Introducing juniors to squash at an early age allows the club to nurture and develop skilled players who may excel at competitive levels. Junior players can represent the club in local, regional, or national competitions, raising its profile.
Juniors who start young often remain engaged with the sport, ensuring a steady influx of future adult members.
Junior squash teaches teamwork, discipline, and resilience. A well-structured junior program can create pathways to scholarships, leadership roles, or careers in sports.
Define Roles and Responsibilities for people who will be in charge to administer and develop the junior section in your club. In particular, you will need an individual to oversee and co-ordinate the junior sections activities. This co-ordinator should be a part of the clubs committee to act as a link.
Draft policies for safeguarding, code of conduct, attendance, and discipline. Ensure compliance with local and national regulations.
Define a Safeguarding Children Officer and a Designated Liaison Person.
Select a properly qualified and experienced coach for your sessions.
If a coach is not available in your club or area, gather interest from current or past club players who may be interested in taking over, and support them in their path to become a coach and collect the relevant qualification.
Any person involved in the session, must go through Safeguarding training and Garda Vetting background check according to the law.
Once a person or more are selected, define together the age group(s) and timetable for classes.
Suggestion: start with a limited amount of sessions (4-10 sessions once a week) to gather interest a little bit at a time. Players may pay per class or per set amount of weeks.
Build a plan including goals on numbers and performance. Remember: fun is priority! Balance fun and skill development, include drills, matches, and fitness activities to keep juniors engaged.
Incorporate games to make sessions enjoyable, especially for beginners. Include mental toughness, sportsmanship, and teamwork development games and activities.
Promote your new youth sessions in your community through flyers, social media, local papers and community noticeboards. Ask to the Local Sport Partnership to support you in the communication and promotion.
Contact local schools for taster session during school time, or to develop programme that would gauge interest in pupils.
Collaborate with other local clubs and organise open days for come-and-try sessions.
It is required that every club with underage and vulnerable players involved follows Sport Ireland guidelines and requirements on Child Welfare. These requirements are applicable for any club that has a at least one minor in their club.
The Club Development section is designed to guide you through the essential steps of building and enhancing your sports club. Whether you’re starting from scratch or looking to take your club to the next level, this resource covers key areas such as starting a club,
Starting a squash club can be a highly rewarding experience for squash enthusiasts, offering not just a space to play but also a vibrant community where members can connect, improve their skills, and share their passion for the game.
