Dalhousie hosts first Jesters squash tournament 

Dalhousie University hosted the inaugural Jesters University Squash tournament in Atlantic Canada on Oct. 17. 

Four teams competed in the tournament — two from Dalhousie and one from each of Saint Mary’s University, the tournament’s victors, and the University of Prince Edward Island.

Each team had five to seven players, who ranked themselves by skill level to ensure balanced match-ups. Twenty-two players competed, with up to five games being played simultaneously.

Alex Chin, the co-president of the Dalhousie Squash Club helped bring the tournament to Dal. He is optimistic that the Jesters can bring more opportunities to squash players on the east coast and help grow the games community.

“It’s really just a good way to have fun and meet people. Any skill level is welcome, because we’re just trying to cater to everybody,” says Chin.

A second tournament is confirmed and will be hosted at SMU on Feb. 27, 2027, with hopes of attracting teams from Acadia University and the University of King’s College.

Chin’s entering his second year with the Dalhousie Squash Club. Last year, he was the club’s drop-in representative, where he welcomed new players and taught them the sport. 

“For me it’s more of getting the word out and spreading awareness,” says Chin. “There are a lot of people who try this for the first time, and they love it. They just want an excuse to hit a rubber ball really hard.”

Members of Jesters —  an organization that focuses on promoting racquet sports at post-secondary institutions in Canada and the United States — organized the event.

Shema Rubone is a fourth-year business student at UPEI. He was happy to make the three-and-a-half-hour drive to Halifax for the competition..

“We drove up today at 4:30 a.m.,” says Rubone. “Everyone’s introducing themselves and giving each other tips on helping each other. I love it.”

This past summer, UPEI announced their plans to repurpose their squash courts, making it difficult for squash players to practice and compete. 

“We’re not having that easy access anymore, so it’s really nice just having a place to be able to play against other students again,” says Rubone.

Janet MacLeod — one of the events organizers — has been a squash coach for about 40 years, and is also currently on the board of Squash Nova Scotia. She was pleased with the collective participation from the three schools.

“It’s not about the wins and the losses; it’s meant to be just a fun community event,” she says.

Much like Macleod, co-organizer Marc Lalonde has a long history with squash. He won the 1982 men’s Squash Quebec championship, and served as the former president and board chair of the Jesters Club Canada from 2009 to 2013.

Despite not competing, Lalonde was an active participant in the tournament, providing squash tips and tricks to anyone who asked.

“Today marked the beginning of Jesters University Squash in the Atlantic provinces,” Lalonde says.