- Club Engagement Sessions
- Club News
- Funding & Grant Support
- Schools & Education
- Safeguarding
- League Squash
- Club Resources/Support
- Competition Results
- Meet the Team & Board
- Survey Results
- Upcoming Events/Activities
Introduction
Welcome to the 1st of our quarterly club newsletters
We want to connect with you and your clubs across Wales, sharing the latest news, courses, goings on court, competition results and much much more .
Whilst this communication will be coming from the team at Squash Wales, we want to hear from you. As part of our continued engagement work, we want to hear from you and how we can share the relevant information that will support our ambitions of a safe, enjoyable, and competitive squash culture across the whole country.
We hope you enjoy the first edition; we look forward to receiving your feedback and seeing on court soon.
Squash Wales Operations Manager
Roy Gingell
Let’s hear from you
We want to hear from you!
What would you like to see in this newsletter. More focus on clubs? More information on elite players? Tips and tricks to help with your coaching?
Whatever you’d like to see let us know and we’ll weave it into our communications.
Email [email protected] with your thoughts and suggestions.
Club engagement sessions
We are planning the March engagement session, focused on membership, to be rescheduled for the end of March. We will be in touch to confirm ASAP.
Club news
Over a thousand pounds raised at the Squashathon at Cardigan Squash club
Membership update
TBC Following 14th March
Coach Education
We ran a successful Level 2 Coaching Course in Feb and had 11 candidates. This is the first Level 2 Course to be run for over 2 years.
Funding & Grant support
At Squash Wales we’re committed to helping you and your clubs thrive
Check out the links below for funding & grant information that may support your clubs’ plans
Sport Wales funding & grant support
Welsh Sports Association funding & grants database
Any questions or queries please contact [email protected] or [email protected]
Schools & Education
This academic year we have continued to visit schools and provide squash sessions using our mini-squash walls. Visits have taken place in Swansea (Pennard and Cila Primary schools), Powys (Llanbister primary school and Ysgol Calon Cymru), Monmouth (Kymin Veiw Primary) and we attended a disability Sport event held in Cardiff university back in December.
The upcoming months see visits scheduled in Newport (St Mary’s primary, Jubilee park primary and St Josephs primary), Monmouth (Overmonnow primary), Penarth (Evenlode primary), Penygroes (Ysgol Bro Lleu & Ysgol Dyffryn Nantlle) and we will also be attending two multisport events in Cardiff (eastern LC and western LC) aiming to promote and expand squash’s profile in the national curriculum.
In addition to the school visits, field trips are being organised with local clubs to provide pupils with a full squash experience on court aiming to engage more juniors in the sport.
Thanks to all those coaches currently involved in the programme and to any coaches wishing to get involved with the school’s initiative please get in touch with Tomos Rosser [email protected] who will be able to discuss all the options and resources available to provide school engagement and increase junior involvement.
Safeguarding
CWO – Please see link for Squash Wales Child Protection Policy/Procedures here
Time to listen workshop
Date : Monday 27th March 2023
Time : 6-9pm
Venue : Virtually via ZOOM
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84848773775?pwd=UmZKNDcrcUsxZ0l4b1g5c3NZRXN5QT09
Meeting ID : 848 4877 3775
Passcode : 089113d
Squash Wales are running a free Safeguarding Time to Listen course on Monday 27th March from 6-9pm
Time to Listen is a 3-hour workshop developed by the child protection in sport unit specifically for Club Safeguarding Officers.
The workshop has been adapted for Squash and uses practical examples and case studies to enable you to fully understand your role in the club and Squash Wales and how you can effectively safeguard your people in your care.
This post will be a requirement if you currently run a Junior section or are in the process of starting Junior Section.
The course will be certificated, and the qualification will last for 3 years and is part of a mandatory qualification for a Club Safeguarding officer.
Please email [email protected] to confirm attendance and ensure your safeguarding officer is on this course.
Do not hesitate to get in contact if you have any questions
League Squash
As per the recent February Club engagement session, please see below updates on league Squash across Wales.:
League Constitution & Rules Working Party [LCRWP] – now up and running and meeting on a regular basis
Aim of the group is develop the Constitution and League Rules to ensure they are fit for purpose for Clubs Teams and Players across all of Wales
Minutes of meetings are circulated to all Club Leads for discussion within clubs to ensure all are “in the loop” for proposed changes to rules
All Clubs are invited to propose changes to rules for discussion by the LCRWP by using the Rule Change template
Updated LCR will be circulated for review by all clubs before being voted upon at the LAGM in June 2023 with the updated LCR implemented for September 2023 Winter Season
Spring Leagues 2023 are underway and Period Two fixtures for leagues of 7 or more teams have now started
We currently have 125 teams over 7 regions competing
We also have 190+ qualified referees/markers supporting the matches – new qualified referees always welcome and to become a referee please see WSO link from our website
Club resources/support
We’re in the process of developing a suite of resources for you and your club that can support your goals.
