Declan James: 'I want to be one of the best'

Nottingham’s Declan James is one of England’s top players on the world squash circuit. Oscar Maung-Haley caught up with the Commonwealth Games bronze medallist to find out where his love for squash came from, what drives him to be the best, and why he believes that it is important for everyone to support Black History Month.

From the moment he picked up a racket at just six-years-old, Declan James knew that squash was the sport for him.

“It was my uncle who taught me the game of squash,” explained the 27-year-old.

“He took me to the local leisure centre when I was six and he gave me a mini racket.

“Me, my brother, cousins and dad would all play squash once or twice a week – squash became a family thing during those formative years.”

Initially taking up squash due to his family ties, James’s love for the game grew rapidly.

After playing once or twice a week, his time on court progressed to the point that it became more than just a hobby – it became a potential profession.

“I’d started to nag my dad more and more about playing squash which led me to playing tournaments during my teenage years across the Midlands,” said James.

“My court time went from playing once or twice a week to playing four times a week.

“Then when I was around 16, I was starting college and I was probably one of the better juniors in the country at that time. I began to start thinking ‘ok, maybe I can do this professionally’.”

During his time on the pro circuit, James has racked up 13 PSA titles as well as securing a number of prestigious medals for Team England, having won bronze at the 2018 Commonwealth Games alongside James Willstrop, silver at the 2019 Men's World Team Championships and gold at the 2019 European Team Championships.

And after spending almost three years within the world’s top 30, the world number 23 admits that his motivation to be the best is what drives him.

“There are goals as a professional that you want to achieve, and I want to be one of the best.”

“If I didn’t think that I could be, I’d hang up my racket tomorrow.

“I’m not here to just make up the numbers and be a journeyman who sticks around for the next six years – that’s not why I’m playing.

“Anyone who sits inside the top 50 in the world is obviously a great player. I don’t want to do a disservice to them or that level of squash.

“But I want to become one of the best and that’s the reason that I continue to play.”

Across October, Black History Month is an event that has been celebrated for more than 30 years nationwide.

Originally founded to recognise the contributions that people of African and Caribbean backgrounds have had upon the UK, Black History Month has expanded over time to become a celebration of the achievements of black people in general.

And James believes that Black History Month is something that should be supported by everyone across the UK, in an effort to provide better education around the challenges facing BAME communities.

“I don’t think that we’re born with an inherent attitude of racism as human beings,” said James.

“I’ve always believed that education around these issues is really important.”

“I think educating people about what’s happened and what is true with regards to the challenges black people have faced is the single most important area for discussion.

“Black History Month is something that is great for raising awareness, whilst also celebrating the achievements.

“Hopefully, it will be something that just becomes the norm in the future.”

Help us celebrate Black History Month 2020 and tell us about the unsung heroes that have helped shape our great game – use the hashtag #BlackHistoryMonth and tag us in: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram