Meet the man on the mic
Alan Thatcher is the MC and Media Director for the NAO. A lifelong sports journalist, he fell in love with squash when he picked up a racket for the first time in his early 20s. That introduction was made by his late brother Mike, who played squash in the RAF.
“That was a painful experience,” he admitted. “I put my back out the very first time I played, stretching for a drop shot, and that injury has been with me ever since!”
Alan is the current president of the Kent SRA after seven years as chairman.
He added: “When I moved to Kent, I finally found a club bad enough for me to be the number one at.”
That club is The Mote Squash Club, in the county town of Maidstone, where Alan organises the annual PSA Kent Open.
Alan is no longer the club number one. That position is taken by a youngster called James Evans, who Alan coached to the British Under-15 championship last season.
He is delighted to be part of the team at the NAO and said: “I am very proud and honored to be involved in such a dedicated team whose passion for squash shines through in every aspect of the tournament. The NAO is a fantastic event and seems to get better year after year because of that passion.”
PARTING SHOT: Alan is an enthusiastic doubles player but he reflected: “I’m so slow that I keep getting ditched by my partners. In fact, I’ve had more partners than Newt Gingrich.”
