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As the curtains close on a hectic September, it’s important to look back on what has been a busy but brilliant month for squash in Ireland!

We had competitions aplenty during September which saw some high-level squash and terrific battles nationally and internationally! On the international stage, Mount Pleasant Squash Club represented Irish Squash in the European Club Championships in Germany where they performed valiantly! Moreover, Irish Squash were represented by several masters players (see here for details – Instagram post re European Masters 2023)  in Hamburg for the European Individual Masters’ Championship 2023. 

Domestically, the Kerry Senior Open, the Mount Pleasant Junior Mixed Open (see here for results GILLEN MARKETS Mount Pleasant JMO 2023 – SportyHQ), the Ulster Senior Closed 2023 and Connacht Junior Open 2023 (see here for results Connacht Junior Open 2023 – SportyHQ)  all took place in September with some excellent squash on display across all four competitions!

Aside from on-court competitions, September was the home to two major weeks in the sporting calendar, Women’s Squash Week and the European Week of Sport. These events were marked around the island with clubs hosting multiple women’s events to celebrate women in squash and engaging in #BeActive activity to mark European Week of Sport. Irish Squash would like to thank and commemorate all clubs that engaged in activities to mark these dates!  We, ourselves had a blow up court at the recent #BeActive Festival in the national Sports Campus where we were able to mix with and provide a taster of squash to potential future world-beaters! 

Finally, our highly anticipated national coaching conference took place last month in what was a thoroughly enjoyable day. The conference proved to be very insightful with overwhelming positive feedback from attendees. After brilliant presentations on fitness, mindset development, junior squash programmes and athlete development, the group had an engaging round table discussion. A massive thank you must be given to all of our speakers and to Eddie Murphy for facilitating such a wonderful event! 

This week has marked Women’s Squash Week 2023 and it has been great to see & participate in Women in Squash week activities across our island! 
 
Off the court, Irish Squash are making progress in promoting women’s involvement in our sport. Our current board exceeds the required gender quota for female representation – this is vitally important for securing essential government funding for squash. We also plan to expand the gender quota requirement for the Provincial Associations as part of our organisational review process. 
 
The Women in Leadership courses endorsed by Sport Ireland have been a valuable resource that we have been able to access for our members through Women in Sport funding. 
 
Women in Sport initiatives funded through Irish Squash have also generated successful & sustained programs in our affiliated clubs for women and schoolgirls. We plan to expand on this activity this season.
 
Since 2021, our Level 1 coaching courses have attracted increasing numbers of women and we recently had our first ever all-female course! Check our website for lists of approved coaches.
 
We also recognise the enormous support that parents of our juniors provide to the squash community & their contribution as volunteers at clubs & competitions throughout the squash season.
 
My attention was caught by the recent publication of State of the Nation research by Lidl Ireland on girls in sport (reported on Sport for Business).
 
The top five most important factors for girls aged 12-18 years to participate in sport are: a Shared Experience with Friends (66%), a Fun Training Environment (59%), Quality Coaching (36%), Representing their School or Community (34%) and Access to Good Facilities (25%).
 

On a personal level, I recognise that each of these factors have applied to me during my lifelong association with squash. I value the friendships made as a junior and which remain important to me today. I still love playing squash both for fun & competitively! Being President of Irish Squash is a great privilege and I take the responsibility of leading our organisation very seriously. A continued legacy of attracting more females into squash and creating a lifelong love our our sport is very important to me.  

We are investing in the expansion of our organisation. With the recent appointment of Scott Graham in the new CEO role, I am confident that the capacity of Irish Squash to deliver on our Strategic Plan and in particular, grow female participation at all levels will be realised.
 
Please contact us if you wish to get involved!
 
Enjoy your Squash!
 
Rosie Barry
President Irish Squash 
This week has marked Women’s Squash Week 2023 and it has been great to see & participate in Women in Squash week activities across our island! 
 
Off the court, Irish Squash are making progress in promoting women’s involvement in our sport. Our current board exceeds the required gender quota for female representation – this is vitally important for securing essential government funding for squash. We also plan to expand the gender quota requirement for the Provincial Associations as part of our organisational review process. 
 
