The Jamaica Squash Association (JSA) and KPMG joined forces for the 25th time to launch the long-running KPMG League at the Liguanea Club in New Kingston on Thursday night.

The league will serve off on Tuesday evening at the same venue and is scheduled to end on April 4. There are 16 teams in the league, each consisting of four members, one being a reserve player.

The launch included a parade of the teams in their branded gear, and there was an air of expectation for a competitive league which will include defending champions Blown and runner-up Fantastic Warriors.

Fantastic Warriors Captain Stewart Maxwell says the team had been preparing and was ready to get in the box against its competitors.

“We are ready, we are in preparation,” he said. “We have a slight adjustment in personnel this year so we’ll see what we can do, and we’re excited to start up next week.”

JSA President Karen Anderson laid out the plans for the competition.

“We’re excited about the direction we’re going with KPMG,” she said. “It’s a unique tournament and we’re always finding innovative ways to make it interesting. We’re trying to use this year to computerise the system for the teams so that they can just plug in their information as soon as they finish. So that’s one unique perspective that we’re trying to work on and just some different little things that some people probably wouldn’t notice, but it is big for us, so we’re very excited about it.”

Anderson says the league is unique because it uses a handicap system.

“We give those that may not be quite as skilled an opportunity to win against a better skilled person or player,” she said. “So that is one of the uniqueness of the event and what makes it so interesting, and why people come back again and again to play the tournament. So it levels the playing field and it gives everyone the opportunity, especially the underdog, to try and win. That, for us, is key to try and get this underdog an opportunity to play against some of these better players who they would never normally play against because of the different levelling skill or skill levels. And sometimes they do win, which makes it exciting, so we’re very thrilled about that.”

KPMG official Al Johnson endorsed the league while promising they would be around for the long term.

“It’s really the youth,” he said. “You see that you are able to make a contribution to their development and you really see where you are making an impact in a space. In Jamaica, squash is growing from strength to strength. We are having an impact on the lives of these young people, they are growing into becoming adult competitors. And we have young and all ages who continue to play the sport competitively here, and we feel that we are making an impact for nation-building here. We’ve been here 25 years and we don’t see us leaving any time soon, and we are just happy.”