My name is Jamie McAnsh, I currently play squash at Rhiwbina Squash and Racquetball in Cardiff. My squash story starts about 4 years ago when I first started playing squash in a wheelchair as a lower body SCI leaving me neurologically paralysed. After a lot of physiotherapy and the assistance of my squash coach I managed to get back on my feet and continued to play squash on crutches. Now several years on I play on leg callipers and am currently the only registered player in the masters tournament with a lower body impairment. I have competed in two welsh master and a Slovenian masters.
As well as squash I also play wheelchair basketball for the Cardiff based team. Cardiff Met Archers and I am currently playing in the national league. Part of my role there is as the welfare officer and working with the committee to ensure the success an management of the team. I have gained some wonderful contacts within disability sport wales and look to utilise those contacts in my new role here at Squash Wales to help build an insport program within the sport.
Outside of sport I run my own company called See No Bounds. We sell a range of unique disability products aimed at the more adventurous market as well as offer an eLearning program to companies looking to work with the disability market. We offer our users a growing catalogue of companies who work within the disability market offering a range of services. Our new business venture is called I4 Inclusive Ltd. This will be an accreditation based company working with companies across Wales who are aiming to become inclusive with disabilities in mind in order to create a friendly customer journey for their customers living with a disability.
My past experience has been in corporate companies such as Honda and Welsh Water where I was a Unison representative and the national welfare officer covering the welfare concerns of members across Wales and some areas of England. My passion is customer service and helping companies to provide that service to a disabled market. Customer service is not only for companies selling a product or service but is in any area of life where people pay for something and expect a valuable return on their investment.
And finally now I am back on my feet with the assistance of crutches and walking aids I am soon to be facing my biggest challenge yet and that is the 17,600 feet climb to Everest Base Camp while on crutches, starting on April the 29th. So as you can see I am not afraid to face a challenge and look forward to being able to offer the board of directors and Squash Wales some insight and experience in disability as well as using my past experience in welfare and equality to continue moving forward with the ever changing times. Squash is a game I have come to love and am very passionate about developing an insport programme within the game. My dream if I was to say I had one would be to see a disability sport be created along with the possibility of a tournament. If this was not possible, I would like to see as many Squash clubs as possible tap into the available disability sports funds and grants to look at building their in sport accreditation.
