A lively, young team are heading to the Caribbean to represent Bermuda at the Junior Caribbean Squash Championships in St Vincent & the Grenadines this week.

Aged between 9 and 18, nine boys and eight girls are leaving the island on Thursday, with individual, doubles and team competitions starting just two days later, and 16-year-old Andrew Cox, one of the most experienced players on the team, is keen to showcase all he has learnt from a recent camp in the United States.

“It's my fifth time going and the community there is great,’’ Cox said.

“I am excited to see the fans I made and this year I think I am seeded three or four so my expectation is the semi-finals, if not more.

“A couple of weeks ago I went to a camp in the US which was intense practice, conditioning every day and that really got me prepared for this tournament and tournaments to come.”

Eli Carpol has moved up an age group since competing at the tournament last year and is hopeful of improvement this time around.

“This is my second time going,’’ he said. “My first time was last year and I was in the under-15s but now I am an under-17. I am in a new group and one of the younger ones, but I am definitely looking to build off the experience I had last year.

“I came fourth last time and I am just looking to have a high finish, represent Bermuda the best way that I can. We've been training as a team, honing our skills and team bonding.”

Daniel Ringer will be waving goodbye to the competition this year as he ages out but will be hoping to go out on a high.

“This is my third time going and my final year of being able to go to Junior CASA,’’ he said.

“Last year I placed seventh in the under-19 category and this year now that more of the experienced players have left, I am on the level that I am looking to get into the semi-finals, hopefully to get third or fourth position and bring us a trophy.”

Mason Smith, aged 9, is one of the youngest players on the team and enjoys the opportunity of travelling with the team.

“It feels good to be playing for Bermuda, to go away and try to win,’’ Smith said.

“This is my second time. I did go last year, I went to Guyana and I came second in my age group and I was pretty young. I didn't go away on a camp, I just stayed here practising with my coach.

Olivia Sherratt will be returning to the event and this time knows exactly what to expect in terms of the event and the atmosphere.

“Last year was my first time so I was learning how it works and what the matches were like with such a big, loud cheering audience, but I've got used to it.

“I am one of the youngest in my age groups but I am just going to try to put my head down, work very hard and try to give everyone a good game. If I lose, I will be trying to figure out what I can improve on in the next year so I can do better.”

Gabrielle Turchiaro has also represented Bermuda overseas previously and is hopeful of performing better this time around.

“I went away to Canada in December for the Canadian Junior Open and I’ve been told that was a much different atmosphere,”Turchiaro said.

“I think my chances in the Caribbean are a lot better and hopefully I can do quite well. I am really excited and nervous because I've been told about the crowds and there are is lot more cheering and exciting stuff, so that's a little bit nerve-racking especially for the team event.”

Micah Franklin, head of squash at the Bermuda Squash Racquets Association, alluded to the soaring number of players engaging in the sport for allowing them to send an expanded squad. Franklin is travelling as coach along with Anaya Smith.

“We are sending the largest team we've ever sent to Junior Caribbean Championships,’’ Franklin said.

“We have enough luxury this year, based on our selection of a phenomenal team that we have reserves going as well, so all things considered this is the best I can think of and imagine we've been able to send.

“Participation at the squash club has increased. We have better players and they are playing better. The levels have improved and all of these players deserve their chance to go. They’ve won play-offs, they’ve won trials, they are the best in their age groups in Bermuda and quite a lot of them are also seeded in their Caribbean age groups as well.

“Ideally, I would love just for them to first and foremost go out there and just give 100 per cent effort, try their best and make sure they make their country proud and themselves proud.

“Ultimately, we would like to go out there and win medals. I would say that all of these players should be competitive when they go out there and from some of them I would be expecting a podium finish.

“From others at their first tournament, I expect them to just go out there and use it as a great experience but I would like to think that for the team event, we could easily try our best to make that podium spot.”