Tuesday, November 16, 2010

A World Champ's Profile: Jonathon Power


Jonathon Tyler Power (born 9 August 1974, in Comox, British Columbia, Canada) is a retired professional squash player from Canada. In 1999, he became the first North American squash player to reach the World No. 1 ranking. He won 36 top-level squash events during his career, including the World Open in 1998, and the British Open in 1999.

Full Name: Jonathon Tyler Power

Birthdate: August 9 1974

Birthplace: Comox, British Columbia

Residence: Montreal, Canada

Marital Status: Married

Height: 6'0"

Weight: 180

Highest World Ranking: 1

PSA Tour Titles: 36

PSA Tour Finals: 58

Racquet: Jonathon Power Ice Elite

Coach: Mike Way

Home Club: Club Sportif MAA (Montreal, Canada)

Favorite Athlete: Allan Iverson

Interests: Collecting vinyl records for the past 10 years. He most enjoys reggae, hiphop, breakbeats and jungle. Jonathon loves to play other sports, especially basketball, tennis, badminton and golf.

Favorite food: Mexican

Favorite book: The bang bang club

Favorite TV show: Ali G

Favorite movie: Ghostdog


Jonathon started playing squash at the age of 7. His dad was director of athletics in the Canadian military. JP started playing squash on the military base where he lived. He turned pro at age 16. Jonathon is the most successful North American player ever.


Excerpt by Ron Beck

QUICKEST WRIST FROM THE NORTH
Jonathon Power brings three devastating weapons to the fray. The first is a powerful and quick wrist. Power can hold hisracket up until the last moment, freezing even the strongest competitor in place until he flicks the ball with surprising power in a totally unexpected direction and trajectory. It's this wrist deception that brings fear to his opponents, to the extent that he takes away from them their own attacking game - his opponent is afraid of giving Jonathon that opportunity.
The second is incredible anticipation. Power's anticipation is at the level of a Hashim or Sharif Khan, letting him move to the ball unerringly, with no wasted motion, and giving him some amazing opportunities to volley the ball at point blank range.
The third is his thought process on court. Power delivers the unexpected. While many of his UK-taught opponents play in predictable patterns, Power counterpunches with much broader variety. His enterprising tactics catch many of his opponents off guard. He will throw a "sitting-duck" serve right into the middle of the court, but it comes so unexpectedly that the opponent just lets it go by.

JONATHON - ALWAYS REINVENTING HIMSELF
Jonathon seems to always seek the unexpected. As soon as his rivals think they have figured him out -- he goes back to the drawing board and emerges with a new approach. Power is entertaining, creative, outspoken a a crucial fulcrum point for the increasing interest in squash in North America. 

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