Jean Grainger wants to be remembered for introducing people to squash and giving them the ability to get pleasure, exercise and social interaction out of playing the sport. The founder of the popular Parkview Squash Centre in Johannesburg is deeply passionate about the sport, and has made a valuable contribution to South African squash for nearly 30 years.

Jean, a former player, moved to South Africa from England where she worked as executive secretary of the British Women’s Squash Association; the first holder of that position. Then she came to South Africa, and played, but also became convenor of the women’s South African selection committee.

For the Grainger’s, squash is a family thing, with Jean’s husband Chris, a civil engineer, having designed Parkview Squash Centre. Jean’s daughter, Natalie is ranked number two in world squash, and draws heartwarming praise from her mother, in her interview with gsport.

It is evident from our chat with Jean that she loves sport and her life is filled with it. She is positive and inspired. One of the women she admires is US First Lady Michelle Obama, someone who certainly stands out as a role model.

Ladies, please welcome gsport’s June 2009 Woman of the Month: Jean Grainger!

Jean, you were born in England, but now South Africa is your home- when did you come to South Africa, and why?

I came in 1975, because I met my South African husband in London, where he was working, and we ended up coming here, straight after we married!

Are you a South African citizen?

I am, yes.

What is it about South Africa, that you’ve pledged your loyalty in this way?

I love South Africa. You know, it’s given me the sum of my marriage, a wonderful life, I now feel that this is my home, and I therefore am a South African fully, I support the boks, and I’ve left England behind.

How did your love of sport begin?

My parents were keen but just social sports people, they played local tennis and things like that, and my mother introduced me to tennis at a young age, took me along to the local park and knocked balls to me, and I became keen and did pursue tennis in England,and played in junior tournaments, and that sort of thing. So I was good at sports, at ball games, and enjoyed them!

And the progression to squash, how did that come about?

Right, well, I was sort of hoping to become a tennis champion (laughs), but reality set in when I realised that I really wouldn’t win Wimbledon, I didn’t think, and that my local club in Manchester, which is a leading club in the north of England, we did have squash courts and some good women squash players in the club, who actually introduced me to squash, and I took to it like a duck to water! I then decided I would really give squash a go …

Looking back at it all, Jean, you’ve won many awards, three gold medals at World Masters Squash, if you could take out the essential elements, what does it take to become a champion?

I think you have to have belief in your own ability. You must think you can win, become a champion, but linked to that, there definitely has to be a good work ethic, and acknowledgement that it’s not going to come easily, and there will be a huge amount of work involved. Nobody’s going to hand it to you on a plate.

Certainly. And, your daughter following in your footsteps, excelling on the world stage at the moment, you must be very proud?

Oh, well, there’s a single-word answer to that- Yes! (laughs). She is a remarkable player, I don’t see her play that often now, because she’s living in the US, but whenever I do see her hit a ball, it is just a wonderful experience for me, and I think, ‘Wow! That is super!’.

With the benefit of your experience, what is your advice to parents of children who show potential in sport?

Encourage them, give them the opportunity, but don’t force them. I think the choice must be the child’s, and the great danger of parents with able children is of course to try and life through them, and get what might have been their own success, which they didn’t have, through their children. I do see a lot of children under huge pressure from parents to perform, and suffering from it. So that is really something to guard against.

If there is one, what is the difference between coaching men, as opposed to coaching women squash players?

In squash, now, not much! The women really have improved hugely in their speed and physical fitness, and strength, and those are key elements of course, to the game. But the men have always been naturally superior. But now the women are closing the gap. The coaching aspect is really the same! In the women’s game, you need fitness, speed, reaction skills, the racquet shot-making aspect has always been the same. And the women’s game is becoming so much more powerful, than it ever was in yesteryear.

You’ve made a big contribution to sport, can you tell us briefly about your involvement with women’s squash in South Africa and how it has extended your reach?

Squash, really has become my life. Once I transferred from the tennis arena into squash, it really took over all my focus and it has given me huge pleasure. I am a sports person through and through, so I just enjoy being involved.

In England, before I came to South Africa, I was executive secretary of the British Women’s Squash Association, which was a full-time job. I was the first holder of that position when squash began to develop. Then I came to South Africa, and I played, but then also became convenor of the women’s South African selection committee.

More than that, you and your husband built the Parkview Squash Centre. How did that project begin? Has it achieved its goals? What is your current involvement?

Parkview Squash Centre has been a wonderful happening for squash, I think, and also for us. The concept, we wanted to find a business opportunity, Chris and myself together, and obviously I was very involved with squash. Timing was fortunate for us, this was in 1980, when the squash boom, as such, was just taking off, and commercial squash centres were becoming financially successful.

