tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7754579306168824902009-07-04T23:18:00.530ZRaising the profile of squash through dialogue with the squash community, the media and other agenciessquashbloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00397153424504470685noreply@blogger.comBlogger234125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775457930616882490.post-17708376642714997582009-07-04T22:23:00.006Z2009-07-04T23:18:00.537Z

What could Malcolm Willstrop do for squash with £25 million? Or Neil Harvey? Or any of our top squash coaches?I'd pondered this ever since I found out that this was the pile of surplus cash the Wimbledon tennis fortnight generates for the Lawn Tennis Association each year ...Left: photo copyright AELTCSo over the past decade, the LTA - charged with developing tennis players in the UK - have had

squashbloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00397153424504470685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775457930616882490.post-81076884424852144152009-06-19T08:39:00.001Z2009-06-19T08:12:42.529Z

It disappeared from the streets of the 'Smoke for a few weeks but appears to have found new backing.Sport magazine - the London freesheet that we've featured here a few times for its coverage of squash events (and its great photos) - is back ... and a squash player gets a full page ...Flip to page 46 and you'll find a profile of England's Nick Matthew in the magazine's 'Sporting Bodies' feature.

squashbloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00397153424504470685noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775457930616882490.post-91510890231819564632009-05-29T19:13:00.011Z2009-05-31T17:20:36.688Z

Squash's bid for Olympic status gained pace last Saturday 23rd May with the Squash 2016 logo being unveiled around famous London landmarks on World Squash Day.A Routemaster London bus was hired by James Poole to tour the banner around the capital, with publicity opportunities being taken at Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, the London Eye and the Tower of London ...Elsewhere around the world World

squashbloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00397153424504470685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775457930616882490.post-31926064946168236712009-05-21T12:18:00.006Z2009-05-21T16:29:00.840Z

With just two days to go until World Squash Day 2009, squash fans around the world are preparing for events to publicise squash's bid for inclusion in the 2016 Olympic Games.Promotional bus tours and 24-hour squash marathons are just some of the events planned as far afield as London, Chicago, Madrid, Rio, and Tokyo ...Including: meeting times and route for Saturday's 'Big Day Out' in LondonWSD

squashbloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00397153424504470685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775457930616882490.post-3975705598886822072009-05-14T15:40:00.002Z2009-05-14T15:44:14.506Z

STOP PRESS!It appears that there is a silver lining to the credit crunch where squash is concerned ...We've reported the latest developments on the future of the Finsbury and Sobell leisure centres for the past couple of years, focussing on the threat to the squash courts there.So today's news that Islington Council is going to shelve its plans to rebuild the premises (which would have almost

squashbloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00397153424504470685noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775457930616882490.post-54974544378409985912009-05-13T18:49:00.007Z2009-05-14T11:25:47.659Z

The headlines (sic) reporting a double-English win may have lacked originality, but this year's European Team Championships was perhaps more remarkable for individual stories than the final result.I think I might give up tournament predictions after suggesting that the English women might struggle against the Dutch in the Final of this year's European Team Championships. They went on to beat the

squashbloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00397153424504470685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775457930616882490.post-50845892210497393622009-04-29T18:23:00.006Z2009-04-30T09:41:15.577Z

Looking up the early results of this year's European Teams, I found this ad (left) dwarfing the adjacent scores on a well-known squash website.Of course! Now I remember the unfortunate stat from last year's tournament - the Ukrainian women's team being thrashed 81-0 on their debut.But where are they this year?The men's draw features a six-man team from the Ukraine headed by Ruslan Sorochynskvi.

squashbloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00397153424504470685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775457930616882490.post-31519587884362491002009-04-28T09:17:00.003Z2009-04-28T10:37:09.015Z

World Squash Day 2009 will be held on Saturday 23rd May.The day is being re-branded as 'Squash 2016 Day' this year in support of squash's bid to be included in the 2016 Olympic Games.National Federations and clubs all over the world are organising events to promote the sport and the Olympic bid ...From the WSF website:Squash 2016 Bid Team Member and former world champion Peter Nicol said: "Our

squashbloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00397153424504470685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775457930616882490.post-59307381678961975352009-04-26T07:15:00.001Z2009-04-26T19:13:22.467Z

