” she said. “We are seeing a slight increase now though, but ideally what we need to do is get into the schools but there are not enough squash courts.”
Karen admits that in the past squash has had a reputation for being an elitist sport. “It really isn’t an expensive sport at all.”
She is hoping that her love for the game will spread throughout the island and she plans to keep her competitive edge on the court.
“As long as my body holds out,” she said, “I certainly hope to play for Barbados as long as I can.”
