View source for Heather McKay

{{Short description|Australian squash player}}
{{Use Australian English|date=February 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox squash player
| name                    = Heather McKay
|honorific_suffix = [[Order of Australia|AO]] [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]]</small>
| image                   = <!-- formatted like this: [[File:Imagename.jpg|250px]]; change 250 to change image size -->
| caption                 = <!-- brief text caption for the image -->
| full_name               = Heather Pamela McKay
| nickname                =
| country                 = {{AUS}}
| residence               =
| birth_date              = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1941|7|31}}
| birth_place             = [[Queanbeyan]], [[New South Wales]]
| death_date              =
| death_place             =
| height                  = 1.68m<ref name="WiseWomen"/>
| weight                  = 
| turnedpro               = 1960 <small>(squash)</small>
| retired                 = 1979 <small>(squash)</small>
| plays                   =
| coach                   =
| racquet                 =
| website                 = <!-- official web site address like this: [http://www.site.com www.site.com] -->
| event                   = Women's Singles
| years_active            =
| highest_ranking         = 1
| date_of_highest_ranking =
| current_ranking         =
| date_of_current_ranking =
| titles                  =
| finals                  =
| WorldOpenresult         = W (1976, 1979)
| medaltemplates          =
{{MedalSport | Women's [[squash (sport)|squash]] }}
{{MedalCountry | {{AUS}} }}
{{MedalCompetition | [[World Squash Championships|World Championships]] }}
{{MedalGold | [[1976 Women's World Open Squash Championship|1976 Brisbane]] | Singles }}
{{MedalGold | [[1979 Women's World Open Squash Championship|1979 Sheffield]] | Singles }}
| updated                 = 
}}

'''Heather Pamela McKay''' (née '''Blundell''') (born 31 July 1941) is an Australian retired [[squash (sport)|squash]] player, who is considered by many to be the greatest female player in the history of the game.<ref name=SI>{{cite web|last1=Kaplan|first1=Jim|title=McKay has a new racquet|url=https://www.si.com/vault/1980/04/14/824566/mckay-has-a-new-racquet-heather-mckay-unbeaten-in-squash-since-1962-has-switched-to-racquetball-barely-missing-a-stroke|website=SI Vault|publisher=Sports Illustrated|access-date=2 May 2016|archive-date=28 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161228122447/http://www.si.com/vault/1980/04/14/824566/mckay-has-a-new-racquet-heather-mckay-unbeaten-in-squash-since-1962-has-switched-to-racquetball-barely-missing-a-stroke|url-status=live}}</ref> She dominated the women's squash game in the 1960s and 1970s, winning 16 consecutive [[British Open Squash Championships|British Open]] titles from 1962 to 1977, and capturing the inaugural women's [[World Open (squash)|World Open]] title in 1976, while remaining undefeated during that period. She was also a top-level player of other sports, including [[field hockey]] and [[racquetball]].

==Career==
McKay was born in 1941 as Heather Blundell in [[Queanbeyan]]. She came from a family of eleven children. Her father was a baker and her mother  a stay-at-home parent.<ref name="Riotact" /> The entire family was athletic, with some members competing at a high level.<ref name="womenaustralia" /> Her parents encouraged McKay to play [[tennis]] in the summer and [[field hockey|hockey]] in the winter.<ref name="Squash Player2017">{{Cite web|url=https://psaworldtour.com/news/view/4909/heather-mckay-sport-s-greatest-mysterious-record|title=Heather McKay: Sport's greatest, mysterious record|date=2017-07-31|access-date=2021-12-05|work=Squash Player|first=Richard|last=Eaton|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211205101455/https://psaworldtour.com/news/view/4909/heather-mckay-sport-s-greatest-mysterious-record|archive-date=2021-12-05|url-status=live}}</ref> It wasn't until she was eighteen years old that she encountered [[squash (sport)|squash]] as a way to improve her fitness.<ref name="Riotact">{{Cite web|url=https://the-riotact.com/australias-greatest-ever-sportswoman-is-still-going-strong-in-queanbeyan/408848|title=Australia's greatest ever sportswoman is still going strong in Queanbeyan|date=2020-10-04|access-date=2021-12-05|website=Riotact|first=Tim|last=Gravel|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211205103212/https://the-riotact.com/australias-greatest-ever-sportswoman-is-still-going-strong-in-queanbeyan/408848|archive-date=2021-12-05|url-status=live}}</ref> Initially, she did this non-professionally and without formal coaching, until a friend suggested she compete in the ''New South Wales Country Championship''. There, she won the junior and women's titles.<ref name="womenaustralia">{{Cite web|url=https://www.womenaustralia.info/exhib/sg/mckay.html|title=Heather McKay|website=womenaustralia.info|access-date=2021-12-05|language=en}}</ref>

