Angela Smith (squash)
Encyclopedia
Angela Smith is a retired professional English
squash
player: Smith was one of the world's top ranked squash players from 1979 to 1990. Smith was also the first female squash player to turn professional and widely recognized for changing the face of women's squash by doing so.
Her first overseas position was as squash coach at the prestigious Vertical Club in Manhattan, New York, where she rubbed shoulders with the world's sporting greats such as Vitas Gerulaitis, the tennis pro at the club. Her contract there was said to be the most lucrative of its kind in the sport at that time. There she coached many famous personalities of the time such as Jackie Kennedy, the widow of the US president. Following her successful period in the States and her significant input into the Women's Sport Foundation of America, Smith took up an even greater challenge in Nassau, Bahamas where she took squash from the realms of an expat sport to one embraced by locals. She was instrumental in Shell sponsoring the squash programme and several of the juniors that Smith coached later went on to play on the world circuit themselves. Following her six years in Nassau, she was based in Barcelona, Spain at the Can Melich club where she was again a great success, helping to organise amongst other events the European Junior championships. She also coached and helped further develop the game in Hong Kong, Bermuda, Trinidad and Tobago, St Vincent and Kenya to name a few of the countries. All this whilst jetting to and from the UK and world circuits to compete in the necessary events to allow her to represent her country and also maintain her place in the world rankings. Indeed, after Smith's immediate success as a professional, making a career from tournament play rather than just coaching, Sue Cogswell
followed suit at the end of 1980 and the UK women's squash game was quickly forced to become "open"; the rest of the world swiftly followed suit and today's lady professionals owe a debt to Angela particularly and those brave enough to join her in those early days namely the Australians Sue Newman, Barbara Wall and Lyle Hubinger.
Smith had a long rivalry with Sue Cogswell for the British number one spot over many years, and her matches against Vicki Hoffman (now Cardwell) were felt to be pure theatre, especially those taking place in the British Open Championships. Smith was one of a very few players to win a game against Australian player Heather McKay
, at the World Championships S/F Sheffield, 1979. Angela was considered to be one of the fittest players competing on the ladies circuit throughout her career. She was the first female squash player to appear on Superstars and A Question of Sport, hugely popular and successful British TV shows.
Smith also organised and promoted the first women's squash events in the Middle East, in Dubai
and Bahrain
. Along with Jayne Aston of England and Sue Newman
, Barbara Wall
and Lyle Hubinger of Australia
, she formed WISPA
, the professional ladies' body for squash, in 1979. To this day, WISPA remains the governing body of the ladies game.
She is also a trustee of Xpro the charity for ex professional footballers.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
squash
Squash (sport)
Squash is a high-speed racquet sport played by two players in a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball...
player: Smith was one of the world's top ranked squash players from 1979 to 1990. Smith was also the first female squash player to turn professional and widely recognized for changing the face of women's squash by doing so.
Her first overseas position was as squash coach at the prestigious Vertical Club in Manhattan, New York, where she rubbed shoulders with the world's sporting greats such as Vitas Gerulaitis, the tennis pro at the club. Her contract there was said to be the most lucrative of its kind in the sport at that time. There she coached many famous personalities of the time such as Jackie Kennedy, the widow of the US president. Following her successful period in the States and her significant input into the Women's Sport Foundation of America, Smith took up an even greater challenge in Nassau, Bahamas where she took squash from the realms of an expat sport to one embraced by locals. She was instrumental in Shell sponsoring the squash programme and several of the juniors that Smith coached later went on to play on the world circuit themselves. Following her six years in Nassau, she was based in Barcelona, Spain at the Can Melich club where she was again a great success, helping to organise amongst other events the European Junior championships. She also coached and helped further develop the game in Hong Kong, Bermuda, Trinidad and Tobago, St Vincent and Kenya to name a few of the countries. All this whilst jetting to and from the UK and world circuits to compete in the necessary events to allow her to represent her country and also maintain her place in the world rankings. Indeed, after Smith's immediate success as a professional, making a career from tournament play rather than just coaching, Sue Cogswell
Sue Cogswell
Sue Cogswell is a retired squash player from England. She was runner-up at the inaugural women's World Open championship in 1979, where she lost in the final to the Australian player Heather McKay 6–9, 9–3, 9–1, 9–4. Cogswell was also a three-time runner-up at the British Open, losing in the final...
followed suit at the end of 1980 and the UK women's squash game was quickly forced to become "open"; the rest of the world swiftly followed suit and today's lady professionals owe a debt to Angela particularly and those brave enough to join her in those early days namely the Australians Sue Newman, Barbara Wall and Lyle Hubinger.
Career
Smith was coached by the legendary Nasrullah Khan, who also coached Jonah Barrington. Angela enjoyed a meteoric rise to the top, appearing initially from nowhere to be ranked at number 2 in the UK upon her first entry into the list. She reached the semifinals of the British Open eight times, and won the Spanish, Portuguese, Canadian, US, Norwegian, Israel, (a record six times) and Bermuda Opens. She was British championon several occasions and the British number one ranked player and a Great Britain and England International, representing her country many times. She also became a world champion with the UK in 1979, and a world over 35, British Open and Masters chamiion. On two further occasions, when England reached the World Team Championships final, both against Australia, she won her matches whilst the team were defeated 2-1. Her pride in playing for her country was obvious and she was defeated only twice whilst on International duty throughout her career. Angela captained and played in the World International Team in test matches against South Africa. Along with Rhonda Thorne, she was invited to open the courts in Monaco for and in the presence of Prince Rainier and his family. She held dozens of English domestic and regional titles in her career. Smith coached the national teams for the Bahamas, Spain, and Hong Kong and was also the US men's squash team coach from 1980 to 1982. The US Squash team that travelled to South Africa to train and onto Australia included: Gil Mateer (as captain), Ned Edwards, Mark Alger and Jon Foster. She was also Britain's first squash representative in the Australia Games.Smith had a long rivalry with Sue Cogswell for the British number one spot over many years, and her matches against Vicki Hoffman (now Cardwell) were felt to be pure theatre, especially those taking place in the British Open Championships. Smith was one of a very few players to win a game against Australian player Heather McKay
Heather McKay
Heather Pamela McKay AM MBE is a retired Australian squash player, who is considered by many to be the greatest female player in the history of the game, and possibly also Australia's greatest-ever sportswoman...
, at the World Championships S/F Sheffield, 1979. Angela was considered to be one of the fittest players competing on the ladies circuit throughout her career. She was the first female squash player to appear on Superstars and A Question of Sport, hugely popular and successful British TV shows.
Smith also organised and promoted the first women's squash events in the Middle East, in Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
and Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
. Along with Jayne Aston of England and Sue Newman
Sue Newman
Sue Newman is a former squash player from Australia. She won the British Open in 1978, beating her fellow Australian player Vicki Hoffman in the final 9-4, 9-7, 9-2. Newman was also runner-up at the British Open in 1976, when she lost in the final to Australia's Heather McKay.-References:...
, Barbara Wall
Barbara Wall
Barbara Wall is a former squash player from Australia.Wall turned professional in 1973, the first Australian woman to do so. She travelled overseas in 1976 and the following year, though unseeded, managed to make the final of the British Open, where she lost to Heather McKay...
and Lyle Hubinger of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, she formed WISPA
WISPA
WISPA may refer to:* Wireless Internet Service Provider Association* Women's International Squash Players Association...
, the professional ladies' body for squash, in 1979. To this day, WISPA remains the governing body of the ladies game.
Personal life
Smith is a life-long fan of Stoke City Football Club.She is also a trustee of Xpro the charity for ex professional footballers.