Fifteen of the club’s players made the two-hour journey down to Cootamundra on the weekend for another inter-town challenge.

The club’s more dedicated players arrived in Cootamundra on Friday evening to scout out the competition and talk strategy. These discussions went early into the morning – unfortunately the only strategies discussed surrounded the dollar amount for each hit on the pokies and whether or not one should take the win or gamble.

When those more dedicated to a decent night’s sleep arrived on Saturday morning, they were greeted to tales of Bob Martin’s penchant for BLT burgers and the Moon boy’s inability to take care of their toy soldiers (this is not a sick euphemism, toy soldiers were handed out to all players. Fines were issued for those who did not have their toy soldier on them at all times).

With less then adequate scouting reports and our toy soldiers to protect for dear life, we all ventured to the Cootamundra Squash Club to let the battles begin.

Cootamundra is a town with a rich squash heritage, forming more than 50 years ago. We were all keen to don the blue shirt and represent Queanbeyan.

Play kicked off around 10:30 as each group played in an ACT Pennant format, best of five hand out system.

Queanbeyan came out on top, so the locals tried to fatten us up. It was a cunning strategy as several players forgot how hard it is to play on a stomach full of sausage sandwiches and steak. Despite this, Queanbeyan also came out on top in the day’s second session, this time in the point and rally system.

Our reward for winning was all the meat pies one could stomach – we were informed they would be thrown out if not eaten. Bob Martin again cemented his status as a lean mean eating machine, downing several while muttering ‘dinner isn’t for another couple of hours.’ 

A couple of hours later Bob’s stomach gave us directions to the Chinese restaurant where we would dine with the Cootamundra Squash Club before sampling the town’s nightlife.

Sunday morning came too soon for some (apparently the Moon boys aren’t anything like their namesake, preferring to sample the Central Hotel’s beds not beverages) and prospect of squash seemed more like a chore than anything else.

Taking inspiration from Trevor Scorer – looking like death warmed up, we all soldiered on for the last few sessions. Queanbeyan again came out on top, winning the timed, best of three and skins formats.

Following the skins, the challenge’s results were revealed. Queanbeyan had won the challenge 45 matches to 13. Cootamundra voted Chris Moon as Queanbeyan’s Most Valuable Player, while we selected ‘King’ Kerry Malone as Cootamundra MVP.

The club’s Social Director then compiled the list of fines for the toy soldier challenge and for other discretions over the weekend. The clubs raised an astonishing $325 for Camp Quality. Chris Moon also took out the inaugural Camp Quality Most Fined Player Award.

The score line does not reflect how competitive and hospitable the Cootamundra Squash club were over the weekend. A big thank you to our own Trevor Scorer, Cootamundra’s Tony Sheedy and all those who made the weekend possible.

Article written by Mitchell Fox, Photographs by Gavin Jackson (http://www.canberraphotography.com.au).