 GAWAIN BRIARS
The PSA Executive
Director, a former pupil, talks about Malcolm.
I'm very happy to provide a few words on Malcolm.
In fact, I was his original charge. Malcolm started his coaching days at
Gresham's School Holt Norfolk where I was a pupil. He also coached other
sports at that time (rugby and cricket) and demonstrated a real knack of
getting children to "enjoy" games.
With his son Christy, and a visiting young Ian Robinson, we together built
up our reputations and our experiences.
I turned full time at squash at school under Malcolm's tutorship which was
also a first for him in real one to one squash coaching. This is back in
the early 1970s. Ultimately, I left school with a string of junior titles
and attended University as well as turning professional and eventually
reaching number four on the ISPA world rankings.
Malcolm's style, at that time, was fair but uncompromising. I believe he
was much tougher on his pupils then than he is now. We went through
punishing training schedules (from as young an age as 12 or 13) and he
often participated in these gym sessions himself to show he could do the
hard work too. At that time he was still playing at County level standard.
One of the main reasons I won titles is because I could push myself harder
than my opponents on court. This was down to Malcolm's training and, I
suppose, had its roots in the Jonah Barrington philosophy.
Having said that, Malcolm always placed the greatest emphasis on racket
skills practice and this is a policy he has brought forward and developed
through the years.
After I left for University in Nottingham Malcolm soon took up posts at
Sheffield Abbeydale followed by Walton Hall. Although he spent more time
then coaching club players he still maintained a close attention on his
young professional charges of which, for a period, I was one of.
Although I returned to Nottingham, Malcolm continued to build his
reputation and worked with a string of professionals.
His move to Pontefract, and his development of his son James following
together with Lee Beachill dispel the myth that Malcolm was never able to
produce a senior player. I was testimony to that also, and at an earlier
time when arguably the top flight of the game was perhaps far more
physically demanding on tour.
It has been said many times that Malcolm perhaps speaks his mind too
quickly, and I am not going to deny that. He is a Yorkshireman, and as
such retains a loyalty to that county's code of speaking up. Well, we all
know that if you speak too soon, then you run the risk of being mistaken
from time to time. Never mind, there should always be room for those that
wear their heart on their sleeves and stand up to be counted!
Three words:
"Determined, single-minded and passionate."
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