Olivia Clyne: “I was ready for other parts of my identity to come out”

After announcing her retirement from the PSA World Tour last month, we caught up with USA’s Olivia Clyne to discuss the decision, what she will miss about life on tour, and what the future now holds.

What brought you to the decision to retire?

Clyne: “It was a multitude of things, to be honest. I wasn’t super excited about going to Hong Kong and I decided to really look into that and reflect upon why that was. You know, I love this game so much, and I have always been super excited by it, and anyone who knows me on tour will know that I’m an absolute squash nerd. I will always stay obsessed with it but I just realised that I was ready for other parts of my identity to come out and to see other parts of myself explored.

“I’ve been on tour for a long time now, I started right out of high school and I think it hasn’t always been the most healthy thing for me. Yes, it is something that I have done a lot of, and I have done quite well, but there have been times when it was almost too much of my identity. I’m going to be 31 in a couple of weeks, which I know is quite young for a squash player to be retiring nowadays, but I think it is less that I am ready to stop playing squash, but more I would like to see my life continue on.”

What are you going to miss most about life on tour?

Clyne: “People always tell you that it isn’t about results, it’ll be about the memories, and honestly I think that is true. It’s all about those moments, when l was locked in battle and I was looking back at my coach or my husband and getting the nod from them.

“Having those heartbreakers as well when you have just missed out and having those true passionate moments, be it positive or negative, there’s nothing better. I think that is going to be one of those feelings that I am going to miss, being in that moment of extreme feeling, and getting to do it in front of people and seeing them react to that, that’s what I’m going to miss.

“I’m hoping to stay in the game a little bit and to play Nationals in the future, and if I can find a way to make a national team then to do it, although that is going to be a little steep now with the competition. But I have had so many great moments, I have been so blessed to meet so many amazing people. I met my husband doing this and it has always been a family affair with my father and my mum.”

Is there anybody you’d like to thank for their support down the years?

Clyne: “There’s a really long list of people and a long list of organisations who have helped me over the years. Obviously, US Squash have helped me and been at the forefront of things. I have obviously been a part of the US National team for around 16 years, so that has been a massive thing for me.

“My husband has been fantastic, I have so much support from my family, and there’s that many people that I can’t even name them all right now.

“But at the end of the day, it boils down to me and my dad. My dad always believed in me, maybe sometimes too much at times! But he has really inspired me to do everything that I have done, and I know he will miss it so much. I’m going to miss having those moments with him and us driving each other crazy because ultimately, my father has done everything in his power to make me be the best squash player I can be.”

Moving forward, are you planning on staying in the sport of venturing into a new career path?

Clyne: “I’ll be honest, right now I am just kind of waiting for the universe to send me a direction. I do have a few things and irons in the fire job-wise.

“Coaching is certainly something that I am considering and I am very passionate about. I think I have a very holistic approach to coaching, but there is also a little bit more of this result-orientated type of coaching at the moment. For me I always want the people I coach to develop into successful human beings, and I believe successful human beings make successful squash players.

“I really like the idea of being able to build in development and programming. Being able to really affect the game in more of a way that touches on people in a less of a one-on-one interaction, but really changing programming and being able to build on the ability of people starting from a young age and seeing it through to a professional career. I would like to try and help grassroots development and building pathways.

“For a long time I have also really been into wellness. I am a certified health coach and I hope to get my yoga teacher training soon, so I have always had this dream of a Live Well Centre, where you take people from when they are young to old, through all modalities of health and wellness.

“I have also always wanted to be a midwife and do that as well, so there are lots of options, but there will be squash in my life, for sure. I’m missing it now, I’m missing it on court and even just the simple things like solo-hitting and feeling the ball on my strings.”