MOSSEL BAY NEWS -  Two years ago, Mossel Bay Curro learner Megan Kilian (15) had never picked up a squash racket.

Today, her skills have improved by more than 200%, earning her second place in the U17 girls' category at the Paarl Junior Open Squash Tournament.

Megan, whose signature accessory on the court is a funky headband (frogs, giraffes, you name it!), started playing squash in 2024, but began taking lessons with coach Brian Viljoen in 2025.

"She keeps getting better, and she is starting to win more often," said her proud mother, Carine. "I think squash can be really hard mentally, because you can only win or lose. It is a 50/50 chance, and as a beginner, you usually lose a lot. It can be extremely demotivating, especially when you are playing in a glass court and everyone is watching you."

Asked how she felt about her daughter's achievement at the tournament, which took place at the end of September, Carine replied: "It's about time!"

This was, of course, said in jest. Mother and daughter often joke that Megan's squash skills need to start paying off after all the lessons and trips to tournaments in other towns and provinces.

"She is ecstatic, and I am so proud," Carine said.

Another person delighted with Megan's latest achievement is her coach. Megan's player statistics indicates that she has improved by 229% since last year, Viljoen said. He said if she continued progressing at this rate, she could potentially turn professional within two years.

"She is a very keen squash player. For me, as a coach, she is easy to work with. She listens to what I have to say and always tries to put it into practice," he said.

Viljoen said he was very pleased with both her achievement and the progress she had made 

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