The Women in Leadership courses endorsed by Sport Ireland have been a valuable resource that we have been able to access for our members through Women in Sport funding. 
 
Women in Sport initiatives funded through Irish Squash have also generated successful & sustained programs in our affiliated clubs for women and schoolgirls. We plan to expand on this activity this season.
 
Since 2021, our Level 1 coaching courses have attracted increasing numbers of women and we recently had our first ever all-female course! Check our website for lists of approved coaches.
 
We also recognise the enormous support that parents of our juniors provide to the squash community & their contribution as volunteers at clubs & competitions throughout the squash season.
 
My attention was caught by the recent publication of State of the Nation research by Lidl Ireland on girls in sport (reported on Sport for Business).
 
The top five most important factors for girls aged 12-18 years to participate in sport are: a Shared Experience with Friends (66%), a Fun Training Environment (59%), Quality Coaching (36%), Representing their School or Community (34%) and Access to Good Facilities (25%).
 

On a personal level, I recognise that each of these factors have applied to me during my lifelong association with squash. I value the friendships made as a junior and which remain important to me today. I still love playing squash both for fun & competitively! Being President of Irish Squash is a great privilege and I take the responsibility of leading our organisation very seriously. A continued legacy of attracting more females into squash and creating a lifelong love our our sport is very important to me.  

We are investing in the expansion of our organisation. With the recent appointment of Scott Graham in the new CEO role, I am confident that the capacity of Irish Squash to deliver on our Strategic Plan and in particular, grow female participation at all levels will be realised.
 
Please contact us if you wish to get involved!
 
Enjoy your Squash!
 
Rosie Barry
President Irish Squash 

Sport NI has launched its quest to celebrate the unsung heroes of sport through the annual SportMaker awards. These awards  awards celebrate the unsung heroes of sport in Northern Ireland- the coaches, volunteers and officials who work tirelessly behind the scenes to make sport happen. 

Nominations for the SportMaker awards are now open. The awards give the sporting community the opportunity to showcase their achievements and give special thanks to coaches, officials and volunteers.

Sport NI Chair George Lucas said: “Our SportMaker Awards acknowledge the incredible work of our sporting community and highlight the outstanding people and projects that have made an impact over the last year. We know there are many unsung sporting heroes out there who work tirelessly behind the scenes to help enrich people’s lives through the power of sport. If you know a SportMaker, please nominate them today!”

Nominations are open now until 9 October, 2023, with 11 award categories recognising achievement at all levels of sports participation, from grassroots through to high performance.

If you would like to nominate someone for this award, click Sport NI SportMaker Award 2023 – Nomination page.

For more information visit www.sportni.net/sportmaker2023 

Sport NI has launched its quest to celebrate the unsung heroes of sport through the annual SportMaker awards. These awards  awards celebrate the unsung heroes of sport in Northern Ireland- the coaches, volunteers and officials who work tirelessly behind the scenes to make sport happen. 

Nominations for the SportMaker awards are now open. The awards give the sporting community the opportunity to showcase their achievements and give special thanks to coaches, officials and volunteers.

Sport NI Chair George Lucas said: “Our SportMaker Awards acknowledge the incredible work of our sporting community and highlight the outstanding people and projects that have made an impact over the last year. We know there are many unsung sporting heroes out there who work tirelessly behind the scenes to help enrich people’s lives through the power of sport. If you know a SportMaker, please nominate them today!”

Nominations are open now until 9 October, 2023, with 11 award categories recognising achievement at all levels of sports participation, from grassroots through to high performance.

If you would like to nominate someone for this award, click Sport NI SportMaker Award 2023 – Nomination page.

For more information visit www.sportni.net/sportmaker2023 

The European Club Championships take place from September 13th to the 16th in the Paderborn Club in Germany.

Ireland is represented by Mount Pleasant in the women’s event and Fitzwilliam in the men’s event.

