George Parker Question & Answer

Earliest sporting memory:
My dad first introduced me to squash & I can still remember winning my first title. Leicester county squash champion aged 8!

Sports Watched:
Rugby, football, NBA, athletics & squash.

Sports Played:
Rugby, football & squash.

Why a life sport, or if it hadn’t happened, what would you have done instead?
I chose sport because I love the feeling of improving & hate losing. If I wasn’t in squash I’d still be doing something physical, something like personal training or coaching.

Toughest part of your sporting life?
Life as a young professional sportsman like myself can sometimes be very lonely & keeping confident after a bad loss & travelling away from home for long periods of time can be difficult, particularly when you’re visiting countries & places for the first time.

Most memorable sporting moment:
Winning the European U19 Championships in Prague in 2015. I was the No.1 seed & favourite for the men's individual title but had a tough match in the final against Edmon Lopez of Spain who wasn’t seeded to reach the final but took me to five games.

Worst sporting moment:
Not being able to play squash last year whilst I served a PSA ban. Being aggressive on court is a big part of my game but time away from the sport made me realise how much I love squash & has taught me to try & channel my aggression properly to get the best out of myself. I’m not perfect & it’s still work in progress but I do feel that I’m getting a better balance on court.

Sporting heroes:
Roger Federer & Nick Matthew.

Favourite venue & why?
Bankers Hall Club in Calgary. I played & won there earlier this year. The city is amazing & the people were so friendly.

Sporting event you would pay the most to see:
I love athletics & the 100 meters is my favourite event. Usain Bolt is an absolute legend!

And to miss:
Bowls or Archery

Question asked most often by the public:
Is squash that sport where you hit it against the wall?!

And the answer: YES.

Greatest change you would like to see in the running of the sport:
Watching the Commonwealth Games this year made me realise just how important it is for squash to be part of the Olympic Games. The Olympics could take the sport to another level & help attract more players & hopefully youngsters from a less fortunate background.

How well is your sport covered in the media?
Not great. Its covered well on YouTube & SquashTV but that’s about it.

Sporting motto: Stay positive & keep focused.

Who would you most like to invite to dinner & why?
Mike Tyson. I’d love to hear about all his great fights & experiences. I’m sure he could teach me how to be fearless!