Mullings aims for very top

Marc Stamp, Gleaner Writer

Fourteen-year-old 2013 All-Jamaica Senior Squash Championships female champion Alyssa Mullings is eyeing a spot at the 2020 Olympic Games, hoping that her sport will be introduced to the global sporting event.

"I want to go as far as it takes me, even to the pro-circuit. However, I would love to represent Jamaica at the Olympics in 2020 if it becomes an Olympic sport," Mullings, who won the All-Jamaica senior title last weekend, told The Gleaner from her home in Mandeville, Manchester.

"Squash is not a popular sport here, but it is really a fun game for the whole family. It's a way of bonding as a family. My parents and older brother also play the sport," she added.

The reigning All-Jamaica and Caribbean Under-15 champion beat archrival May Mahfood in three sets - 11-8, 11-3, 11-8 - to capture the senior final.

On her way to championship honours, Mullings also erased the 26-year-old record of being the youngest All-Jamaica Senior Squash champion, which was previously held by Karen Anderson, who did the honours at age 16.

"It was amazing, as I had hoped to win the senior title. It was wonderful after a tough final against Mary," she said.

Looking to the Caribbean Championships, Mullings is ready to give her all and retain the title she won at the last staging.

"Now, I hope I can retain my Under-15 title. I am going there to play hard. You have to play your best game. I am strong in the air and play a fast game," she admitted.

With regards to the sport, Mullings calls it "interesting".

"Squash is an interesting game that captivates players as well as fans. I love to play the sport and wish to go very far."

Balance squash and school

She is set to defend her regional Under-15 title at the Caribbean Area Squash Association Championships in Trinidad and Tobago from July 19-27.

She is set to enter fifth form at Bishop Gibson School for Girls, located in Mandeville. While in fourth form, she took human and social biology in the CXC examinations and is awaiting the result. Also, she intends to sit eight subjects in next year's external exams.

"It is not hard to balance squash and academics because I have been doing that since I started playing squash at age seven, after my father, Dr Steve Mullings, introduced it to me," Alyssa shared

Alyssa's father actually introduced not only her to the sport, but her brother David, who won the men's B title at the All-Jamaica Squash tournament last weekend.

"We (the family) came to Mandeville from Kingston and initially played tennis, but because it rains a lot in Manchester and I worked at the Mandeville Regional Hospital and came home late, we switched to squash," Dr Mullings explained.

"It started as a means of exercise for me and my friend, Orville Blair, after we were introduced to it by Gavin Henry, who played squash while he was in England," Dr Mullings further explained.

"I then introduced it to David, as he was the older one. Alyssa cried to get involved and I started teaching her the game when she was only a seven-year-old.

"She is a tall girl, as she is only 14 and stands at five feet and 11 inches, so I am not surprised that she won against senior players, as she played against older females in the past," Dr Mullings pointed out. "If she sticks to the sport, she could go all the way.

"She is looking at making it to the 2020 Olympic Games if the sport is introduced there," he noted, and disclosed that Alyssa is a very good badminton player, who represented Jamaica in that sport as well, but now only plays it at the school level.

Her mother, Karen Mullings, says they are quite proud of her achievements.

"She does very well in school and we are extremely proud of her on her achievements in squash so far," her mother shared. "She has a very good work ethic. I would love for her to play in international tournaments in the future."