These areas will include:
- Junior development
- Wellbeing in sport
- Funding and grant guidance
- Partner engagement
- Sustainable club growth
- Volunteer recruitment & retention
- Club Development planning
- And much more.
If there are any specific topics that you and your club would like support on then please do reach out to [email protected]
Competition results
Senior Players
- Emily Whitlock won the PSA Colwyn Bay Classic (Jan 23)
- Owain Taylor won the PSA Kent Open (Jan 23)
- Emyr Evans Runner Up in the PSA Christianson Classic (Jan 23)
- Tesni Evans reached the Quarter Final of the PSA Cleveland Classic
- Joel Makin reached the Quarter Final of the PSA Pittsburgh Open
- Rhys Evans reached the Semi Final of the PSA Satellite Event in Dublin (Jan 23)
Junior Players
Congratulations to all or National Junior Champions –
- Jacob Green – Boys U11
- Grace Breach – Girls U11
- Leon Lauder – Boys U13
- Madalena Sidoli – Girls U13
- Archie Davies Clarke – Boys U15
- Nia Seren Thomas – Girls U15
- Erin Patterson – Boys U17
- Millie Breach – Girls U17
- Rhys Evans – Boys U19
- Ellie Breach – Girls U19
It’s a very busy period upcoming for all our Squash Wales Players as the Junior age group teams are in the British Inter County Finals in March, along with our 5 Nations, U15,17, 19 European Team Championships in April and May
Meet the team & Board
In this section we want to bring you closer to the team who are here to help you and your club, as well as ensure safe, enjoyable, and competitive squash environments for all, across Wales.
We currently have positions available on out Board of Directors.
If you’re interested in applying, then please click here for further information.
First up in it’s Club & Community Officer, Simon Clarke.
I’ve spent over 20 years in sport as a participant, volunteer, coach, official and administrator. Over the last 12 years, I have performed various roles at Tennis Wales, Been General Manager at Canoe Wales for 2 years, most recently and largely through the COVID pandemic, I was Head of Aquatic Development for Swim Wales.
I’m currently a volunteer at my local rugby club (Old Penarthians) and enjoy playing golf and Tennis. I really enjoy learning new things and being curious about the difficult things in our lives. Probably stems from being an avid Sheffield Wednesday fan of nearly 30 years! I’m married to my wife, Louisa and have a young son Reggie who is the most important thing to me.
My responsibilities include engaging clubs and members o the challenges you’re facing as well as celebrating the successes and ensuring there are much more of the latter. I’m here to advise and guide around funding applications, signpost to relevant resources, and help evolve the membership offer making sure you, as a squash Wales members, get the very best value possible.
I’m excited to work with the team at Squash Wales and look forward to seeing you soon.
Survey Results
We’re committed to asking for your views, understanding them fully and developing our support accordingly.
See below for the latest feedback we’ve received:
- Click here to see the full report of the Club engagement survey
- Click here to see the full report of the Welsh Masters Closed 2023
- Click here to see the full report of the Welsh Junior Closed 2023
Any questions or queries please do contact [email protected]
Upcoming events/Activities
For events featuring players throughout March click here.
Intercounty Finals
We’re delighted and excited to support the following age groups at the Intercounty Finals on the 25th & 26th in Birmingham
- U11 girls & boys
- U13 girls
- U15 boys & girls
- U17 boys plate
- U17 girls
- U19 girls & boys
Its Wales’s biggest contingent ever for these finals, I’m sure you’ll join us in wishing all involved the very best of luck.
Merthyr Regional Masters
Just a reminder that the closing date for entries is Friday, 24th March 2023. The Merthyr Regional Masters will be held from Friday, March 31st, 2023, to Sunday, April 2nd 2023, at Merthyr Tydfil Leisure Centre, Merthyr Tydfil Leisure Village, Merthyr Tydfil, CF48 1UT. Entry cost £20.
Next issue
The next Club newsletter will be out in June 2023, following the June Club engagement session. Stay tuned!