Her success at that championship was noticed by the president of the Australian Squash Association. On his recommendation, McKay participated in the 1960 ''New South Wales Championships'' in [[Sydney]]. She won the junior tournament but lost in the quarterfinals of the women's tournament to [[Yvonne West]]. After this tournament, she shifted her focus from tennis to squash, although she did not completely give up other sports. Her potential was also noticed by squash champion, and the patriarch of the [[Khan squash family]] of Pakistan, [[Hashim Khan]], who told the press in [[Canberra]], "this girl could be very good".<ref name="womenaustralia" />

In 1960, she won the Australian title for the first time, which she would win thirteen more times consecutively.<ref name="womenaustralia" /> She also won the New South Wales and Victoria championships between 1961 and 1973.<ref name="WiseWomen">{{Cite web|url=https://wisewomen.com.au/heather-mckay/|title=Heather McKay|work=WiseWomen|date=16 March 2018 |access-date=2021-12-05|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211205180230/https://wisewomen.com.au/heather-mckay/|archive-date=2021-12-05|url-status=live}}</ref> Supported by sponsors, she then moved to Sydney to further her career.<ref name="womenaustralia" /> There, she met Brian McKay, whom she married in 1965 and whose surname she took.<ref name="WomensRegister">{{Cite web|url=https://www.womenaustralia.info/biogs/IMP0180b.htm|title=McKay, Heather Pamela (1941 - )|work=The Australian Women's Register|access-date=2021-12-05|language=en}}</ref>

In 1962, she lost to [[Fran Marshall]] at the Scottish Championship.<ref name="womenaustralia" /> This was her second loss in her professional career, and the last until her retirement in 1979.<ref name="Squash Player2017"/> That same year, she participated for the first time in the ''[[British Open Squash Championship]]'', known until 1976 as the unofficial world championship. She won this tournament and the following fifteen times.<ref name="womenaustralia" />

Meanwhile, McKay remained interested in other sports from her youth. She represented Australia in hockey in 1967 and 1971.<ref name="womenaustralia" />

In 1976, she won the first [[World Open Squash]] for women, although it is disputed whether this tournament was an official world championship. McKay moved to [[Toronto]] in 1975 and competed in the US squash championship in 1977, which she won. In 1979, she competed again in the World Open Squash, this time officially undisputed, and won it again.<ref name="womenaustralia" />

At the age of 38 McKay retired from squash. McKay wrote a book, ''Heather McKay's Complete Book of Squash'', which was released in 1979. After her retirement she took up [[racquetball]], in which she was also successful.<ref name="womenaustralia" /> As early as 1977, she won the US Amateur Racquetball Championship.<ref name="WiseWomen" /> In 1980, she won the Canadian Racquetball Championship, which she won again from 1982 to 1985. In 1980, 1981, and 1984, she won the [[US Open Racquetball Championships|US Professional Racquetball Championship]].<ref name="halloffame">{{Cite web|url=https://sahof.org.au/hall-of-fame-member/heather-mckay/|title=Heather McKay|language=en|access-date=2021-12-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211206061702/https://sahof.org.au/hall-of-fame-member/heather-mckay/|archive-date=2021-12-06}}</ref>

