Dame Susan Devoy

Squash Legend

Hear from this four times World Champion and eight times British Open Squash Champion.

When she retired in 1992, Dame Susan was the current Australian, British, Hong Kong, Scottish, Irish, Swedish, French, New Zealand and World Squash Champion. In her years as a professional squash player on the international circuit Dame Susan Devoy collected a host of entertaining anecdotes. She also faced the continual day-to-day challenge of goal setting and motivation. On these subjects she can speak from her personal experience and the "tried and true" methods she used to motivate herself to ever greater heights.

At age six Dame Susan Devoy played her first game of squash. She was a professional squash player at 17 and the World's Number One at aged 20. She will be remembered as the world's greatest ever squash player for her individuality and determination.

Ranked No.1 in world squash continuously from 1983 until her retirement in 1992, Dame Susan won eight British Open titles, four World Championships, and was NZ Sportsman of the Year in 1985 and NZ Sportswoman of the Year in 1985, 1987 and 1988.

Dame Susan has not only been a world champion … she knows how to champion a cause. She has energy to burn walking the length of NZ to raise money for the muscular dystrophy charity in 1988. After that she became a Trustee of the Halberg Trust which she has now been involved with for over 20 years.

Dame Susan has an MBE, a CBE and was the youngest New Zealander since Sir Edmund Hillary to be knighted as a Dame Commander of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 1998. She’s served on numerous committees and boards, appreciating the opportunity to make a contribution particularly at the coalface. She was CEO of Sport Bay of Plenty from 2003 till 2007 and then took over the role as Chairperson, resigning to focus on Wonder Walkers a group created to get women out walking … talking and laughing.   In 2007, she appeared on Like Minds, Like Mine TV commercials in New Zealand to counter the stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness.

Dame Susan has been married to John for over 25 years and they've lead busy lives raisng four sons. She is a keen environmentalist and is a member of the Sustainability Council.

In 2012 she was awarded an honorary degree by Waikato University and in March 2013, she was appointed Race Relations Commissioner - a role she held for 5 years.

Down to earth but inspiring and eloquent, Susan is a wonderful motivational speaker, sports speaker and Master of Ceremonies.

Presentations:

• Motivation
• Goal Setting
• Personal Achievement
• Master of Ceremonies

Testimonials:

‘In addition to her presentations Susan spent a lot of time talking with both residents and guests, they all loved her and we would love to have her back’ Ocean Shores Retirement Village

‘Excellent, we have had many speakers over the last 20 yrs and the club agree that Dame Susan is the best so far. Speaking without notes, she covered sport, family and personal experiences in a humorous way’. Kiwanis Club of Howick

‘Excellent presentation. Very good feedback’ Healthcare Providers