Tom Spark OAM

Sports Hall of Fame Inductee

Shepparton Squash was injected with a great spark when Tom Spark arrived on the scene in 1983. Tom grew up in Ballarat and started playing squash at the age of 16. He learnt the game without any on court coaching but preferred to read books about squash and develop his own technique and style. He was Ballarat Squash Club champion from 1975 to 1980, then moved to Melbourne where he became one of the first Victorian country players to succeed at the top State pennant level.

A large number of tournament and inter club wins, enabled him to represent Victoria in 1981-82. Then in 1983, came the good news for Shepparton squash. Tom moved to our City as a teacher at Tafe College. He burst onto the squash scene in Shepparton and immediately showed that he was a player with exceptional ability. Tom played the game with the highest integrity and is highly regarded and respected throughout the squash world. He won so many tournaments and has maintained an incredibly high standard of play and fitness. 

When he turned 35 in 1991 he embarked on a new era, playing Masters Squash where he excelled. He has been Victorian Masters Champion 16 times, Australian Masters Champion 12 times and New Zealand Masters champion twice. On 7 occasions he was a member of the Australian Masters Trans-Tasman test team.

In 1994 he became world Masters Champion in the 35 – 39 age division.  

In 2001 he was the World Masters Champion in the 45 – 49 age division. Tom has maintained an incredibly high standard of play and fitness and is highly respected in the squash world. Aside from playing the sport Tom has been a professional coach since 1980 and brought literally hundreds new players into squash, taking many to the top echelon. He has also been responsible for the re-establishment of the Shepparton squash centre, now known as the Goulburn Valley Squash Club which has re – invigorated the sport in the Goulburn Valley area. He has been awarded a Life Membership of the GV Squash Club.   

In this year’s Australia Day honours list Tom was awarded an Order of Australia Medal for his outstanding contribution to the sport.