The Court House Squash & Wellness on Victoria Street has a new squash coach, with the recent appointment of Canadian Melina Turk, a former PSA World Tour player.

Turk, 27, is the daughter of former Canada men’s coach Gene Turk and had a highest world ranking of 88th in 2016.

“[Melina] joins us from the coldest of temperatures in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories in northern Canada, so let’s give her a warm welcome,” the Court House said in a release to its members.

“Melina is an accomplished squash pro and grew up playing in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada with her dad, Gene Turk, who was the Canadian men’s national coach for 17 years. She was the captain of her squash team at Dartmouth College [New Hampshire] in her senior year, competed on the PSA World Tour and has held top squash positions across Canada. We are thrilled to have her.”

Turk is looking forward to taking up the new appointment, just in time to escape the frigid cold conditions of northern Canada. “I am very excited to head down south to Bermuda and become the newest squash pro at Court House Squash & Wellness,” she said.

“I will be travelling from the coldest of temperatures in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories in northern Canada and am grateful to be getting out before the winter sets in.

“I competed in junior squash tournaments in Canada and the United States throughout my adolescent years, before heading to Hanover, New Hampshire, to play for the squash team at Dartmouth College.

“I competed for four years on the team and was the captain in my senior year.

“After graduating from Dartmouth, I worked as a full-time squash professional at the Westchester Squash Club in New York while also competing on the PSA World Tour.

“After about a year, I moved back to Canada, settling in Calgary, Alberta, and working as the assistant squash pro at the Calgary Winter Club.

“I continued to train and compete in PSA tournaments, reaching my highest world ranking of 88.”

Turk jumped at the opportunity to take on a new challenge in warmer Bermuda.

“In 2017, I moved up north to Yellowknife to become the head squash professional at the Yellowknife Racquet Club,” she said.

“I have been bearing the cold and the mosquitoes for almost two years now and am now ready for the sun and the beach. I can’t wait to meet you all and to grow the squash programme at Court House.”

The Court House also has a new state-of-the-art rowing studio and cardio centre to go along with planned renovations, which will come in five stages.