Sarah-Jane Perry followed in her father’s footsteps in playing squash and has won home Commonwealth Games medals, but ‘SJ’ nearly followed a different path altogether.
The 2014 World Team Championship gold medallist began playing at the age of five at Four Oaks Club in Sutton Coldfield where her dad played. Sarah-Jane moved to Kenilworth at eight years old and was taken on by coach Steve Townsend at 10.
Though Sarah-Jane’s talent was evident as a junior, becoming a professional squash player wasn’t her main objective. The former world number five studied engineering at Warwick University, earning a degree, and was offered a graduate job – only to be talked out of it by her coach, who believed in her ability on the squash court.
“I remember telling him (Steve Townsend) that I was really excited to have been offered a graduate,” Sarah-Jane told Fen Regis Trophies.
“I had the contract in front of me, and he asked me if I was absolutely sure I didn’t want to give squash a go because he thought I could be really good.
“I was very close to signing that contract and entering the corporate world instead of the squash tour.”
Going All in with Squash
For many, turning down a job offer in a field you studied for in favour of a far less stable career path would be unthinkable. It was a risk that, with the belief of her coach, Sarah-Jane was willing to take – three Commonwealth Games medals and a World Team Championship gold medal later, it’s safe to say the gamble paid off.
“I remember hearing people say, ‘she’s a good junior, but she’s never going to make it as a senior player’ with the impression that I was skilful, but I wasn’t an athlete.”
Sarah-Jane continued: “I didn’t look how people perceived an athlete to look – when you’re 15, 16, 17 years old, you don’t know any better than that.
“I had very supportive parents and coach, along with some other people…I was determined to see what I could achieve, and I managed to channel all those negative comments to fuel the fire.”
Sarah-Jane turned professional in 2011, the same year she graduated with a BEng (Hons) degree and went on to win the British National Championships in 2012 and 2013 at Under-23 level. In 2014, she achieved what she considers to be her finest achievement in squash as she helped England to World Team Championship gold.
“I’ve got some highlights at an individual level,” Sarah-Jane said. “But that World Team Championships was very special.
“It was my first one for England…they had some heartbreaking losses before that, and to be able to come together as a team, when you normally play individually, gives a different experience.
“To be able to play well and win all my matches, winning crucial matches, was a proud highlight of my career.”
Commonwealth Success
Sarah-Jane has three Commonwealth Games medals to her name, the first of which came at the 2018 Games in Gold Coast, Australia, winning singles silver. Four years later, she got to experience something that few athletes ever do, competing at a home Games.
Born in Birmingham in 1990 and living in Sutton Coldfield before moving to Kenilworth aged eight, the former world number five needed no extra motivation to go the extra mile for the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
“Birmingham 2022 was massive for me,” Sarah-Jane exclaimed. “I was born in Birmingham and brought up and trained on the edge of Birmingham, it was very much a home Games.
“I wanted to take in as much of the experience as possible, but I also wanted to perform. The amount I put into my training, physically and mentally, was unmatched throughout any other stretch of my career.”
Unfortunately, gold eluded Sarah-Jane having lost her singles semi-final tie against England teammate Gina Kennedy, but she wasn’t going to allow a bronze medal to escape her grasp.
“If you had told me I would come away with a bronze medal in the singles before the event I probably would have been disappointed,” she admitted. “But when you get into the bronze medal match, and especially the way I did, coming back from the jaws of defeat, to actually win it felt like one of the biggest achievements of my career.”
That singles bronze was added to with a silver medal in the doubles event, partnering Alison Waters, making Sarah-Jane a three-time Commonwealth Games medallist.
Looking Forward
Like all other squash players competing at the elite level, all sights are on the 2026 Olympic Games, the first of which will include the sport. Sarah-Jane has already been active behind the scenes in squash, as well as dabbling in coaching young players coming through.
What comes next when she has finally decided to stop playing, however, she doesn’t know.
“I haven’t decided what my move will be when I do stop playing,” she said. “I’ve done various bits of coaching throughout my playing career, which I quite enjoy.
“I’ve also got my degree in engineering and business, so I could utilise that if I wanted to, and I also sit on the Professional Squash Association Board as President of the women’s tour.
“I’ve dripped my toes in various bits behind the scenes…I love the sport and I would love to stay within the sport, whether in an administrative capacity or as a coach. It’s something to keep in mind for the future.”
While Sarah-Jane isn’t quite ready to call time on a playing career that has far exceeded many people’s expectations, serving as fuel to the fire, it’s clear she does have at least half an eye on what is to come next.
By Aaron Gratton
