Gloucester's Ethan Bird and Tanai O'Brien to play squash for NSW

Over the years, both Ethan and Tanai have been setting goals for where they want their squash playing abilities to take them and both are continuing to achieve and surpass these goals.

Recently, while playing for Gloucester High School in the NSW Combined High Schools (CHS) sports association competition, both were vying for a spot on the Hunter team.

After making the cut in earlier in the year through a regional competition, both were named as part of the eight player team (four girls and four boys).

During the last week of last term, Ethan and Tanai went to Cardiff to play for a spot on the State team.

Ethan finished equal third, while Tanai finished second, meaning they both qualify to play for NSW against Queensland and New Zealand in August. 

Outside of school, they have been competing in regular NSW endorsed tournaments, raking up points to help their overall rankings. 

They attended the 2018 Squash NSW Junior Titles on July 13–15 in Coffs Harbour, Ethan playing in the under 17s and Tanai in the under 15s, both on the younger age side of the category.

Ethan placed second in the competition, but as the first placed player was from Queensland, Ethan comes out ranked number one.

Tanai also placed second and as the first place player is moving up a division for the next competition, Tanai proceeds in the number one spot.

The next competition is the Australian Junior Championships, a tournament these players know well, having both played at the event before.

This time, they have the same goal, to make the cut for the team that will go onto to represent Australia overseas. To do that, they both have to lift their overall ranking and this is the competition to do it.

They will be heading to Darwin for the nine day championship from September 29 until October 7.

The event with run four days of individual play, a day break, then continue with four days of team competition.