At the recent Durham and Cleveland squash presentation night held at Norton cricket and squash club, due to the high standard of the boys, it proved particularly difficult to pick a winner for Player of the Year.

The girls Player of the Year saw Norton's Laura Setterfield completing a fantastic season by picking up the trophy for the first time. Laura is County Champion at both under 15 and 17 age groups as well as Regional Champion at the older age group. Winner of the Harrogate Junior Open last month and Nunthope ladies Club Champion, Laura has had a fantastic season and must be a certainty for a national ranking next season. Numerous wins against nationally ranked opposition this season included a thumping 3/0 win over nationally ranked no.15 Marie Rose in this seasons British Junior Open held in Sheffield.

The boys Player of the Year was a more difficult decision with Darlington's Simon Robinson and Nunthope's Alex Collins both having an impressive season but the award was split between two players that the panel, of County Chairperson Laura Hall and County Coach Malcolm Mills could not separate, Daniel Hockborn from Norton and Lee Skinner from Aycliffe. 17-year-old Lee has seen a second half of the season spoilt by injuries but was unstoppable in the first half of the season winning all Stage 1 and 2 Inter-County games playing at No.1 for the under 19s also achieving a National ranking of No.13 and International ranking of No.29 at the under 17 age group. Regional Champion at under 19s and County Champion at both under 17 and 19 age groups this season has seen Lee invited to 2 England Squash invitation only Grand Prix events, held in Birmingham, winning 5 out 8 games against the best 16 junior players in the country.

At only ten-years-old Norton's Daniel Hockborn is the other half of the winning duo and is building a massive reputation as a star of the future. County and Regional Champion at the under 11 age group Danny was runner-up at the Scottish Junior Open last December and twice winner of the North of England Open competitions held at Jesmond this season. Playing and winning for both the under 11 and under 13 County sides, Danny looks a certainty for a national ranking next season playing in the older age group.

Players are pictured receiving their awards from Kevin Whitfield of Whitfield Building Services Ltd whose kind and generous sponsorship of the Durham and Cleveland Leagues has helped develop so many talented junior players.