Last Friday marked the successful conclusion of the inaugural “Squash – Supporting Children’s Physical Literacy Journey in Primary School” Teacher’s Summer Course in Ballina and Thurles. Over the week, 33 enthusiastic primary school teachers participated, learning how to seamlessly introduce the dynamic game of squash to their students while aligning with the Primary Curriculum.
The course culminated with an engaging visit to the Ballina and Thurles Squash Clubs, where teachers had the chance to try the game firsthand, meet with some club officials and explore the excellent facilities available. The feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive, with teachers now equipped with the necessary resources and expertise to bring squash into their classrooms in the upcoming school year.
This groundbreaking initiative was made possible by the collaborative efforts of many dedicated individuals and organisations. A heartfelt commendation goes out to the course authors and tutors, namely Ivan O’Mahony, Michael Hassett, Mark Healy and to Michael McKenzie from the Mayo Education Support centre for driving the programme. Special thanks are also due to the members of Irish Squash who provided unwavering support through their commitment of time and expertise and to staff at the Thurles and Mayo Education Support Centres and for their exceptional administrative and logistical support, as well as for managing the resource pack loan scheme for schools going forward. The Directors of the three centres deserve recognition for backing the course, selecting it to run in their catchment areas, and funding the necessary provisions for tutors and participants.
The success of this course has laid a solid foundation that can be replicated in other regions across the country next summer, with additional planning and recruitment of tutors., in turn creating more opportunities to build a squash community in the schools across Ireland. This initiative not only benefits teachers and children but also fosters the growth of squash, creating a lasting impact on the sport’s future in Ireland.
