Island Games: Carrick On Squash Hopes
[Written by Stephen Wright]
Taylor Carrick is targeting a podium finish as he gears up for his squash debut at the International Island Games in Orkney, Scotland.
The 23-year-old will represent Bermuda alongside team-mates Neil Pohman and Brian Darling and has been intensively training over the past month to ensure he arrives in peak form.
“I’m hoping to play really good squash in Orkney, have a great time,” Carrick told Bernews.
“I’m always looking to compete for Bermuda at big events, and this was a perfect opportunity.”
Carrick, who will also team up with Pohman in the doubles’ competition, is eager to embrace the full experience of his first multi-sport event.
“I’m looking forward to meeting athletes from the other sports, too,” he said.
Confident in his preparation, Carrick believes he has a real shot at winning a medal if he plays to his potential.
“I know some of the seeded players at the competition,” he said. “I’ve had a great training stint.
“If I can get on the podium, that will be fantastic.”
Based in Toronto, Carrick is using the Island Games as a springboard toward the Pan American Senior Squash Championships in Rio de Janeiro next month.
One of the highlights of his career came in March, when he clinched the Gnosis Bermuda National Squash Championships title at the Bermuda Squash Club with a 3-0 win over Micah Franklin.
Reflecting on his development, Carrick credited several key figures who shaped his career, including former local coaches Patrick Foster, Runa Reta, Kristen Johnson, and Ian Thomas, his coach at Millfield School in Sussex, England.
“I’ve had several coaches who have helped my game move forward the most,” said Carrick, who has had a highest world ranking of 158th.
He also cited inspiration from Bermuda’s top players: “I’ve always looked up to Noah Browne and Micah Franklin from a playing standpoint.
“Ideally, one day I’ll be the highest-placed squash player to compete for Bermuda.”
Orkney will welcome around 2,000 athletes from 24 island groups to compete across 12 sports at the Games, which start on Saturday [July 12].
It will be the first time in the Games’ 40-year history that Orkney has hosted the biennial event.
Bermuda men’s squash team
Taylor Carrick, Neil Pohman and Brian Darling
