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March 27, 2008
WINNIPEG- Squash Canada announced today that
Gene Turk of Winnipeg has stepped down as head coach of the men's national
senior team after 16 years.
Highlights for Turk included a second place at
the world team championships in 1997 and fourth place at the 2005 team worlds.
He was also Canada's head coach at the 1995 and 1999 Pan Am Games winning team
gold on both occasions, as well as head coach at the 2002 and 2006
Commonwealth Games.
Turk says he wants to put his coaching
energies into his two teenage children who are also pursuing careers in the
sport and other youngsters at the Winnipeg Squash Racquet Club where he works
full time.
''I was a bit lucky to join the national
program when we had a group of guys dedicated to being world class players,''
said Turk. ''Working with players like Jonathon Power, Graham Ryding and
Shahier Razik were definitely career highlights for me.''
Joe Besso, VP High Performance of Squash
Canada, says Turk played a major role in Canada's international ascension in
men's squash.
''He's a big reason Canada has been
consistently in the top-eight at the team worlds,'' said Besso. ''He's a great
individual and a great communicator. They are huge shoes to fill.''
Linda MacPhail, Squash Canada's executive
director, praised Turk's leadership.
"We have been very lucky to have Gene as the
men's coach for the duration that we have,'' said MacPhail
''He is very passionate about our senior men's
athletes and the program. I know that he had considered retirement earlier,
but he would get so excited about an upcoming world team championships and the
possibilities for the Canadian team, that he had to see it through.
''Squash Canada's high performance program has
evolved tremendously in the last decade, and much of the maturation of the
program has been due to Gene's leadership. Squash Canada wishes Gene the very
best, and trust that he will remain available for consultation."
Turk said the sport has reached a new level of
excellence. ''The game has changed,'' he said. ''The players are more dynamic,
faster and they have to be more powerful and explosive.''
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