Because of my knowledge of the game and my husband Chris is a civil engineer, he could design and build a squash centre, and I knew all about running one. We went that route and built Parkview Squash Centre in mid-1980 and it has dominated our lives since then. It has been a hugely successful undertaking in every way. Not everyone has a job that they just love, and they can give so much input to, it is really a hobby job, so it was wonderful for us.

How do you feel about the state of women’s squash in South Africa and what can be done to improve it?

It is a little disappointing, the current state of the women’s game, as far as having any world-class preparation is concerned, we actually don’t. Tenille Swartz is our best prospect, she was our highest ranked player but she was hit by injury and had to have surgery on her shoulder and she has had at least a year out. But now she is on the road to recovery so Tenille is a very good prospect on the world scene and will become our South African champion again, a title she has held three times already.

But it does mean that the girls who want to achieve on the world scene need to go overseas which is the problem for s

o many, because we cannot stage world-level events here in South Africa, because of the weakness of the Rand. So, really, the girls do need more financial support, to be able to play full-time, to get to the top, you have to play full-time! And, of course, that’s very difficult if you have to earn your living as well, and you can’t earn your living from the game here in South Africa! So, it is a matter of more support, and the government maybe could look at schools and academies that might be  training camps, but of course squash is a bit of a Cinderella sport, and there are so many other sports that have the same cry, and in the South African context, there are so many other needs as well, that I don’t think it is a reality, and they will just have to keep on soldiering on, the girls that want to play, and get as far as they can.

Go to other parts of the world, play in other parts of the world, they must do what they can! We have to be realistic, I’m afraid that is what it is. But, if you are passionate enough, it’s not impossible- our own daughter did it! She got her matric her in Johannesburg, and after school went to Europe, had a tough two years on a shoe-string, playing in different tournaments, trying to move up the ladder- which she actually did, and then when you get within reach of the top group, it certainly is possible! Natalie is the absolute example of it, but it’s not easy.

gsport strives to celebrate femininity, what does it mean for you to be a woman?

I disagree that squash is unfeminine, you have to fight hard and move fast, but that can be a very graceful thing. Women who play top-level squash, I think, are terrific women, and showcase what a woman should be in grace and femininity, and athleticism and good shape in every way. I love being a woman too and I am proud that squash has kept me in good shape and I wouldn’t like to be a model in a swimsuit anymore but I do feel that squash has given me health and made me more feminine by enabling me to look as good as I can and womanly and I don’t feel that it is unfeminine at all, and I am very pro-femininity, yes!

What is the most satisfying part of what you do?

To help social players get pleasure and exercise from playing squash in a social environment and showing them what the game can offer them, even at low social level. I am totally convinced that squash offers everybody a wonderful form of exercise, a wonderful outlet for socializing with people they enjoy being with. We do that at Parkview Squash Centre, we have wonderful club events happening and people are getting a lot of pleasure out of playing the game?

Tell me about some of the women you admire?

A woman that springs to mind immediately is Michelle Obama. It is her combination of sanity and savvy. She seems to be the most grounded person I’ve read about. She portrays what a woman should be. She is very feminine and has all the grace a woman should have.

What is your advice to women who aim to contribute to sport through administration?

I think even if you are not a top player you are able to be a very able administrator if you lover the game. But to do that without that playing experience, you must know the sport, and then acknowledge the players’ problems. The game is organized for the players, always keep that mind. We always hear stories of players being fed up with administrators all the time. Don’t try to be the kingpin yourself. You also can’t be too sensitive. You are in the firing line, you are always wrong, and you don’t get much praise. Just love what you do, and go the extra mile for the sport.

What are your favourite spectator sports?

I love the tennis. I watch the rugby, only when the Boks play. I enjoy watching the golf too.

Which sports stars stand out for you?

I wish I could mention a woman, but I have to say that Roger Federer epitomizes everything a sportsman should be. If I had to choose a woman, I would have to go with my daughter. She is number two in the world, she just looks good on the court, she is a glorious player. I am proud that she is always dignified in victory and defeat. She looks a terrific athlete on the court, the way she moves and hits the ball. She is also a great personality, I am proud of my daughter.

Who are your role models?

I’m a bit old for role models. I have always been my own person and I don’t really try and follow anybody else. I just have basic values, I think those are my role models. I think common sense and endeavour are my role models.

Are there any goals out there still to be achieved for you?

I am so sports-orientated in my goals and my desires and my passions, and obviously my days of achieving those or bettering them are gone. I really feel I would like to be able to say that I have introduced a lot of people to squash and given them the ability to get pleasure and exercise and social interaction out of playing our sport, which does offer all those things.

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Celeste Tucker  - YOU GO JEAN!   |2009-06-17 22:30:39 You are the ultimately lady both on and off the courts and a perfect example to all young athletes across the globe! Well done on all your achievements! Reply 0   0

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