In 1985, she moved back to Australia. That year, she became an assistant coach for squash at the [[Australian Institute of Sport]] in [[Brisbane]], with [[Geoff Hunt]] as head coach.<ref name="womenaustralia" /><ref name="Riotact" /> In that role, she coached [[Michelle Martin (squash player)|Michelle Martin]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sahof.org.au/hall-of-fame-member/michelle-martin/|title=Michelle Martin OAM|language=en|access-date=2021-12-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211205193416/https://sahof.org.au/hall-of-fame-member/michelle-martin/|archive-date=2021-12-05|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Natalie Grinham]], and [[Rachel Grinham]].<ref name="WomensRegister" /> Besides coaching, she also won the ''[[World Masters Squash Championships]]'' four times during that period: in 1987 and 1990 in the over-45 category and in 1993 and 1995 in the over-50 category. She stopped coaching in 1999 and ended her involvement in squash.<ref name="womenaustralia" /> She then moved to [[Canberra]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2048&context=kunapipi|title=Interview with Heather McKay (am, mbe)|date=April 2001|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220522201603/https://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2048&context=kunapipi|archive-date=2022-05-22|url-status=live}}</ref>

Since the late 1990s, she has participated in senior tennis tournaments, both singles and doubles.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.itftennis.com/en/players/heather-mckay/800225701/aus/vt/s/activity|title=Heather McKay|website=[[International Tennis Federation]]|access-date=2021-12-05|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211205180739/https://www.itftennis.com/en/players/heather-mckay/800225701/aus/vt/s/activity/|archive-date=2021-12-05|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2001, she won the World Senior Championships and the team event, the ''Alice Marble Cup''.<ref name="WiseWomen" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tennis.com.au/act/news/2020/10/29/celebrating-acts-seniors-world-champs|title=Celebrating ACT's seniors world champs|first=Colin|last=Adrian|date=2020-10-29|access-date=2021-12-05|website=tennis.com.au|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230720074335/https://www.tennis.com.au/act/news/2020/10/29/celebrating-acts-seniors-world-champs|archive-date=2023-07-20}}</ref> In 2016, her partner died,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tennisseniors.org.au/act/extras/2021/VSJune21.pdf|title=Heather Pamela McKay|access-date=2021-12-05|language=en|archive-date=2021-12-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211206070840/https://www.tennisseniors.org.au/act/extras/2021/VSJune21.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> which prompted her to move back to Queanbeyan in 2018.<ref name="Riotact" />

== Championship results ==
===World Open===

{|  class="sortable wikitable"
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Location
! scope="col" | Opponent in the final
! scope="col" | Score in the final
! scope="col" | Outcome
|-
! scope="row" | [[1976 Women's World Open Squash Championship|1976]]
| [[Brisbane]], [[Australia]]
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Marion Jackman]]
| 9–2, 9–2, 9–0
| bgcolor="98FB98"|Winner
|-
! scope="row" | [[1979 Women's World Open Squash Championship|1979]]
| [[Sheffield]], [[England]]
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Sue Cogswell]]
| 6–9, 9–3, 9–1, 9–4
| bgcolor="98FB98"|Winner
|}

