Chris Walker (squash player)
Christopher Ian Walker is a male squash coach and former professional squash player from England.
Biography
Walker started playing squash when he was eight years old. At 18 years old he took a job as a computer programmer but decided to devote his time to Squash, selling his car to finance playing on the World Squash tour. At that time it was called the ISPA since renamed, and currently, the PSA tour. He reached a career high world ranking of 4.He was ranked 2 in Britain in August 1993 and joined Cardiff-based Leekes Wizards along with fellow England international Tony Hands.
He reached the semi-finals of the 1993 Men's World Open Squash Championship and the 1996 Men's World Open Squash Championship. He represented England in the 1991 Men's World Team Squash Championships and the 1993 Men's World Team Squash Championships In addition he was twice a winning team member in the WSF World Team Squash Championships.
He represented England, at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and won a bronze medal in the men's doubles with Mark Cairns. Four years later he won another bronze medal in the mixed doubles at the 2002 Commonwealth Games with Fiona Geaves.
He finished runner-up at the British Open in 2001 and is currently the only person to have ever made it to the final of the event having played through the qualifying draw. He was England Captain and earned over 70 caps. He was also the World Doubles champion, 1997 World Mixed Doubles champion, three European Individual champion and part of the English team that won the European Team Championship 1990–2001.
Walker won nine gold medals for the England men's national squash team at the European Squash Team Championships from 1989 to 2002.
Coaching and management
- 1992–1999, Co-founder and eventual Manager of the British Squash Professionals Association
- 1993, Tournament Promoter of the Lancaster Rover Colchester Open, a World Ranking PSA event in Colchester, Essex
- 1993–1995, Board Member and Vice President of the Professional Squash Association
- 1998–2004, Partner with Peter Nicol presenting squash exhibition matches and clinics around the United States to club players and juniors
- 2000–2002, Board Member of Manchester Commonwealth Games – involved at National level of the UK Competitors Association
- 2001, Moved to Greenwich, Connecticut, from London to begin coaching
- 2001–2005, Author of 50 coaching articles for a monthly page in Squash Magazine
- 2004–2013, Men's US National Team CoachChampionships and Pan American games
- 2005, Co-Founder/Director of San Diego's Urban Squash Program now called Access Youth Academy
- 2007, Coach of US Men's and Women's US National Squash Team to the Pan Am Games in Rio de Janeiro
- 2005–2008, Founding partner of San Diego Squash
- 200, Coaching for the Spence School Varsity and JV team in Manhattan
- 2010–2013, CEO and Founder of Motion Sport Gear
- 2011, Team Leader/Manager and Coach Men's and Women's US National Squash team to the Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico
- 2012–2013, Head Coach Girl's Varsity Squash Team at Hackley School, Tarrytown, New York
- 2012–2014, Manager of the Squash Club program at Poly Prep Country Day school in Brooklyn, New York
Hardball squash
- 2007 St. Louis and Maryland Club Open champion ;
- 2006 Tavern Club Invitational and 2007 Hashim Khan Invitational champion ;
- Ranked world No. 1 on the pro doubles tour in autumn 2007 ;
- 2006 North American Open and Kellner Cup finalist with Viktor Berg;
- 2009 Jim Bentley Cup finalist,
- 2009 U. S. Pro Challenger champion with Mark Chaloner;
- 2011 National hardball singles champion and ISDA Players Championship.
- 2013 US National Championship, Winner 2011