Hilmar and Hafsteinn Bring Squash to Iceland

When Hilmar Gunnarsson was asked to provide a short history of Icelandic squash, that was all he could offer as there is no long history of squash on the North Atlantic island.

Iceland Squash Impresarios: Hilmar Gunnarsson and Hafsteinn Danielsson. photo:©2007 WISPA

It is a story in which he is the central character as although there were two courts a little before he built his centre with partner Hafsteinn Danielsson, he was and remains the impetus in these parts.

As an exchange student in the seventies, Hilmar was in Ohio where he played racquetball. ‘I had a dream of opening a racquetball centre her’, he explained.

He and Hafsteinn, being sports teachers operating limited hours, they needed more work. The two courts on the island were full, so having kept the dream alive for several years, he roped in his partner.

They built two wooden courts. ‘They were chipboard so you could put your fist through the walls!’ he recalls.

When another group built five on the other side of capital city Reykjavik, they thought that their business was doomed. But a year later the opposition were knocking on the door asking him to rent their place.

They took it over, and now Veggsport Club is the pulse of Icelandic squash. ‘Where does the heart beat, that's the thing’. It certainly does so at a healthy rate in their centre.

Fit and wiry, he actively plays and encourages. He takes the spinning classes too. And keeps everybody and everything else on the move too.

Now Hilmar hopes that a two court centre planned for Akueyri on the north of the island will go ahead as that will enable them to move towards being a national association rather than a committee in the eyes of the Icelandic Sports Council who require at least three. ‘That would transform us as they would then give us real financial support to add to their helpfulness now’ he says.

‘We are so small. Our weak spot is that we are too few players and it is difficult for us to afford to travel to other countries and get experience. We would also like to get a coach based here for several months to teach us, but that is a money and sponsorship matter too” he laments.

But if dogged pursuit of a dream counts for anything then Hilmar and those around him will realise theirs. Squash will flourish in the land of lava.