Former Bairnsdale resident and racquetball superstar Cameron White, was recently in Bairnsdale visiting his father Peter for a couple of days of fishing and golf.
Peter is one of Bairnsdale’s more colourful characters, well known in his retirement years as the district’s number one Lions raffle ticket and Christmas cake seller.
Cameron was an Australian powerhouse in the squash arena, playing “A” grade for Kooyong for 10 years, while winning the Victorian Squash Championships five times.
On the world stage, he claimed a world squash doubles title and reached an impressive singles rating of 48.
He switched to racquetball and has won the Australian singles championship for the past 19 years in a row.
Affectionately known in the sport as the Greatest Of All Time (GOAT), White is keen to make it title 20 this October in Albury.
A quietly spoken athlete with a considered view, Cameron went to Melbourne for school to chase the squash championships and develop at the Victorian Institute of Sport.
Not forgetting his time in Bairnsdale, Cameron was encouraging of local athletes trying something new and different.
“Drop into the Bairnsdale Squash and Racquetball Club at Lucknow to see how squash and racquetball are played. They are both great sports that have opened up a window to the world and experiences of a lifetime for me,” Cameron said.
Cameron recalled his time at Profile Squash Centre where Sue Cullinan and Ken Briggs were the stalwarts of squash in Bairnsdale around 1995.
Cameron coached squash at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic centre for 10 to 15 years and is still working with young professional squash players in his hometown of Geelong.
When he is not with his family or on the court Cameron is employed as a full time firefighter.