The Mount Pleasant team is Roisin O’Shea, maria Protsepova, Suzanne Swan & Maria O’Brien

The Fitzwilliam team is Conor O’Hare, Dara O’Flynn, Dermot McNamara, Kevin Moore & Niall Rooney

WOMEN

ESF Club Championships – Women’s Team – Women’s Team – Pool B

Women’s Team – Position 1-4, Women’s Team – Position 5-8, Women’s Team – Pool A, Women’s Team – Pool B

 

Standings of ESF Club Championships – Women’s Team – Women’s Team – Pool B
    Points Played Won Draws Lost Rubbers Games Points
1 FRAMulhouse 6 3 3 0 0 8 – 1 24 – 4 287 – 163
2 GERPaderborner SC 4 3 2 0 1 7 – 2 22 – 6 279 – 151
3 SCOInverness TSC 2 3 1 0 2 3 – 6 9 – 19 191 – 258
4 IRLMount Pleasant LTC 0 3 0 0 3 0 – 9 1 – 27 119 – 304

Show draw…

Latest matches of ESF Club Championships – Women’s Team – Women’s Team – Pool B
  Time Home – Away Score Court
  Wed 13/09/2023 12:00 MulhouseFrance – IrelandMount Pleasant LTC 3-0 ‘ – PaderStahl
  Wed 13/09/2023 12:00 Paderborner SCGermany – ScotlandInverness TSC 3-0 ‘ – Lightpower
  Wed 13/09/2023 18:30 Inverness TSCScotland – IrelandMount Pleasant LTC 3-0 ‘ – Lightpower
  Thu 14/09/2023 12:00 MulhouseFrance – ScotlandInverness TSC 3-0 ‘ – Glass Court
  Thu 14/09/2023 12:00 Paderborner SCGermany – IrelandMount Pleasant LTC 3-0 ‘ – Lightpower
  Thu 14/09/2023 18:30 MulhouseFrance – GermanyPaderborner SC 2-1 ‘ – Glass Court

 

 
    Points Played Won Draws Lost Rubbers Games Points
1 GERPaderborner SC 4 2 2 0 0 6 – 0 18 – 0 198 – 63
2 FRAMulhouse 4 2 2 0 0 6 – 0 18 – 0 199 – 82
3 SCOInverness TSC 2 3 1 0 2 3 – 6 9 – 19 191 – 258
4 IRLMount Pleasant LTC 0 3 0 0 3 0 – 9 1 – 27 119 – 304

Show draw…

Latest matches of ESF Club Championships – Women’s Team – Women’s Team – Pool B
  Time Home – Away Score Court
  Wed 13/09/2023 12:00 MulhouseFrance – IrelandMount Pleasant LTC 3-0 ‘ – PaderStahl
  Wed 13/09/2023 12:00 Paderborner SCGermany – ScotlandInverness TSC 3-0 ‘ – Lightpower
  Wed 13/09/2023 18:30 Inverness TSCScotland – IrelandMount Pleasant LTC 3-0 ‘ – Lightpower
  Thu 14/09/2023 12:00 MulhouseFrance – ScotlandInverness TSC 3-0 ‘ – Glass Court
  Thu 14/09/2023 12:00 Paderborner SCGermany – IrelandMount Pleasant LTC 3-0 ‘ – Lightpower
  Thu 14/09/2023 18:30 MulhouseFrance – GermanyPaderborner SC   ‘ – Glass Court

All matches…

Latest matches of ESF Club Championships – Women’s Team – Women’s Team – Position 5-8
  Time Home – Away Score Court
  Fri 15/09/2023 12:00 Oly Koks and TalesBelgium – IrelandMount Pleasant LTC 2-1 ‘ – Glass Court
  Fri 15/09/2023 12:00 Squash FricktalSwitzerland – ScotlandInverness TSC 1-2 ‘ – Lightpower
  Sat 16/09/2023 10:00 Mount Pleasant LTCIreland – SwitzerlandSquash Fricktal   ‘ – PaderStahl
  Sat 16/09/2023 10:00 Oly Koks and TalesBelgium – ScotlandInverness TSC   ‘ – Lightpower

MEN

ESF Club Championships – Men’s Team – Men’s Team – Position 09-11

 
Men’s Team – Position 01-08 
Men’s Team – Position 09-11 
Men’s Team – Pool A 
Men’s Team – Pool B 
Men’s Team – Pool C 
Men’s Team – Pool D