Island squash stalwart Les Callow was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement accolade at last week’s Isle of Man Sports Awards.

This award honours the individual or individuals who have made a major impact on sport in the Isle of Man during their lifetime.

The septuagenarian has dedicated more than half a century to the sport, working with players from beginners to elite competitors, including perennial island champion Dave Norman.

Indeed, he has coached six of the current top 10 league players, not to mention more than half of those currently active in Isle of Man squash.

In recent years, Callow also established a Saturday squash club to create a new development pathway for players, something which has helped form two new league teams and a good number of fresh players to the sport.

Speaking after receiving the award, a delighted Les said: ‘Absolutely amazing. Fifty years of playing squash to get this tonight, it really rounds off a beautiful career.’

Talking about the impact that squash has had on him, he explained: ‘I’m 76 years old, I’m fit and healthy and I’ve still got everything I was born with – no artificial joints. It keeps you fit, active and young.

‘I think we're fortunate that we have a lot of youngsters coming into the sport who are really keen.

‘I have to take my hat off to the boys at Manx Sport and Recreation for coming up with the idea for the Manx Youth Games - what a brilliant concept to bring kids in to sport.

‘We're limited to how many kids we can actually bring in because of the number of courts we've got. We're nearly at the maximum 30 kids over five courts - that’s as many as we can handle.

‘And at the moment, we've got about 27 kids coming to Manx Youth Games now, some of which are coming down on their own during the week and practicing. This is the first time in 24 years of me being part of the Manx Youth Games coordinator that I've seen kids practising on their own. How amazing is that?

‘I love the sport, I love the results I get out of the sport and that's what keeps me going. This award is for everyone involved in Isle of Man squash - this means a lot.’

Asked where he wants to see Manx squash in the next 10 to 20 years, Les added: ‘I would love to see squash thrive. I would love to see the juniors come through and be world leaders.

‘We have the potential as everybody else has to do very well in every sport, not including us. In squash we're limited to the number of courts we've got, but we're still thriving.’

The aforementioned Dave Norman was one of those who paid tribute to Les in a video message at last week’s awards ceremony, saying: ‘He is truly unforgettable to me and to many people.

‘He has always been there as a constant, he is a steady force and very supportive throughout.

‘He deserves this Lifetime Achievement award because he is amazing, for what he has done for the last 50 years shaping squash in the Isle of Man.’

- More reaction and photographs from the 2025 Isle of Man Sports Awards appeared in this week’s Isle of Man Examiner and Manx Independent, as well as online at www.iomtoday.co.im/sport where video interviews with most of the winners can be found.

Further coverage will likely appear in next week’s newspapers as well.