Squash king Kevin wins national award for devotion to his sport
Kevin Forster first picked up a racket at the age of 19.
The 56-year-old father of two, from Cleadon, is a regular at Boldon Cricket and Squash Club, where he both plays and coaches juniors.
He was nominated by his fellow club members for his dedication to the voluntary work, which has seen hundreds of youngsters introduced to the sport.
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Hide AdKevin also promotes the educational, recreational and social benefits of the sport as a way of bringing people together and improving both physical and mental wellbeing.
A number of players who are in their late 70s still actively, play and compete with his support.
He was presented with The Polar Squash Workforce Awards at the 2016 Allam British Open tournament in Hull.
Club member Michael Barnes said: “We are so delighted to see Kevin’s dedication to squash recognised.
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Hide Ad“Without him, our club simply would not exist and it is only through his efforts, time and commitment that the sport continues to thrive in our community.
“When not playing or coaching, Kev can be found working on the club website or social media, cleaning changing rooms, repainting courts or cooking meals for visiting teams.
“His energy and love for the sport is an inspiration to everyone.”
Last October, Kevin took part in a 12-hour squash marathon, raising more than £500 for World Squash Day in aid of Unicef.
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Hide AdKevin said: “Being nominated for the special recognition award was a great acknowledgement from fellow club members of all my voluntary work at Boldon Squash Club, and to actually win it is a great honour, of which I am very proud.
“My enthusiasm for squash has dominated most of my adult life, for the better, and I want to introduce as many people as I can to this fantastic sport”.
Keir Worth, England Squash chief executive officer, said: “The annual awards are our opportunity to thank our coaching and volunteer workforce and celebrate the fantastic work they do.
“People like Kevin are the driving force behind getting more people on court, creating thriving squash communities and nurturing existing and future talent.”
For more information about playing squash, visit the Boldon Cricket and Squash Club HERE.