George Crowne enjoys both being physically active and thinking.

That makes squash a perfect fit.

“I call it chess on steroids,” said the 14-year-old Iroquois Ridge high school student, a former rep soccer player who took up squash four years ago.

“It isn’t just how hard you can kick a ball. It’s a lot in your head. It’s a fascinating game. So fast, yet so controlled.”

The sport has also given him the opportunity to become a national champion. Crowne won the under-15 boys’ division at last weekend’s Rogers Insurance Canadian Junior Championships in Calgary, beating out 38 other players in his category.

The gold at nationals came on the heels of a victory at the junior provincials in Niagara-On-The-Lake last month, when Crowne rallied from an 0-2 deficit in the final to defeat Toronto National Squash Academy clubmate Neel Ismail 3-11, 13-15, 11-8, 12-10, 11-3. Crowne pulled off a similar comeback in the national quarter-finals, downing Mayfair Parkway’s Elliott Hunt 4-11, 9-11, 11-7, 11-3, 11-8.

In the Canadian final, Crowne jumped out to a 2-0 lead on Alberta’s Abdelrahman Dweek, then saw Dweek even the match 2-2 before finally prevailing 11-4, 11-9, 8-11, 5-11, 11-7.

“The mental side of the game probably plays 50 per cent of the role (in deciding who wins),” Crowne said. “I just try to remember that even if I do lose, it won’t make or break anything. It’s just one match in the grand scheme of things.”

Crowne, who also plays in the adult box league at Glen Abbey Recreation Centre, is currently third in both the provincial and national U15 rankings. He plans to compete in the men’s ‘B’ division at the Canadian Squash Championships, which will be held April 29-May 3 at National Squash Academy.

“It’s the 100th anniversary (of the national championships) and will be quite a big event off the court as well,” Crowne said. “There is a men’s open division with the pro players, then a men’s ‘A’ division and a men’s ‘B’. I do have a decent chance of getting to the quarter-finals, but I’m going more to watch the older players.”