Mike Harris has won eight consecutive British national racketball titles and last weekend showed his expertise in coaching multiple sessions at Beau Sejour, covering the beginner, mixed-ability and advanced groups.
It comes at a great time locally for the discipline. While Guernsey had previously lagged Jersey in racketball at inter-insular level, where it is played alongside conventional squash, they turned the tables by winning the latest event in March 2025.
Guernsey squash and racketball development officer Martin Watts hopes they can draw on this momentum.
‘In the past, we’ve had top squash players and coaches across,’ he said.
‘This is the first time we’ve had someone specifically to coach racketball, or Squash 57 as it’s called.
‘Having someone to coach our racketball players is fantastic.
‘We have made quite a big improvement in our racketball in the last 18 months to two years.’
Harris, 36, came close to making the world’s top 100 in squash but made the shift to serious racketball relatively early.
He has not only excelled as a player but as a coach and the owner of UK Racketball.
His sessions, which were well-attended, according to Watts, will help push forward players as they set their sights on big off-island competition like the Gibraltar Open.
‘This is the next step for us, in the development of racketball,’ he added.
Unfortunately, following delays to Harris’ flight into Guernsey, a planned exhibition match did not go ahead.
But Watts is hoping this is not the last they see of him in the island.
‘Mike is a genuinely nice guy and his heart is in racketball and he can coach at all levels, really.
‘Because the weekend was a real success, we’re hoping to get him back later in the year.’
What is ‘Squash 57’?
Squash 57, formerly known as racketball, is a growing game, with players using a bigger racket and a bigger, bouncier ball.
The bounce means there is time to get to the ball, making it a good way for older players to keep playing squash for longer or as an introduction to the sport.
The new name focuses on the key difference to squash – the larger ball, which has a maximum diameter of 57mm, compared with 40mm for a squash ball.
