ORARA High School’s Jaida Wigley is now Australia’s top-ranked under-15 girls squash player.
Her most recent success came at the Tasmanian Open Squash Championships in February, where she won the under 15 girls title and stepped up an age group to finish second in the under 17 division.
Wigley attended the event with her training group from Coffs Harbour Squash and Swim Centre in Korora, led by team manager Jemma Wratten.
Between matches the players explored parts of Tasmania, visiting waterfalls in remote areas of the Deloraine region described by Wigley as “the middle of nowhere”.
The 14-year-old first picked up a squash racquet at three years old in Sydney, inspired by her father, originally from Wales, who played competitively and remains her training partner.
Her family moved to Coffs Harbour when she was five, where she continued to develop her game.
Wigley also plays soccer and balances her training with her studies at Orara High, where she is part of the school’s Student Athlete Academy (OSAA)
She hopes her national ranking is just the beginning.
“I’d love to play on the Professional Squash Association tour one day,” Wigley said.
“And with squash included in the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, representing Australia at the Olympics would be a dream.”
By Kate PYE
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