The BVI Squash Rackets Association was formed on September 10, 1992 to promote the game of squash rackets in the British Virgin Islands. Ken Adamson was the first President and he did an incredible amount of squash promotion from the moment he arrived in Tortola. In October 1972, Ken was instrumental in negotiating the Tortola Sports Club acquisition of the property at Pasea. In 1974 he led the development of the first squash court, with a second court added five years later.
Squash is played at the Tortola Sports Club, where there are currently four courts available for play. In 2007 Joe Kneipp, formerly the #10 ranked male player in the world, was hired as the Tortola Sports Club’s squash coach. He has had a great impact on the BVI Squash Racquets Association’s development of talent.
Tortola Sports Club’s commitment to squash over the past decade has recently reaped a number of telling rewards. Backed by funding and resources through the BVI Olympic Committee and the BVI government, the BVI Squash Association’s junior program has been the cornerstone for squash success in the past few years.
In May 2009, the BVI hosted the O.E.C.S squash championship that attracted top players from St. Vincent, St. Lucia and Dominica. Under Kneipp’s leadership, Joe Chapman won the individual event, giving the BVI it’s the first-ever O.E.C.S Men’s champion. BVI also won the team event for the first time in history.
Joe Chapman graduated from Rochester University in June 2012 and joined the PSA World tour at World #359. He has since climbed 248 places to World #111. Joe will continue on the tour this year as he continues to prepare for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow 2014.