A disappointing article last week in The Times by Giles Smith took a sideswipe at squash's Olympic aspirations.The article, about the role of persuasive language in winning bids for sporting events, suggests that squash has no chance in the 2016 vote because no one wants to watch it.An unnecessary remark given the main context of the article - but why not publish my response?The article concerned

squashbloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00397153424504470685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775457930616882490.post-5081214027265298452009-04-22T07:35:00.000Z2009-04-22T08:36:13.558Z

Hallelujah! A sportsman's ipod is cracked open to reveal something other than rap and supermarket trolley 'lifestyle music'. Intriguingly, Peter Barker's listening preferences strike a maudlin tone not usually heard in the testosterone-sodden locker rooms of professional sport ...Right: An interview with Barker after winning the World TeamsAn interview for the Guardian's 'What's rocking sport'

squashbloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00397153424504470685noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775457930616882490.post-62212309105567169442009-04-16T10:15:00.013Z2009-04-17T16:20:08.696Z

When Peter Nicol asked me what I thought about the "interactive exhibition" I had just seen, I garbled something incoherent about "crowds getting involved" and "innovation".Five seconds later our promoter, VIP and resident Squash Legend was delivering a flawless live link-up for a regional news broadcast. I removed my fist from my mouth and pondered some more.Behind the court the sun set before

squashbloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00397153424504470685noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775457930616882490.post-81829913415993634522009-03-27T14:18:00.005Z2009-03-27T14:37:32.838Z

In a month where two showpiece squash tournaments held in London have worn their Olympic aspirations on their sleeves, a new article on the BBC Sport website sings squash's praises as a 2016 hopeful.The blog written by Matt Slater, who is responsible for Olympics-related content, weighs up the contenders for October's vote in Copenhagen before concluding that squash has the greatest claim for

squashbloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00397153424504470685noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775457930616882490.post-28699659209435228022009-03-26T11:06:00.028Z2009-03-26T22:09:50.480Z

Watching Robert Edwards compere a squash tournament always reminds me of a Catholic wedding I once went to: a somewhat fussy ceremony spun out over a couple of hours, presided over by a man who knew what was best.I thought the veteran 'Voice of Squash' had retired, but '21st Century Squash' is clearly short of talent of Edwards' magnitude ...I came to Queen's Club on the last night agnostic to

squashbloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00397153424504470685noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775457930616882490.post-60488540176852503902009-03-25T11:38:00.010Z2009-03-25T12:53:04.492Z

Great to see intelligent questions being put to the players in the videos being put out on the Canary Wharf website and YouTube.Deepening the coverage of a current event via prompt video postings can enrich a tournament - especially for those squash fans who cannot attend ... Videoing players is not in itself new or innovative (though there is certainly room for innovation where filming play is

squashbloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00397153424504470685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775457930616882490.post-53447802077706977262009-03-23T13:47:00.004Z2009-03-23T14:21:07.184Z

The London sojourn for the men's tour reaches a climax this week with the Canary Wharf Classic (23-27 March).Now in its 6th year, the docklands event is loved by players and spectators alike for its infectious atmosphere and East Wintergarden location.Following the launch of '21st Century Squash' at last week's Super Series Finals (report to follow very soon!), what can we expect from the Eventis

squashbloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00397153424504470685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775457930616882490.post-68636223490309590732009-03-19T09:00:00.003Z2009-03-23T14:22:38.824Z

We’ve often commented on court closures and other negative stories associated with squash at a regional/local level, but recently we’ve been contacted by Paul Main, Chairman of Luton Dunstable Squash Club, which is attempting to swim against the tide and promote participation in squash …Plus: Win the change to play Peter Nicol!Paul writes:"A few years ago Dunstable Leisure Centre had four courts

squashbloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00397153424504470685noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775457930616882490.post-4451710617270150292009-03-11T18:03:00.007Z2009-03-11T18:43:08.600Z

