The holiday season is a time of joy, tradition, and togetherness. But for some families in our community, it can also be a time of great vulnerability. Many face the heartbreak of struggling to provide for their children or maintain cherished traditions, making the holidays feel like a challenge instead of a celebration.
That’s why every year, our squash club comes together for something bigger than squash: our Annual Toy Drive & Round Robin. It’s our way of giving back, supporting families in need, and rediscovering the true spirit of the season.
Join us
Here’s how you can join us:
Sign up for singles on the board in the singles court area and for doubles on the board outside the doubles courts. You can also respond to Nicole and let her know if you would prefer to play doubles or singles and she will add you to the list.
Bring an unwrapped toy and nonperishable food item(s) to donate.
Participate in a fun and friendly round-robin tournament.
Date: Monday Dec. 9th
Time: 6:00 sharp
Why This Matters
By giving, we help families feel the warmth of the holidays and create moments of joy for children who might otherwise go without. It’s also an opportunity to counterbalance the season’s consumerism and focus on what truly matters – kindness, connection, and community.
Celebrate Our Club Community
And let’s not forget, this event isn’t just about helping others. It’s also about celebrating and strengthening the bonds that make our squash club so special. It’s a chance to reconnect with fellow members, share some laughs, and celebrate what it means to be part of a team that cares.
The night will include both doubles and singles squash round-robin fun games for all levels of players and all ages (the more the merrier)! The evening will finish off at Sabina’s restaurant for some drinks and food for those of you who would like to join us!
Join Us and Make a Difference
So, whether you’re here to play, donate, or simply show your support, your presence will make a difference. Together, let’s show the power of our community to bring hope, joy, and generosity to those who need it most.
Looking forward to playing some “fun” squash and helping to put smiles on some children’s faces this holiday season!
This past season opener was an amazing experience for the Pickering Squash Club as we hosted the 2024 Heidelberg Materials Ontario Championships, Presented by NFP Canada. Players from across the province came together for a memorable weekend filled with exciting matches and great camaraderie. From intense singles matches in the Men’s and Women’s divisions to high-energy doubles play in the Harvest Hit tournament, it was an event that truly celebrated the competitive spirit of squash.
Heidelberg Materials, the Title Sponsor at this year’s Ontario Championships, along with NFP Canada, Squash Ontario, and the Pickering Squash Club with our dedicated volunteers made this tournament possible. Their support allowed us to provide players with an amazing tournament experience, complete with fun extras like a tournament top, Friday night pizza, Saturday lunch, and generous prize money for the Open divisions.
Special Spotlight: The Women’s Social and Seminar
This year, supported by Heidelberg Materials, we were especially excited to host the Women’s Social and Seminar, an event that brought together female players for a discussion on “Competing in Squash.”
Led by Marci Sier and a panel featuring top competitors Hollie Naughton, Nadia Luttmer, and Vanessa Steinwall, this seminar offered valuable insights into managing performance anxiety and maintaining mental focus. As part of our commitment to increase women’s participation in squash, this social event marked a meaningful step forward in bridging the gender gap within the sport.
Although squash has often led the way in supporting female athletes, we’re aware that Ontario’s recent participation numbers show 2.5 male players for every female player. It’s our mission to create welcoming spaces and events that encourage more women to join, compete, and thrive in the game.
Thank you to everyone who helped make this tournament a success! We look forward to seeing more of you on the courts throughout the season.
The tournament results and photos of the champions are displayed below – congratulations to all participants on a fantastic start to the 2024/2025 squash season!
ABOUT Heidelberg materials
Heidelberg Materials is excited to be supporting Squash Ontario and is delighted to be the Title Sponsor at this year’s Ontario Championships.
Heidelberg Materials is one of the world’s largest building materials companies and operates on five continents. Our products are used for the construction of houses, infrastructure, and commercial and industrial facilities, thus meeting the demands of a growing world population for housing, mobility, and economic development. Learn more about Heidelberg Materials.
ABOUT NFP CANADA
We are excited to share that NFP will officially partner with Squash Ontario in the 2024-2025 season as a Corporate Partner and Presenting Sponsor of the 2024 Ontario Championships. This partnership will continue to offer the 15% home and auto insurance discount to Squash Ontario members and in exchange, they will be supporting Squash Ontario events and contributing to the Lee Hanebury Junior Squash Fund. To learn more about the discount program, please visit Squash Ontario’s Membership webpage.
Please read below for our 2024 Champions, runners-up, and 3rd place finishers.
Women’s Open, left to right: Hasti Shemirani (5th), Olivia Bolger (4th), Sasha Lee (3rd), Hollie Naughton (Champion), Niki Shemirani (2nd).Men’s Open, left to right: Blake Reinson (2nd), Wasey Maqsood (Champion), Will Harris (3rd), Nicole Pirko (Tournament Chair).Men’s C, left to right: Shiraz Mohideen from NFP, Scott Haynes (3rd), Marcus Lee (Champion), Sandeep Reddy Kancharla (2nd).Women’s C, left to right: Tania Kumar (2nd), Sydney Meek (Champion), Hania El Ayoubi (3rd).Men’s D, left to right: Shiraz Mohideen from NFP, Manoj Reddy (3rd), Anatol Sharoyan (Champion), Leon Chan (2nd).Women’s E, left to right: Nicole Pirko (Tournament Chair), Jota Botia (2nd), Priya Vasamsetty Kaliprasad (Champion), and Ongelle-Lise Burnett (3rd).Women’s A, left to right: Elka Markus (2nd), Vanessa Steinwall (Champion), Thandi Myers (3rd – not pictured).Men’s B, left to right: Yianni Theodoropoulos (2nd), Erez Provizor (Champion), Rahul Godavarthi (3rd).Women’s B, left to right: Sumintra Koowar (2nd), Alexis Pirko (Champion), Iris Capistrano (3rd).Men’s E, left to right: Dhruvil Shah (2nd), Nathan Chan (Champion), Andrew Hyndman (3rd).Men’s A, left to right: Arturo Guzman Franco (2nd), Usman Khan (Champion), Jack Chen (3rd).