===British Open===

{| class="sortable wikitable"
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Location
! scope="col" | Opponent in the final
! scope="col" | Score in the final
! scope="col" | Outcome
|-
! scope="row" | [[1962 Women's British Open Squash Championship|1962]]
| ''The Royal Automobile Club – London''
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Fran Marshall]]
| 9–6, 9–5, 9–4
| bgcolor="98FB98"|Winner
|-
! scope="row" | [[1963 Women's British Open Squash Championship|1963]]
| ''Landsdowne and Royal Aero Clubs''
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Fran Marshall]]
| 9–4, 9–2, 9–6
| bgcolor="98FB98"|Winner
|-
! scope="row" | [[1964 Women's British Open Squash Championship|1964]]
| ''Landsdowne and Royal Aero Clubs''
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Fran Marshall]]
| 9–2, 9–2, 9–1
| bgcolor="98FB98"|Winner
|-
! scope="row" | [[1965 Women's British Open Squash Championship|1965]]
| ''Landsdowne and Royal Aero Clubs''
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Anna Craven-Smith]]
| 9–0, 9–1, 9–2
| bgcolor="98FB98"|Winner
|-
! scope="row" | [[1966 Women's British Open Squash Championship|1966]]
| ''Landsdowne and Royal Aero Clubs''
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Anna Craven-Smith]]
| 9–0, 9–0, 10–8
| bgcolor="98FB98"|Winner
|-
! scope="row" | [[1967 Women's British Open Squash Championship|1967]]
| [[London]], [[England]]
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Anna Craven-Smith]]
| 9–1, 10–8, 9–6
| bgcolor="98FB98"|Winner
|-
! scope="row" | [[1968 Women's British Open Squash Championship|1968]]
| [[London]], [[England]]
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Bev Johnson]]
| 9–0, 9–0, 9–0
| bgcolor="98FB98"|Winner
|-
! scope="row" | [[1969 Women's British Open Squash Championship|1969]]
| [[Sheffield]], [[England]]
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Fran Marshall]]
| 9–2, 9–0, 9–0
| bgcolor="98FB98"|Winner
|-
! scope="row" | [[1970 Women's British Open Squash Championship|1970]]
| [[Birmingham]], [[England]]
| {{flagicon|RSA|1928}} [[Marcia Roche]]
| 9–1, 9–1, 9–0
| bgcolor="98FB98"|Winner
|-
! scope="row" | [[1971 Women's British Open Squash Championship|1971]]
| [[Birmingham]], [[England]]
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Jenny Irving]]
| 9–0, 9–3, 9–1
| bgcolor="98FB98"|Winner
|-
! scope="row" | [[1972 Women's British Open Squash Championship|1972]]
| [[Sheffield]], [[England]]
| {{flagicon|RSA|1928}} [[Kathy Malan]]
| 9–1, 9–1, 9–2
| bgcolor="98FB98"|Winner
|-
! scope="row" | [[1973 Women's British Open Squash Championship|1973]]
| [[Sheffield]], [[England]]
| {{flagicon|NZL}} [[C. Fleming]]<!--Probably Cecilie not Cecily: OTRS [[ticket:2010021610007164]] and [http://www.squashnz.co.nz/history/nz-the-sixties.asp].-->
| 9–1, 9–0, 9–1
| bgcolor="98FB98"|Winner
|-
! scope="row" | [[1974 Women's British Open Squash Championship|1974]]
| [[Sheffield]], [[England]]
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Sue Cogswell]]
| 9–2, 9–1, 9–2
| bgcolor="98FB98"|Winner
|-
! scope="row" | [[1975 Women's British Open Squash Championship|1975]]
| [[Wembley]], [[England]]
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Marion Jackman]]
| 9–3, 9–1, 9–5
| bgcolor="98FB98"|Winner
|-
! scope="row" | [[1976 Women's British Open Squash Championship|1976]]
| [[Wembley]], [[England]]
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Sue Newmann]]
| 9–2, 9–4, 9–2
| bgcolor="98FB98"|Winner
|-
! scope="row" | [[1977 Women's British Open Squash Championship|1977]]
| [[Wembley]], [[England]]
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Barbara Wall]]
| 9–3, 9–1, 9–2
| bgcolor="98FB98"|Winner
|}

