jimbob - this is a problem we foresaw here in this country is about 1994/5 where the utilisation was not enough to sustain a viable squash business just for squash players as the usage was shrinking with the changing lifestyles of families, ie working Mums so the Ladies Daytime competition just about shrivelled up, junior squash and coaching gradually fell away as parents were too busy to be involved in the travel  after school and on a Saturday morning, other sports (that had more money for promotion) going into schools with Development Officers, helping the kids at primary schools, especially where the schools already had facilities like indoor netball/basketball courts, tennis courts, soccer, rugby, etc. at a minimum cost to the children too.

When we then were encouraged to run with an initiative of the Dept of Sport of which I was heavily involved in, and could see the sense of such a thing for children to promote Aussie sport, ie Pee-wee tennis, T-ball, Swot (was my squash equivalent program), our squash players in the main were opposed to it as it seemed "a sissy" idea to use a different ball, and a shorter racket handle, so that really got in the way of the promotion of other programs at the squash centres; and it proved to be a very short-sighted approach; as those other sports would have developed many of the basic skills squash players needed (as well as provide more income for the centre), and it would have been just a matter of time and many of the kids would have progressed to squash when they felt ready.

Maybe one day it will turn around, particularly with the decline in children's fitness and health, together with obesity.  Currently we are seeing things like Co-ordinated kids, kindy gym, etc.  programs springing up in the clubs; yes, I believe squash had a chance to do just that without doing a thing to the buildings, playing games like indoor hockey, table tennis, indoor basketball, Swot, etc to widen the market and attract all ages, and utilise the courts for at least 10/12 hours per day.

Now it seems to be all too late, but let's hope other countries learn from this and take steps to prevent the demolition of our centres.

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I'm glad things have worked out for you Sam and well done for preserving your courts, but unfortunately in our case, they have put mezzanine floors into the courts to make maximum alternative use of the available space, so your solution is not open to us.  For example, from information I have gleaned, in one of the courts they are installing a new kids multi-gym at ground level with meeting space above.  That's another reason why squash courts are so vulnerable, as they are also spacious vertically as well as horizontally, offering additional flexibility when it comes to conversion.  Unfortunately, from a financial perspective, squash just can't compete with these alternative uses and leisure managers can successfully argue that changing over to other uses will mean more actual people using the space for sports/leisure activities.  They are also targetted in terms of participation rates, so there is additional pressure here as well.

I have made my views known to my local council officially, but am still waiting on a proper reply, which I have been assured will be forthcoming.  It's all a done deal anyway, as the contractors are already on site, and I know what to expect in terms of their response.  They will argue that the usage rates were insufficient to justify the number of courts and that more people (particularly youngsters) will have access to a better range of sporting facilities.  Us squash players just feel that they gave up on the sport far too easily and did not make enough of the assets whilst we still had them.

We are now in a position of just trying to protect the 2 courts that we have left.  Trouble now is that if we now promote too hard, we will encounter severe court availability problems.  This is already the case with peak periods from 5.20pm to 8.40pm.

I am sure my council is not alone in closing squash courts in this manner.  Squash just needs to seriously up its profile here in the UK, or it is in danger of dropping into obscurity.  Ask your average person over here who the number 1 UK squash player is and they will almost certainly shrug their shoulders, plus when you tell them who it is, chances are they won't have heard of them.  This also includes some people who actually play the game as well!!

Cheers

Jimbob

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My local squash courts were nearly removed for a bloody GYMNASTICS centre around a year ago, until we got a petition going and demanded that the courts stay.

We've come to a compromise where they can put mats in the squash courts to do their hairy fairy gymnastic routines when we are not using the courts

Up the squash!

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Hi Sparty

I agree that things are not as gloomy as you may think, but do worry that the closure of local leisure centre courts could lead to a future demise, as this is how a lot of people get their first opportunity to play the sport. 

I am pleased that squash clubs seem to be thriving nowadays.  I wish there was one in the town I live, but we have to rely on the local council to provide the courts as the leisure centres.  Hmm, perhaps this is a business opportunity?!

This is why I am so angry about our local council, as they could have done so much more to promote the sport, especially to the youngsters.  In a nearby district, I know for starters that they are an England Squash Gold Centre and run Mini Squash to get kids interested.  Our league could have been made more like a 'club' as well, as it is all organised so passively.

I am not going to just let this drop so will be sending in a letter.  I'll let you know what reply I get!

Cheers

Jimbob

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good post jimbob, people need to be reminded of their own responsibility to keep squash going....

but I don't think it's as bad as a lot of people are making out. The good news is that people who play squash, tend to really play squash. i.e they love it, and it is rare that someone tries the game, and doesn't continue to play.

you will see, as has already started happening in the last 5 years in the UK at least, a closing of local leisure centre squash courts, as they can use the same space to put a spinning class or aerobics class in there. In an ideal world for squash this wouldn't happen, but on a pure business decision, they can get 20 people in an aerobics class all paying £5 each, or only two people on a squash court paying £5 total for the same amount of time. unfortunately you can't argue with pound notes and remember we are in the age of health and fitness, and more and more people are joining gyms specifically to do these types of classes. So the only way that leisure centres are keeping squash courts as squash courts is by hiking the price, and you are starting to find some leisure centres now charging nearly £10 per 45 minute session! 

So I think that closing leisure centre courts isn't necessarily a bad thing, because the people who play at these leisure centres aren't going to stop playing - they are going to join a bona fide squash club instead.....

Our club has gone from strength to strength since councils have started closing courts in leisure centres, with more members joining every year. This has made for more players in the leagues, more competitions, and a greater social scene. and although we pay a small membership fee every year of £50 we only pay £2 per court.

Although squash may seem to be losing popularity in the mainstream, I don't actually think there's less people playing, There are just less courts, but those clubs that are surviving are thriving. Like jimbob said, the pro game has never been more exciting to watch, and I do agree that more televised coverage can only be good for any sport. If only the uk sports TV channels would get the idea that "sport = football and football only" out of their heads then maybe this will happen....

on the whole, we all have a responisibility to promote squash as much as we can, but rest assured, it is far from being a sport cast into extinction....

sparty

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