Fair Oak’s Kyle Finch has capped a stunning year of success on the squash court by becoming National U15 Champion, and European ranked number one in his Under-15 age group.

The 14-year old Wildern School student plays squash at Fair Oak and is currently unbeaten in the club’s Men’s Hampshire League team.

He won all his matches to help Team England win the European Under-15 Championship title. Finch has also won the Dutch Open in Amsterdam, the Nordic/Swedish BU15 squash open in Malmo, and the Welsh Open in Cardiff this year.

Earlier this month, he won the British National U15 Championship in Sheffield, beating Winchester’s Adam Corcoran 3-2 in the final.

It was Kyle’s achievements on the squash court in Spain that led to him winning the prestigious Michael May Cup at the recent Hampshire Schools’ Sports awards in Winchester for “the single outstanding sporting performance in the county in 2013.”

Kyle, a keen Saints fan, picked up a squash racket for the first time aged five.

“I went with my dad to what was then The Rose Bowl squash club and it really went from there,” he smiled.

“I started to play properly when I was nine – I was previously into gymnastics and made it to a regional standard – and started to play at Fair Oak in 2007 when courts at the cricket ground closed.”

Kyle began to play competitively in 2007, turning out for Fair Oak in junior competition – in the next five years winning 33 of his 34 matches for the club.

Ironically, his only loss came when he was 10, losing to a boy five years older than himself!

A year later Kyle began to make his mark: Hampshire county and Regional Under-11 champion and, at a mere ten years of age, winning his debut league match for Fair Oak 3-0.

In 2010, Kyle reached the final of four consecutive bronze events – but lost them all.

“The defeats proved a defining point in Kyle’s future. It made him more determined to become a champion,” his father Paul explained.

Finch finished 2011 ranked number 2 in England, was runners-up in the British Under-13 National Championships and helped Hampshire become inter-county U13 champions for the first time.

The following year, he began to enjoy success, reaching the quarter-finals of the Tecnifibre British Junior U15 Nationals 2012 in Manchester, where Winchester’s Robbie Keefe reigned supreme.

That proved to be just a taster for the glittering success that was to follow.

In March 2013, Finch was a member of the England side which won the Five Nations Under-15 Championship in Le Mans, France.

One month later, he became No 1 ranked squash player in England at his age and helped Hampshire become National boys Under 15 County champions for the first time.

Finch clinched the county title for Hampshire when he beat fellow International Stuart MacGregor 3-2 in a gruelling five-setter, which lasted over an hour.

Kyle’s win ensured a tense and dramatic 3-2 victory for Hampshire over Yorkshire.

The big prize lay just around the corner for Finch as the five-day Girona European tournament saw Team England beat Israel 3-0 to retain the Under-15 title.

Two months later Dutch silverware is on the mantelpiece of Finch’s Hedge End home.

Two domestic titles – playing as an under-age ‘junior’ in Worcestershire and Luton – later, Kyle is confirmed as European ranked No 1 in boys U15 age group and wins the Nordic/Swedish BU15 squash open in Malmo.

He’s subsequently won the Junior B U15 Squash Championships in Manchester. And he’s been invited to play for England Under-18s against Wales and Scotland – no mean achievement for a youngster who isn’t 15 until December 6.

Kyle is coached regularly by Lee-on-the-Solent’s Tim Vail (elite coach of the year) and Wimbledon professional Phil Rushworth, but despite his enormous commitment to squash, school commitments are always met.

So, what does the future hold?

“If Kyle continues his upwards trend, we'll consider entering him into the Canadian and United States open tournaments,” Paul explained.

“His next target is to become a successful member of the England team to play in the European U17 and U19 teams. “Kyle also has high ambitions to become world junior champion as an under 19 in 2017! “This will be tough – very tough – but targets need to be ambitious to achieve the highest awards in sport.”

Kyle’s 2013 Honours Board January: Reaches quarter final of the British Open (the unofficial world championships), becoming the highest European finisher in his age group.

March: Helps Team England side win the Five Nations Championship in Le Mans, France.

April: Becomes No 1 ranked squash player in England at his age and helps Hampshire become National boys Under 15 County champions for the first time.

May: Plays for England as No 1 player, in the European Championships, in Girona, Spain, wins all his matches as Team England become European Champions.

July: Wins the Dutch Open, the third biggest junior squash tournament in the world, in Amsterdam.

August: Won the Under-19 Worcestershire Open Championships, playing two age groups up.

September: Wins the Under-17 Luton Open, a silver event, without dropping a game.

Wins the Welsh Open, without dropping a game.

October: Becomes European ranked No 1 in boys U15 age group and wins the Nordic/Swedish BU15 squash open.

November: Wins the British Junior B U15 Championships in Manchester.

Wins the prestigious Michael May Award for 'Performance of the Year,' at the Hampshire Sports schools awards ceremony in Winchester.

December – Is invited to play for England in the ‘Test’ matches against the Welsh and Scottish Under-19 teams.