Heather McKay facts for kids
| Full name | Heather Pamela McKay |
|---|---|
| Country |  Australia |
| Born | 31 July 1941 |
| Height | 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in) |
| Turned Pro | 1960 (squash) |
| Retired | 1979 (squash) |
| Women's Singles | |
| Highest ranking | 1 |
| World Open | W (1976, 1979) |
Heather Pamela McKay, born on July 31, 1941, is an amazing Australian athlete. Many people think she is the greatest female squash player ever. She was unbeatable in women's squash during the 1960s and 1970s. Heather won the British Open 16 times in a row from 1962 to 1977. She also won the very first women's World Open title in 1976. During this incredible time, she never lost a single match! Besides squash, she was also a top player in other sports like field hockey and racquetball.
Contents
Heather McKay's Early Life and Sports Journey
Heather Blundell, as she was known then, was born in 1941 in Queanbeyan, Australia. She grew up in a big family with eleven children. Her dad was a baker, and her mom stayed home to care for the family. Everyone in her family loved sports, and some even competed at a high level.
Discovering Squash and Early Wins
Heather's parents encouraged her to play tennis in the summer and hockey in the winter. She didn't start playing squash until she was eighteen. She first tried squash to help her get fitter. At first, she played just for fun without a coach. Then, a friend suggested she enter the New South Wales Country Championship. Heather surprised everyone by winning both the junior and women's titles!
Her success caught the eye of the president of the Australian Squash Association. He suggested Heather compete in the 1960 New South Wales Championships in Sydney. She won the junior tournament there. However, she lost in the quarterfinals of the women's tournament to Yvonne West. After this, Heather decided to focus more on squash, though she still enjoyed other sports. Even the famous squash champion Hashim Khan noticed her talent. He told reporters that Heather "could be very good."
Becoming a Champion and Marriage
In 1960, Heather won the Australian squash title for the first time. She went on to win it thirteen more times in a row! She also won the New South Wales and Victoria championships between 1961 and 1973. With support from sponsors, she moved to Sydney to improve her game even more. In Sydney, she met Brian McKay, and they got married in 1965. She then started using his last name, McKay.
Heather McKay's Unbeatable Squash Career
In 1962, Heather lost a match to Fran Marshall at the Scottish Championship. This was only her second loss in her professional career. What's even more amazing is that it was her last loss until she retired in 1979! That same year, she played in the British Open Squash Championship for the first time. This tournament was considered the unofficial world championship until 1976. Heather won it that year and then won it fifteen more times in a row!
Playing Other Sports While Dominating Squash
Even while being the best in squash, Heather still loved playing other sports. She represented Australia in hockey in 1967 and 1971. This shows how incredibly talented and athletic she was across different sports.
World Open Titles and Retirement
In 1976, Heather won the first-ever World Open Squash for women. There was some debate about whether it was an official world championship at the time. In 1975, Heather moved to Toronto, Canada. She competed in the US squash championship in 1977 and won that too. In 1979, she played in the World Open Squash again. This time, it was officially recognized, and she won it once more.
Heather McKay retired from squash at the age of 38. She wrote a book called Heather McKay's Complete Book of Squash, which came out in 1979.
Life After Squash: Racquetball and Coaching
After retiring from squash, Heather took up racquetball, another sport where she became very successful. As early as 1977, she won the US Amateur Racquetball Championship. In 1980, she won the Canadian Racquetball Championship, and then won it again from 1982 to 1985. She also won the US Professional Racquetball Championship in 1980, 1981, and 1984.
Coaching and Masters Titles
In 1985, Heather moved back to Australia. She became an assistant squash coach at the Australian Institute of Sport in Brisbane. There, she worked alongside head coach Geoff Hunt. She helped coach future squash stars like Michelle Martin, Natalie Grinham, and Rachel Grinham. While coaching, she also won the World Masters Squash Championships four times! She won in 1987 and 1990 in the over-45 age group, and in 1993 and 1995 in the over-50 age group. She stopped coaching in 1999 and ended her official involvement in squash. She then moved to Canberra.
Senior Tennis and Return to Queanbeyan
Since the late 1990s, Heather has enjoyed playing in senior tennis tournaments, both singles and doubles. In 2001, she won the World Senior Championships and a team event called the Alice Marble Cup. In 2016, her partner passed away. This led her to move back to her hometown of Queanbeyan in 2018.
Championship Results: A Look at Her Wins
Heather McKay's career was filled with many victories. Here are some of her most important championship wins.
World Open Wins
| Year | Location | Opponent in the final | Score in the final | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Brisbane, Australia |  Marion Jackman |
9–2, 9–2, 9–0 | Winner |
| 1979 | Sheffield, England |  Sue Cogswell |
6–9, 9–3, 9–1, 9–4 | Winner |
British Open Wins
| Year | Location | Opponent in the final | Score in the final | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | The Royal Automobile Club – London | Fran Marshall |
9–6, 9–5, 9–4 | Winner |
| 1963 | Landsdowne and Royal Aero Clubs | Fran Marshall |
9–4, 9–2, 9–6 | Winner |
| 1964 | Landsdowne and Royal Aero Clubs | Fran Marshall |
9–2, 9–2, 9–1 | Winner |
| 1965 | Landsdowne and Royal Aero Clubs | Anna Craven-Smith |
9–0, 9–1, 9–2 | Winner |
| 1966 | Landsdowne and Royal Aero Clubs | Anna Craven-Smith |
9–0, 9–0, 10–8 | Winner |
| 1967 | London, England | Anna Craven-Smith |
9–1, 10–8, 9–6 | Winner |
| 1968 | London, England | Bev Johnson |
9–0, 9–0, 9–0 | Winner |
| 1969 | Sheffield, England | Fran Marshall |
9–2, 9–0, 9–0 | Winner |
| 1970 | Birmingham, England |  Marcia Roche |
9–1, 9–1, 9–0 | Winner |
| 1971 | Birmingham, England | Jenny Irving |
9–0, 9–3, 9–1 | Winner |
| 1972 | Sheffield, England | Kathy Malan |
9–1, 9–1, 9–2 | Winner |
| 1973 | Sheffield, England |  C. Fleming |
9–1, 9–0, 9–1 | Winner |
| 1974 | Sheffield, England | Sue Cogswell |
9–2, 9–1, 9–2 | Winner |
| 1975 | Wembley, England | Marion Jackman |
9–3, 9–1, 9–5 | Winner |
| 1976 | Wembley, England | Sue Newmann |
9–2, 9–4, 9–2 | Winner |
| 1977 | Wembley, England | Barbara Wall |
9–3, 9–1, 9–2 | Winner |
Awards and Recognition for Heather McKay
Heather McKay has received many awards and honors for her amazing achievements in sports:
- 1967 – ABC Sportsman of the Year
- 1969 – Appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for her services in sports around the world.
- 1979 – Appointed Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for her contributions to the sport of squash.
- 1985 – Inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.
- 1997 – Inducted into the USA Racquetball Hall of Fame.
- 2000 – Awarded the Australian Sports Medal.
- Inducted into the Squash Australia Hall of Fame.
- 2001 – Included in the Victorian Honour Roll of Women.
- 2018 – Appointed Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for her outstanding service to squash as a top player and coach, and for helping young athletes.
See also
- Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour
