Corinne Cormier hit her first squash ball on Wednesday and was playing in the local tournament that weekend.
Stewart Burnett/NNSL photo
“It’s actually really great,” she remarked after winning a close 3-2 match. “I think I’m falling in love with it already.”
Fourteen people came out for the tournament, which was the second in three weeks.
Organizers of the Inuvik Squash Club have long been trying to build its exposure in the community. Participation tends to ebb and flow with people coming to and leaving town, but the start of winter until spring is usually the main season.
“It’s fun, quite a good aerobic workout, lots of great people playing and they’re very patient to teach you,” said Cormier.
She said the rules weren’t hard to learn, and the refs behind the glass help remind players when balls are out or who’s serving next.
John Dempster has been playing for about a year now.
“I like it,” he said. “I prefer chasing a ball around a court than going to the gym. It’s a little more fun.”
He thinks he’s improved, at least a hair, since he started playing, adding that it gets more difficult to acquire new skills with age.
“I try and get my kids out once a week to play too,” he said. “It’s good because any skill level, any age can come play, hit the ball and have a good time.”
Katie Boyd won the beginners' tier, with Britney Selina winning the intermediate level and Grant Convey taking the advanced bracket.
Cormier is already trying to talk some friends into coming out on Wednesdays.
“I’d encourage (anyone) to come out and try it,” she said. “I think a lot of people would really enjoy it.”
More tournaments are likely to be scheduled in the coming months.