==Recognition==
* 1967 – [[ABC Sports Award of the Year|ABC Sportsman of the Year]]
* [[1969 New Year Honours|1969]] – Appointed [[Member of the Order of the British Empire]] (MBE) for services in sporting and international spheres.<ref name="Australia">Australia list: {{London Gazette |issue=44741 |date=20 December 1968 |pages=38  |supp=y |nolink=yes}}</ref><ref name=honour>{{cite web|title=Heather McKay|url=https://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/|website=It's an Honour|access-date=3 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150617081820/http://itsanhonour.gov.au/|archive-date=17 June 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* [[1979 Australia Day Honours|1979]] – Appointed [[Member of the Order of Australia]] (AM) for services to the sport of squash.<ref name="AD79">{{cite web|title=AD79|url=https://www.gg.gov.au/sites/default/files/files/honours/AD79.pdf|accessdate=29 July 2022|publisher=Governor General's Office of Australia|archive-date=22 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180322141545/http://gg.gov.au/sites/default/files/files/honours/AD79.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=honour/>
* 1985 – [[Sport Australia Hall of Fame]] inductee<ref>{{cite web|title=Heather McKay|url=https://sahof.org.au/hall-of-fame-member/heather-mckay/|website=Sport Australia Hall of Fame|access-date=25 September 2020}}</ref>
* 1997 – USA Racquetball Hall of Fame<ref>{{cite web |title=Hall of Fame 1997 |url=http://www.teamusa.org/USA-Racquetball/Programs/Hall-of-Fame/Inductees/1997 |website=Team USA |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150523221508/http://www.teamusa.org/USA-Racquetball/Programs/Hall-of-Fame/Inductees/1997 |archive-date=23 May 2015}}</ref>
* 2000 – [[Australian Sports Medal]]<ref name=honour/>
* [[Squash Australia]] Hall of Fame<ref name=sa>{{cite web|title=Hall of Fame members|url=http://www.squash.org.au/sqaus/about_us/hall_of_fame_members.htm|website=Squash Australia|access-date=3 November 2015|archive-date=24 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924105122/http://www.squash.org.au/sqaus/about_us/hall_of_fame_members.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>
* 2001 – [[Victorian Honour Roll of Women]]<ref>{{Cite web |date= |title=Heather McKay AO MBE |url=https://www.vic.gov.au/heather-mckay-ao-mbe |access-date=2025-03-12 |website=State Government of Victoria |language=en-au}}</ref>
* [[2018 Australia Day Honours|2018]] – Appointed [[Officer of the Order of Australia]] (AO) for "distinguished service to squash as an elite player and coach, as a pioneer on the professional circuit, and through support for young athletes".<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/national/australia-day-honours-2018-the-full-list-20180125-h0o20j.html|title=Australia Day Honours 2018: The full list|date=2018-01-26|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=2018-01-29|language=en-US|archive-date=23 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180623221905/https://www.smh.com.au/national/australia-day-honours-2018-the-full-list-20180125-h0o20j.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Bibliography ==
* {{Cite book|title=Heather McKay's complete book of squash|isbn=0-207-95785-1|first1=Heather|last1=McKay|first2=Jack|last2=Batten|authorlink2=Jack Batten|publisher=Angus & Robertson|place=London|year=1978}}

==See also==
* [[Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour]]

==Footnotes==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Australian Women's Register|IMP0180b|Heather Pamela McKay}}
* {{Sport Australia Hall of Fame|heather-mckay}}
* {{Squash Info}}

{{S-start}}
{{S-sports}}
{{Succession box
 | before = Premier <br />[[Lynn Adams]]
 | after = [[Lynn Adams]] <br />[[Lynn Adams]]
 | title = [[Women's Professional Racquetball Organization|No. 1 Women's Pro Racquetball Player]]
 | years = 1980–81 <br />1982–83 to 1983–84
}}
{{S-end}}

{{British Open squash women's singles champions}}
{{Squash World Open women's champions}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:McKay, Heather}}
[[Category:1941 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Australian female squash players]]
[[Category:Members of the Order of Australia]]
[[Category:Officers of the Order of Australia]]
[[Category:Australian Members of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:Sport Australia Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Australian Institute of Sport coaches]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Australian Sports Medal]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Queanbeyan]]
[[Category:Sportswomen from New South Wales]]
[[Category:Racquetball players]]
[[Category:20th-century Australian sportswomen]]