BOB PAREEZER

Your Name.....Bob Pareezer

DOB.....18/05/1941

Place of Birth.....Thirroul NSW

Where you first started playing Squash.....First game was with a work colleague at Canterbury Squash Centre in Sydney in 1958. Within a matter of weeks joined Campsie Squash Club for fixtures.

Your Fondest Memory of the time.....

Winning my first fixture match for Campsie C4 side 27-0. Never again achieved this in 45 years of playing fixtures. Also Campsie, like most squash clubs, was very social, and we enjoyed nothing more than replaying every point over a few beers in the clubroom and then trying to be productive at work next day. Had my first beer in the Campsie Squash Clubroom.

Your best achievement on court, as most of us wouldn't have won Open Titles or represented the State, maybe list some of your Pennant wins or Club Titles.....

My record on the court at Boomerang was as follows, won 3 A1 Pennants in 1971.72.73. and won the club Championship in 1974 and I won the club Handicap tournament in 1973.

Runner up a couple of times in Over 35s Qld Masters to Dave Jackman. Runner up one year in Over 40s Qld Masters to Col Crawford. The best player to have a win against in fixtures was Dave Jackman.

Did you venture into administration or coaching or refereeing or managing teams or played Masters Squash.....Managed the Corinda Squash courts from 1970 to 1982 and during that time did some coaching of juniors, fixture players etc but nothing serious. Played Qld Masters from 1976 to 1985 in Over 35s and Over 40s

Who do you admire as the person who has either achieved great things on court or shaped the game off court.....

There are numerous players I have admired over a long association with the game, but 5 at the top would be Ken Hiscoe, Geoff Hunt. Heather Mackay, Dave Prickett and Ted Curtis.

Ken Hiscoe-Powerful and entertaining shotmaker-nothing boring about the way Ken played. Great sportsman on and off the court. Best player in Australia for a number of years until he lost the 1965 Australian Championship to a young Geoff Hunt.

Geoff Hunt-absolute ornament for the game-on and off the court. His achievements make him one of Australia's greatest sportsmen, but squash being a minor sport were not given the recognition they deserved.

Heather Mackay-Like Geoff a legend of the sport. Although far superior to her opposition never let her high standards drop. Would have to rank alongside Don Bradman, Walter Lindrum and Dawn Fraser as one of Australia's best ever sportsperson.

Dave Prickett-Great shotmaker and very entertaining to watch. Always gave 200% and was never beaten.

Ted Curtis-I greatly admired the way Ted hit a squash ball-very correct and very accurate. His serve was the best I saw in squash-closely followed by Dave Wright.

Funniest moment you remember.....

I remember a second grade match in Sydney where we played a team of solicitors who were all 45 plus. We had won 5 pennants in a row so were super confident and all busting to get into First Grade. The guy I played was joking with his teammates during the hit up and did not seem to hit the ball at all well. I thought I would take this guy to the cleaners, at the end of the match my total of points was 5. I found out later my opponent was John Cheadle who in his heyday was an Australian and British Open champion. Not funny at the time but amusing later.

When I first played First Grade I played for Sydney Squash Club which was a single court on top of a high rise building in Bridge Street Sydney. The front wall backed onto the caretakers loungeroom. Play had to commence promptly at 6pm as all 4 rubbers plus supper had to be complete by 10.30 because at that time the caretaker would arrive to escort you from the building. If perchance a match was incomplete the players would have to get together at a later date. Often you would be having a beer and supper while the last rubber was in place-so players would try to avoid playing last. A unique and amusing squash setup.

What are you doing now. As a lot of us would be now retired, list some facts about your working life.....

1958-1970 worked in accounting positions for Mobil, Johnson & Johnson and Esso. Completed Accountancy Certificate at Sydney Technical College in 1963. Moved to Brisbane in 1970 to manage Corinda Squash Courts until sold in 1982. Next few years involved with some not so successful businesses. 1986-1988 worked for Alan Spranklin & Co. a shoe wholesaler. From 1988 until retirement in 2006 worked as Qld Credit Manager for Visyboard Pty Ltd-a job I thoroughly enjoyed. Now enjoying retired life. It took 15 years but I now consider myself a Queenslander and barrack for Qld in State of Origin.

Did you get married, have kids.....

Married in 1968. Sadly, my wife Patricia passed away on 5th January this year after a long battle with cancer. Patricia was a wonderful, loving and inspirational person who is sadly missed. I have 3 children and 6 grandchildren living in Brisbane and a daughter and 3 grandchildren living in Canberra.

Anything else you think people might find interesting.....

Loved cricket and got to play 2nd Grade for Canterbury Bankstown for a number of seasons, until I became obsessed with squash and gave it up in 1967 so I could play squash most of the weekend. I am still playing squash - Mondays with Peter Luscombe (my solicitor) and Friday with John Knight. Sometimes the body says I should stick to walking the dog, but squash is a good way to keep in touch with long standing friends so will keep playing while I can.

Since retirement I have been involved with the Springwood Probus Club and I am currently Treasurer. The club keeps me busy and during the month there would be activities like ten pin bowling, cards, restaurant dining, breakfast, bus trips as well as our monthly meeting involving a guest speaker.