Gawain Peter Briars (born 4 April 1958) is a sportsman and lawyer in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

. In the world of

squash Squash may refer to: Sports * Squash (sport), the high-speed racquet sport also known as squash racquets * Squash (professional wrestling), an extremely one-sided match in professional wrestling * Squash tennis, a game similar to squash but pla ...

, he has won several major international titles and served as Executive Director of the

Professional Squash Association The Professional Squash Association (PSA) is the governing body for the men's and women's professional squash circuit. The body operates in a similar fashion to the ATP and the WTA for tennis. The PSA's highest professional level, the PSA W ...

Career

Briars learnt to play

Gresham's School Gresham's School is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school (English Independent school (United Kingdom), independent Day school, day and boarding school) in Holt, Norfolk, Holt, Norfolk, England, one of the top thirty International Bac ...

, Holt, which he attended from 1968 to 1976, and became a professional squash player on leaving school at the age of eighteen, continuing as a professional until 1989. He became the British number one player in 1985, and at the top of his career was the fourth-ranked squash player in the world. He won titles in the USA, France, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Monte Carlo, Singapore and Malaysia, and was President of the world

from 1985 to 1987. He also represented England at the 1981, 1983 & 1985

World Team Squash Championships The WSF World Team Squash Championships are an international squash (sport), squash competition organised by the World Squash Federation (WSF) and played between teams representing different nations. Countries enter teams of three or four player ...

. On retiring from the professional sport in 1989, Briars went to

University College, Cardiff , latin_name = , image_name = Shield of the University of Cardiff.svg , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms of Cardiff University , motto = cy, Gwirionedd, Undod a Chytgord , mottoeng = Truth, Unity and Concord , established = 1 ...

to study law, and subsequently qualified as a solicitor in 1994. He then practised as a commercial lawyer. With effect from 1 October 1999, he was appointed as Executive Director of the

(PSA), succeeding

John Nimick John G. Nimick (born 1958) is an American squash player and tournament organizer. He was one of the leading hardball squash players in the United States in the 1980s. Following his retirement as a professional player, he has become a central figu ...

, of

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

, USA, and commented: "This represents a wonderful move for me away from the legal profession, but not without relinquishing the invaluable knowledge and experience I have gained whilst practising in commercial law. This career change represents an exciting partnership of my two life careers and places me on the threshold of what I am certain will be a bright future for the professional game of squash which has provided me with so many happy memories."

References

External links

*
Gawain Briars
at Psa-squash.com (Official site of the Professional Squash Association)
Gawain Briars
at Norfolksquash.co.uk {{DEFAULTSORT:Briars, Gawain 1958 births Living people People educated at Gresham's School English male squash players Alumni of Cardiff University