The recently appointed PSA Women’s President, Sarah-Jane Perry, will be competing at the J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions in New York’s Grand Central Station which starts today.
After reaching the Quarter Finals of the PSA Women’s World Championships in Egypt towards the backend of 2019. Perry, 29, will line up in New York as the new Women’s President for the PSA, which is the second leadership duty she has attained since becoming part of the Birmingham 2022 Athletes’ Advisory Committee in 2019.
“I always take a proactive role because I don’t think you can moan unless you are doing something about it,” Perry said.
“It was sort of natural to look at these roles and have a more official position as women’s president and also on the advisory board. Hopefully I can bring about changes for the players that they want and represent their views.”
After winning silver at Gold Coast 2018, Perry has been attracted to the organisational side of how the games work for athletes and other key stakeholders on what was her first appearance at a multi-sport Games at that level.
“I’d been to the World Games but the Commonwealths were a different scale. It really intrigued me from the organisational side and how they do make sure that everything is as it should be and how the athletes want and need. When the opportunity came up to be on it, it wasn’t a long decision process to put myself forward. Thankfully I got on the committee and hope I can affect some good decision making and some positive change.”
As a squash player Perry appreciates that it is rare for her and fellow competitors to compete in team events which provide a very different experience. However, it was a position that the Birmingham born athlete relished, alongside her future role on the Athletes Advisory Committee in which initial meetings for the games next year are already in full swing.
“We’ve already been consulted on things that may seem minor at first glance, but when you get into the depths of discussing them they are very important for the athletes. It makes it even more humbling to know you are small cog, but every cog has to work to make the games successful so I’m very humble to be one of the little cogs.”