The first member in this issue is a senior member of the club “Ken Cross” known to many members for his enthusiasm on court and his love of an old banger or two
Hi Ken!
Many thanks for volunteering in this the first “Spotlight on members” section.
“So, let’s start Ken, how did you get into squash”?
“I started playing 35 years ago with two work colleagues at Scunthorpe Leisure Centre”
“Do you remember your first racquet?”
“I do as a matter of fact, it was a graphite Dunlop 500 max, with a 6″ round head. In those days it was all friendly games where you hit the ball as hard as you could with no thought of tactics, several years later I joined App Frod which was a properly organised squash club, with fully dedicated players”.
“So, did joining a Squash Club change or improve your play Ken?”
“It did, my game progressed immensely to achieving the level of playing team games, albeit at the lower end. I was also offered the role of Captain which involved organising the team and fixtures etc playing in the Humber squash leagues which covers a wide area of Goole, Hull, Bridlington and Scarborough etc. There was quite a bit of travelling which I found very enjoyable and played this for many years.
At the top end of team squash for club players is the Yorkshire Division; this is top level squash and well worth watching. There are many of us that also follow world squash and when National events have taken place in the UK we have travelled to support them. Seeing the world top players here in the UK is very inspiring”.
“We all have games Ken that are memorable and stay with us, what are yours?”
“Well one in particular was when I was 1-8 down in a match against Beverley circa 2010 which I was fortunate to come back and win 10-9, like all sports there is always a chance till the end”.
“Have you suffered any major injuries Ken?
“I remember limping off court on a Sunday afternoon and going to A&E where I was told I had torn my calf muscle and 8 weeks rest was needed”.
“Not good that Ken. We were all affected by the COVID restrictions and had to give up Squash during lockdown, how did this impact on you?”
“Well, being retired and having a large garden and a few garages the maintenance and upkeep needed gave me the perfect opportunity to get on top of all the jobs”. I also cycle quite a lot so living near to many country lanes and bridle ways/paths available locally, I took the opportunity to enjoy the good weather though I have to say the better the weather the more encouraging and it also allowed me to get the squash kit on even if it was only for a bike ride”.
“When we were allowed back to play for that short period, did you take advantage?”
“I did and really enjoyed the squash bubble that six of us formed, also playing the game of sides outside of the bubble was appreciated as a good way of getting back on court”
“Who would you say inspired you in life Ken?”
“That’s an easy question for me to answer as it was my father who was a maintenance fitter/engineer on the App Frod Steelworks in the CEW. He drummed into me, Do it Once and Do it Right. Whether it’s at home or at work a job done right is a job done well”.
“That’s good advice for any young person Ken. We all know you’ve worked in the motor industry, how long was that for and are you still involved?”
“Having worked all my life in the motor industry Circa 50 years, car maintenance is second nature. I also have several old classic cars which always need attention. Over the years I’ve had privileged factory tours of Porsche, Mercedes, AMG, Lamborghini, Ferrari and Cadillac in Los Angeles”.
“Wow it must have been incredible to see how your hobby is at the manufacturing stage, so how many cars do you actually own and have you a favourite?”
“It’s true I’m a Petrol Head 100%, in my early years I’ve owned a Lotus, Cortina, Jaguar E-type, Porsche 911 turbo and Corvette Stingray etc. Currently having moved on, I have a Mercedes AMG GT Roadster and a Prancing Horse (Ferrari) though these cars are not used daily, the more specialised a car becomes they’re certainly not practical for everyday use”.
“I’m also led to believe you are very much instrumental in organising the well known Winterton Show, how has COVID affected this annual event?”
“Like many events, our problems started in February 2020 when we decided to cancel our annual show dinner which is a fund raiser with 150-200 people usually attending. Following this the actual show in July was cancelled. We have managed to engage the main entertainment and acts to roll over until the 2021 show. The 5th November Bonfire & Fireworks was also cancelled. However, there is still the upkeep of the showground which covers 25 acres, including hedges lawns and grass to cut so like others we are hoping 2021 will see our village events return bringing the community together again. As they say though we live and learn and for the 2021 Show we have taken to using Zoom meetings for the early planning, with hopefully site meetings in the springtime. Social distancing will have to be looked at carefully although being mainly an outdoor event should make it safer and more pleasurable”.
Thanks again Ken for giving up your time and kicking off this first of what we hope will be many insights into our members’ lives on and off the squash court.