Hampshire Squash July 2005 News

HAMPSHIRE SQUASH & RACKETBALL NEWS - July 2005

2005 HSRA AGM

The 2005 HSRA AGM was held at Winchester LTSC on Thursday 30^th July. To view or print the Agenda then click here and for the minutes of last years AGM then click here. The meeting was well attended with representatives from nearly all clubs as well as England Squash. In the right hand column there is an update from Nick Metcalf, our England Squash Area Manager, who attended the HSRA AGM.

WHATS HAPPENING AT ENGLAND SQUASH?

Report from Nick Metcalf - Area Manager - South East
nick.metcalf@englandsquash.com tel: 07989743054, 12^th July 2005

The following information provides a brief overview of the initiatives we are currently working on to promote and develop the game of Squash across the country. Further details can be found on www.englandsquash.com or alternatively please feel free to contact me via the details shown above to discuss how your club and players can get involved:

Squash on Sky Sports

With the assistance of squash's great ambassador Peter Nicol and Winchester Squash Club, we recently ran a squash taster session at a local primary school which was recorded by Sky Sports for inclusion in a series entitled U Can Do It, focussing on getting youngsters into sport. The 5-minute feature will be first broadcast this Saturday 9`h July at 07:30 on Sky Sports 1, immediately prior to the Lions final test. The show will go out again at 12:55 on SS3, 16:55 on SS2 and 23:00 on SS3 and will then air at various times in the coming few weeks. Make sure you tune in to see what our school taster sessions are all about.

Club Charter

Our goal is to create and support a network of Chartered Squash Clubs which provide a range of playing and coaching opportunities in a safe, accessible and welcoming environment. The England Squash Club Charter is part of the National Clubmark Scheme run by Sport England across many different sports with Ebbisham Squash Club in Surrey recently being involved in the 1000 Clubmark Club celebrations with double that number currently working towards the scheme. Once chartered, we work closely with clubs to help bring in new players and expand the club.

National Coaching Scheme

All clubs have received the National Coaching Scheme Poster and are hopefully incorporating the different levels into their Junior coaching programmes.

1. Mini Squash

Mini Squash offers an ideal introduction to the sport. This exciting game fits the needs of younger children and is played using specialised equipment designed to help children achieve maximum success. There are three main levels in Mini Squash, which are FUNdation, Improver and PRO. To find out more about Mini Squash see the web site www.mimisquash.com or contact Gary Hales for further information on Mini Squash initiatives in Hampshire. Gary is working one day a week for England Squash in Hampshire specifically to promote Mini Squash uptake by clubs and to work on fostering links with schools to encourage greater uptake of the game by juniors.

2. Development Player Awards

The Development Player Awards offer a progression from Mini Squash for junior players who have mastered the basic skills of the game. The next level of the National Coaching Scheme, the Top Player Awards, will be released later this year and come free with every order of the Development Player Awards.

Coaches

Coach Licence details have been issued to all registered coaches of whom there are over 75 in Hampshire. The purpose of the Licence is to ensure that all practicing coaches are trained to an appropriate level for the responsibility they hold. Clubs have a responsibility to ensure that coaches working within their club are Licensed and with a licensed coach on board, a significant number of the Club Charter criteria are already fulfilled.

CRB

The only way we can ensure that previous offenders do not get into our clubs is to put all coaches and volunteers who have access to children through the England Squash CRB check. To initiate the process simply send names and addresses of those working with children in your club to us and the relevant forms will be sent out.

Graded Tournaments

A successful and growing network of Graded Tournament is now up and running creating additional opportunities for both juniors and seniors to compete against players of related ability in an open format. Also a great opportunity for a club to show off it's facilities and bring additional revenue into the club.
Junior winners proceed to Champion of Champions which was recently held at the NSC and was very successful with all children thoroughly enjoying the competition.

ESGrading.com

The National Ranking system for squash players is really starting to take off. Simply log onto to www.esgrading.com and log in with your membership number to start earning ranking points for every game you play. We are currently working to integrate results from clubs and counties into this system.

England Squash Area Academies

Offering juniors a progression from county level squash, the Area Academies will offer a progression for players with the talent and drive to succeed. Three ways of getting into the Area Academies - the Area Closed (8/9 October), National Rankings and Wildcard selections. Four squad sessions will be held throughout the season followed by an Inter Area Academies Competition.

Area Play Offs

Trial competition held this year with excellent support from South East counties. In the Ladies event Lee-on-Solent from Hampshire beat Ealing Ladies from Middlesex, whilst Biggin Hill from Kent will play Winchester from Hampshire in the Men's final on July 10th. Next year the competition will be titled the ES National Cup and the six Area Champions will contest a finals weekend at the National Squash Centre.

Xl Island Games 2005 Shetlands

Two island regions of our association took part in the Island Games 6th - 15th July in the Shetland Islands.

The whole event included 24 islands from the Americas, N & S Atlantic, the Med. and Scandinavia. The largest multi sport event in Europe this year and including for the first time: SQUASH! New courts with proper doubles facilities at the press of a switch were built for the event, the only ones in Scotland so far.

Both the Isle of Wight and Guernsey sent a squad. Over the week all the players had one fantastic experience. Up against some first rate adult players, some of whom are on the WSA circuit including world 66 Bermudan Nick Kyme. The Games were a brilliant experience in so many ways, great to be in a multi sport event, part of an island team and part of an international squash community for a week. On top of that the Shetlanders were great hosts with parties, generous with their time and assistance.

Guernsey won 6 medals, the Isle of Wight 1. Guernsey's medals came from Chris Simpson, Gold in the mens doubles, Karen Dunk & Alison Strobridge, Gold in womens doubles ; Silver in the Team event, and womens singles: Stobridge; Bronze in mixed doubles: Simpson & Strobridge, and womens singles: Dunk.

For the Isle of Wight, beating Guernsey's Chris Simpson and Sam Shields to win bronze in the mens doubles and the recognition by way of the medal ceremony was a very proud achievement for the pairing of Alex Phillips & Callum Arnott. In the singles Phillips was seeded 8th and finished 6th, Arnott came 13th and Pete Smith 21st, all gained a couple of wins. Thanks are due from the Isle of Wight squad to Jon Prag at the Rosebowl for organising doubles practice and opponents, and to Portsmouth Squash & Winchester LTSC for providing keen challenge matches by way of preparation. All the results etc are on the web at www.shetlandresults2005.com

For further information and feedback you might like to contact Peter Bridgeman the Guernsey Manager.

Martin Phillips

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