On August 25, the Ottawa squash world lost one of its finest coaches and organizers. Ron Hughes grew up in Calgary, graduated from Northwestern University in Chicago, and became a PE teacher in his hometown. He was an excellent gymnast and swimmer, and proficient at badminton and basketball.
Ron later spent most of his life as a diplomat with the Canadian International Development Agency, before he retired to become a consultant for CIDA and the World Bank, evaluating girls’ educational programs funded by these agencies.
While with CIDA, Ron and his family were posted to Kenya (1970-73), and it was there that he was introduced to squash by Canadian and British ex-pats. He was attracted by the skill, stamina and creativity of squash, particularly by players, in the same place, vying for control of the T ! It soon became apparent, that as a passionate student of the game, he was motivated to pass on his knowledge and enthusiasm to others, in the most friendly and fun way possible.
While in Kenya he coached his son David and daughter Marie, with David later attaining Canadian Under 16 and Under 19 rankings. Between 1982 and 1989 he was in Guyana for two extended visits, where he not only galvanized the locals into organizing
more extensive squash activities, but he personally coached Roger Arjoon and several other youngsters. In 1989, on the last of three Canadian tours he organized for Guyanese juniors, his protégé, Roger, to the amazement of the Canadian squash fraternity, won both the Ontario and Canadian Boys Under 19 titles !
Ron was far more than a good coach. In between his overseas trips, he was a very busy and active member of the Nepean Sports Club, and of the Ottawa, Provincial and National squash scenes. The present Ottawa Junior Program format, with its Junior Grand Prix Circuit of 1-day events, evolved from the structured program put in place by Ron and others’ farsightedness in the 1970s and 1980s. The program produced a stream of juniors who went on to be National Junior and Senior champions and/or members of Canadian teams participating in World Championships. These included Diana Edge, Margo and Cathy Green, Shelley Harvey, Glenn Murray, Anita Nador, Nick Nemeth, CaroleAnn Rodgers, Jeff Sneyd,and Johanna Thomas, who all came through his program at Nepean or who travelled with him while he was the Ottawa Junior Squad coach, and went on to National titles and teams.
In 2004, Ron was recognized with a Special Achievement Award from Squash Ontario (fittingly presented by Stephanie Hewitt, then President Elect of Squash Ontario and another product of the Ottawa Junior Program).
To sum up, Ron may have been from another generation, but he was the consummate volunteer of his era, full of ideas, passionate about squash, and never faltering wherever he was. He was the coach, mentor, supporter and friend of so many young players. The ODSA salutes an outstanding member of the Ottawa squash community and extends its condolences to all members of his family.
Read Roger Arjoon’s piece telling the story of how Ron Hughes turned Guyana into regional squash powerhouse