The recent Herts. Squash Club & Coaches Forum was a successful, enlightening and rewarding evening! Many thanks to those that attended and contributed. It is clear that there is a great deal of talent, experience and motivation within the County and Herts. Squash will now be creating a Development Strategy based around the very priorities identified from three key questions discussed at the Forum. These were:
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What makes a “good Squash Club”?
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How can we grow participation?
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What can Herts. Squash do to help?
The priorities that emerged from the answers to these questions were:
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Clubs and Coaches need financial support (and funding) where necessary i.e. facility refurbishment and specific development programs
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Coaches can feel isolated and need support and guidance to develop progressive and sustainable Coaching programs and feel valued.
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Appropriate marketing material is needed to raise the profile of our sport in local communities surrounding Squash facilities (and within them if multi-sport)
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Resources are needed to support effective long-term School, College and University outreach programs
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More full-time Coaches are needed to drive participation growth
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Business Skill Development workshops for Clubs, Centres and Coaches
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“Herts. Squash Development” should be highlighted and elevated using social media platforms and examples of best practice on the website
The Herts. Squash Clubs and Coaches Development Strategy will incorporate the above priorities and the County will be making a bid to Sport England for funding to set up a Developing Coaches Academy (DCA) which will recruit, train and mentor the next (and existing) generation of full-time Coaches in Herts. The DCA will provide an opportunity for at least 5 clubs to work closely with the DCA to facilitate opportunities and development for Coaches under associated mentoring. At this stage it is important however to emphasise that any Herts. Squash development initiative will aim to include all those who wish to be involved, whether Club or Leisure Centre, full or part-time coach. If you or your club would like to be involved, please register your interest by return of email.
Kind regards,
Peter Newman (Herts. Squash Chair)
