Expectations are high as Bermuda’s young squash players depart today for the Cayman Islands to compete at the Junior Caribbean Squash Championships, starting tomorrow.

A squad of 20 players, seven girls and 13 boys, will fly the island’s flag. The players are under the mentorship of Micah Franklin and Anaya Smith.

Leading the island’s hopes for a medal is Mason Smith, a two-times gold medal-winner in the under-11 age group. Smith, who has moved up to under-13, has received a first-round bye as the No 1 seed.

The Bermudian will square off with the winner of the contest between Ethan Cyrus (Barbados) and Bodhi Philp (Cayman) in the second round.

“It’s going to be a hard challenge this year because there are good players in that draw,” Smith told The Royal Gazette.

“I’ll try my best to get another gold. I’m going to fight for it. My preparation has been really good for this year. I’ve been training a lot more and working on certain aspects of my game.”

Ben Sherratt, the runner-up on both occasions when Smith was the champion, is eyeing another spot in the final, with the hope of upstaging his compatriot this time around.

“I’m excited to move up to the under-13 because I’ll get to play different people,” the 11-year-old said.

“I’m hoping to get into the final again, but I hope not to lose again. If I play Mason in the final, I’m going to win since I’ve got some tricks up my sleeve.”

It has been a busy past few months for the multitalented Somers Stevenson. A few days after returning from Cayman, she is heading off to represent Bermuda in badminton at the Island Games in Orkney.

“I’ve been balancing squash and badminton for a while now,” the 16-year-old said.

“This year, they have started interfering with each other in terms of technique and style. I got to Lakefield School, a boarding school in Canada and we don’t have easy access to squash there, so I haven't been playing as much squash as I would have liked to.

“Last year, when we went to British Virgin Islands I didn’t do as well as the past two years because it’s an older age group with small competition.

“I rely on my athleticism more when I play sports, especially squash. I feel like I can do well and I’m hoping for a top-four finish.”

Gabrielle Turchiaro is counting on her success with the University of Western Ontario, where they won the Ontario University Athletics championship for the first time since 2013.

“It’s been a good experience being in Canada playing against some of the best players over there,“ the 18-year-old said.

“Getting to play with a bunch of girls that are better than me and in my age group, it’s been really good. Last year I came fourth, hopefully, this year I will do better or maintain the same position.”

Olivia Sherratt is playing in the under-19 age group for the first time in her fourth appearance.

“This is my first year in the under-19, which is a big jump because this is a serious age group,” the 17-year-old said.

“It’s a bit more intense and people really want to win, since it’s the last age division. My goal this year is to hold my ground, play my best and have a good mentality on court.

“I had a great CASA last year and finished sixth in the under-17. That was a really good year, I was able to win a few matches, which is always a good feeling when you travel to an overseas tournament.”

William Frith is heading to Cayman on the back of success as co-captain of the Eaglebrook School varsity squash team in Deerfield, Massachusetts.

“Going away has really improved my squash.” the 15-year-old said. “It gave me new experiences playing against players I’m not used to playing with.

“Last year, I played against the No 1 seed in the second round and lost that one. I will try my best and see how far that takes me.”

Owen Rosorea is one of the most experienced players in the Bermuda squad. The 15-year-old is making his sixth appearance in the regional competition.

“I’ve been training a lot harder this year because the under-17 age group is not easy,” he said.

“If I play really well, I could win this year. I’ve worked hard on my fitness and endurance on the court, so that I can go on for longer.”

Franklin believes he has prepared the players for success at the seven-day tournament. “I have high hopes for some of these players to be fierce competitors on the international stage,” he said.

“I’ve been trying my best to get them prepared. We trained more than we would have and played lots of matches.

“I’m really excited to see how they’re going to proceed, see if they can reach their goals and meet their expectations. I would love to see them come home with some medals.”