The marketing engine for this weekend's start of the ATCO Super Series Finals 2009 is in top gear, with effectively a new era for the men's tour being launched.The Finals this year are taking place at Queen's Club, Chelsea, in London, having moved from their Broadgate home. But what do the respondents to our poll think about the upcoming event (14-17 March)?We asked visitors to the site whether

squashbloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00397153424504470685noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775457930616882490.post-28741653866833342252009-03-06T05:18:00.002Z2009-03-06T08:53:05.384Z

More fruits of England Squash's decision to invest in marketing its product are beginning to emerge, with the rebranding of the organisation and the unveiling of a new logo ...ES have commissioned professional help from an agency, Fudge Studios, as part of the process. With squash historically pretty dire at marketing itself, this seems like a worthwhile investment.The decision to market squash

squashbloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00397153424504470685noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775457930616882490.post-59870784459802370802009-03-04T11:19:00.004Z2009-03-04T16:38:50.217Z

We unfortunately couldn't make the recent British Nationals to see Jenny Duncalf and Nick Matthew take the titles for the second time each. Looking over the recent success of both players away from domestic competition - and reviewing their careers to date - it struck me that they share a symmetry ...Both had assumed a solid berth around 5/6 in the world, before falling back slightly in 2007.

squashbloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00397153424504470685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775457930616882490.post-80135948104175552492009-02-27T12:43:00.011Z2009-02-27T14:30:01.107Z

A table in todays's Sport magazine compares indoor sports by the calories they burn off in an hour.Like the Forbes study from a few years back, squash comes out on top, but it's food/drink equivalency stats that catch the eye ...Squash is the top indoor sport for burning calories, with 816 burned per hour (assuming a body weight of 150 lbs) - the stats are actually taken from the health/exercise

squashbloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00397153424504470685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775457930616882490.post-34782476512965135162009-02-24T20:44:00.004Z2009-02-24T21:33:17.549Z

The Super Series finals move to their new home of Queen's Club next month (a good idea? Vote over to the right!).As a preview to the event, enjoy this fine rally between those great rivals Nicol and Power at Broadgate in 2003.Is that Jonathon speaking French I hear ? ;) Power eventually took the title 15-11, 10-15, 13-15, 15-4, 15-14.Super Series history

squashbloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00397153424504470685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775457930616882490.post-36926202106361057582009-02-23T17:50:00.000Z2009-02-23T18:41:28.318Z

We've been reporting the alarming rate at which public squash courts are disappearing in the UK for a couple of years now - click on provision, above.So it's encouraging to see that the Daily Telegraph have taken up the baton to try and bring national coverage to this decline, as part of its rejuvenated squash coverage.It has launched a campaign to save our sports facilities - with backing from

squashbloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00397153424504470685noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775457930616882490.post-42056034924368326952009-02-19T14:22:00.005Z2009-02-19T14:38:49.951Z

I'm going to post my own article on Lee Beachill's retirement very soon.But in the meantime, read his coach Malcolm Willstrop's excellent review of Lee's fine career:Willstrop on BeachillRight: Did any player hold the ball better?

squashbloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00397153424504470685noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775457930616882490.post-20495810866353288592009-02-09T08:00:00.005Z2009-02-09T10:56:45.599Z

Next month the Super Series finals are to move to a new home at the Queen's Club in West London.The Finals have mostly been held in recent years at Broadgate Arena behind Liverpool Street station in the City. Since the arrival of ATCO boss Ziad Al-Turki as the Chairman of the PSA board, the men's tour has been looking for increasingly prestigious venues to boost its profile.The Queen's Club is

squashbloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00397153424504470685noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-775457930616882490.post-42077423315543276592009-02-02T09:27:00.007Z2009-02-06T22:57:20.730Z

With recent success as runner-up in the Tournament of Champions in New York - and heavily fancied for the British Nationals next week - it's fair to say that Nick Matthew is the hottest Brit on the tour right now.For a player who has struggled with injury in recent times, 2009 could be the year that the Yorkshireman finally gets the recognition his commitment deserves ...It is testament to

squashbloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00397153424504470685noreply@blogger.com2