Black Knight Enterprises and Ashaway Racket Strings are proud to announce a 3 year sponsorship deal with World University champion Joel Hinds. Joel has risen 29 places in the PSA rankings since completing University in 2009 also picking up the British Under 23 title and was crowned the BSPA series champion. Currently ranked world number 88, Joel is aiming to break the top 50 this year and is tipped to enter the elite top 32 next season. Joel met with Paul Smith, Partner at Goode Sport (European distributor for Black Knight and Ashaway Racket Strings) last week at the Edgbaston Priory Club for a publicity photo shoot with Mike Edwards (Head Squash Professional) and fellow Black Knight Player, British Under 19 champion Julianne Courtice.
Joel said: “I am extremely happy to be offered this 3 year deal, Black Knight is much talked about and I am chuffed to be chosen as the British representative on the tour” “I have used Ashaway strings for the last 3 years and am now using Ultranick 18, the only tricky part has been choosing which racket to play with, there are so many great options at the moment I am trying the Ion Cannon and Ion Drive”.
Mike Edwards said “The partnership between Ashaway, Black Knight and Edgbaston Priory Club has developed well over the last 2 years since I moved to Birmingham. It’s a great signing for Black Knight with the mens under 23 British Champion Joel Hinds and the ladies under 19 British Champion Julianne Courtice, both of who train and base themselves here at EPC”. Paul Smith added “Joel is going to be a great ambassador for us, he is one of the best prospects on the tour and a very popular and likable lad. At over 6 feet tall wearing either his afro or corn rows – he certainly gets noticed! Lets hope that Black Knight and Ashaway do as well!”
Joel got into squash at school as part of an England Squash primary school programme with Paul Hargraves (now owner of PDH Sports). He was quickly spotted as a player with natural talent and was escalated through the England Squash programme with David Campion. Now Joel trains at Edgbaston Priory club 3 times a day: One session solo on court, One session hitting with one of the other pros and also a session working on his EIS strength and conditioning programme.
Joel is preparing for the British Nationals in Manchester on Tuesday this week where he is aiming for a quarter final place, then he leaves for America to enter PSA tournaments in Virginia, Los Angeles, Winnipeg then on to Canada for the Calgary and Montreal tournaments.
(Pictured above left to right: Paul Smith - Partner Goode Sport, Julianne Courtice, Mike Edwards - EPC Head Professional, Joel Hinds).
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