Westerfolds Templestowe keeps growing under Rex Hedrick’s lead

When he made the decision to move back home after having lived overseas in his 20s, Rex Hedrick knew he would have to find a job that would allow him to continue to travel and still play at a professional level.

"I lived overseas with squash for a few years in my mid-20s, but I wanted to move back to Australia and pick up a job to save towards a house, which can be a struggle as a pro player," said Hedricks. 

It was almost by chance that the reigning Australian National Champion found himself managing the Westerfolds Templestowe squash centre, located in Templestowe, Victoria.

"When I returned, it was just a coincidence that Westerfolds needed a manager and coach at the time, so I figured it would be a great opportunity to learn and gain experience in business management while also being able to pursue the professional squash scene while managing the centre."

That was 2015 and ever since Hedrick has been managing the centre, one of the premium providers of squash in Melbourne, working alongside the owners, Olivia Coles and her father Ian Kent.

Together, they’ve been able to provide an elite squash centre to the community, running a number of different programs from junior to beginners, intermediate and adult group training. The centre has also hosted competitions and tournaments such as the Westerfolds Open, Club Champs, Junior Events, and the MS24 Hour Megathon. 

Their commitment to grow the centre means the team at Westerfolds are constantly looking for ways to improve and modernise their offer.

During the COVID-19 lockdowns, for example, the team was able to upgrade the club rooms and add details throughout the club, from painting and upgrading the club rooms, to adding LED signs like the cut-outs of squash legends currently placed around the ‘Westerfolds Legends Bar'.

As he continues to play at elite level, Hedrick admits that travelling a lot can be challenging, but the support of the people who work or gravitate around the centre has allowed him to continue pursuing a professional career.

“The longer I've worked at Westerfolds, the more support we've been able to get in terms of volunteers, assistant coaches and staff. There are quite a few people I can rely on to do a great job if I am away competing,” he said.

To find out more about the centre and the programs they run go to their website here.