The West leads the way

Leigh Kaye has made the growth and development of the Western Australian squash community a lifelong pursuit.

This dedication to giving back to the sport she loves stems from what squash provided Leigh as a young South African immigrant growing up in Perth.

“When we (my family) immigrated from South Africa to Perth, I got straight into squash, and I got an instant group of people around me… it gave me something to call home,” Leigh said.

Leigh has worn - and continues to wear - multiple hats within her state’s institution, from volunteer and coach to General Manager of Squash WA.

However, while her relatively recent appointment as GM keeps her busy in the WA capital, Leigh still makes time to volunteer and regularly supports the sport’s national body.

In March, Leigh was on the ground in Brisbane as the volunteer coordinator at the 2025 Easy Time Brewing Co. Squash Australian Open.

“I come over here and I volunteer myself because I had such fun last year, and I wanted to do it again. I also want every volunteer to come and have the same fun experience,” Leigh said.

While in Brisbane, Leigh also attended the Squash Australian Open Gala Dinner to accept, on behalf of Squash WA, the Ted Barlow State of the Year as well as the Innovation of the Year Award, recognising an initiative that tracks and encourages junior participation.

She also accepted the Volunteer of the Year Award on behalf of Lyn and Russell Chandler.

Leigh said that volunteers like the Chandlers epitomise the key traits of squash volunteers: resilience and passion.

“Everyone talks about giving back and making a difference, and I think volunteers in general, across any sport, have to have those two fundamental characteristics,” Leigh said.

“But squash has a resilience to it; you have to be a special kind of person.

“We've lost all these facilities, and in the face of all that perceived negativity, they (the volunteers) keep coming back.”

Leigh hopes that the work she does, along with the efforts of loyal volunteers like the Chandlers, encourages more people not only to fall in love with the game but also to put their hand up to volunteer.

“My dream would be that more volunteers help out - whether it’s a club tournament or the Australian Open,” she said. “I just encourage everyone to do it, and that’s why I keep giving back - because it’s made me who I am.”

This week (19-25 May), in celebration of National Volunteers Week, we highlight the stories and work of volunteers like Leigh of whose hard work and dedication form the backbone of our sport.