Clarke sisters ready for AJC

When an inflatable Squash court appeared at their local school, three Clarke sisters from Western Australia had no idea how it would shape their lives. 

Kayla, Ella and Miranda Clarke now travel the country thanks to the sport. 

The three Western Australian sisters will line up together at this year’s Australian Junior Championships in Tasmania, continuing a squash journey that began at Blue Gum Squash Club and has taken them across Australia as teammates.

Kayla was the first to pick up a racquet.

“I started playing squash when I was in Year 5 because someone from Squash WA came to my school with inflatable courts and I really enjoyed it,” Kayla said. 

“A couple of weeks later, my Mum was looking at a sport that I could start playing and she came across squash at Blue Gum. I started playing in the junior program and it was fun.

Her enthusiasm soon rubbed off on her younger sisters.

Ella started playing at eight after seeing Kayla take up the sport, while Miranda followed her older sisters’ footsteps.

Since then, they have become regular teammates, travelling to tournaments together and supporting each other both on and off court.

“I really like that my two younger sisters Ella and Miranda are playing at the tournament because it is always good knowing that someone there is going to support me and I can support them too!” Kayla said.

“I’m so excited to watch their matches and cheer them on.

“I am really glad that I get to play in this event as I get to play against the best players in Australia and play a range of different people that I haven’t played before. 

“I also like playing AJC because I get to experience playing squash in states that I have never played in before like Tasmania which is really fun.”

Ella feels the same way.

“It’s always great when my sisters and I get to compete together, because they are great support for me and are fun to hang out with,” she said.

Their interstate trips have also become some of their favourite memories, with Kayla remembering the team spirit, cheering and friendships that come from spending a week together at tournaments.

“It also helped me gain new friendships because we spend a week hanging out,” she said.

The sisters will each have their own goals when they take to the courts in Tasmania.

Miranda, a two-time Western Australian state champion and a semi-finalist at this year’s Oceania Junior Championships, wants to see how far she can go. 

“My goal is to play well and to test myself against the best players in the country,” she said.

For Ella, making the WA state team for three consecutive years is already a highlight, while Miranda is looking to build on her recent success and continue improving her skills.

Kayla is also hoping to continue developing her game and earn another two years in the WA state team. Kayla’s goal is simple.

“To improve as much as I can and to just keep having fun with my squash in the future and keep the connections I have made in the squash community,” she said.

The trip to Tasmania will bring another first for the sisters, who have never visited the state before and the AJC will be another chance to do what they enjoy most, play squash, support each other and make memories along the way.