By Thomas Troedsson, President of the European Squash Federation
In a time where people are locked behind computers and glued to their mobile phones, recreational sports are more important than ever.
An increasing number of people are discovering the joys and health benefits that regular physical activity offers. People around the world, regardless of age or background, recognize the need to incorporate physical activity into their daily lives.
According to a study by the World Health Organization (WHO), there is an encouraging increase of physical activity globally, a clear sign that health and well-being are increasingly prioritized. This positive development is attributed not only to individual choices but also to enhanced public health promotion highlighting the benefits of regular exercise.
Fitness Industry vs. Racket Sports: A Shift
The fitness industry, once the backbone of the leisure economy, faces new challenges. Many fitness providers struggle to regain their pre-pandemic strength. This contrasts with the remarkable growth of racket sports, which offer not just physical exercise but also a strong social component.
Squash is perfectly positioned, providing a blend of fitness, fun, and social interaction, meeting the increased interest in healthier, community-oriented leisure activities.
Squash stands out amongst the racket sports
Within the racket sports, tennis, padel, pickleball, and squash stand out for their special challenges and player experiences. While tennis demands physical endurance and strength, padel and pickleball focus on social interaction and community building.
Squash, often viewed as one of the most demanding racket games, shines in a unique light. It combines intense physical exercise with mental challenges and social interaction. It pushes players to think quickly, strategize effectively and simultaneously fosters critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Thus, the game is not just an excellent time-effective cardio workout, but also a platform for social engagement, making it an attractive sport for a wide audience. Its inclusion in the Olympic program acknowledges its global appeal and competitive stature.
With its adapted form, Squash 57, the use of modified rackets and balls opens up immediate accessibility to the sport, enabling beginners to get involved quickly without extensive instruction. This ease of learning and immediate playability not only help people use it as a learning game to transition to squash but also allows older players to stay a part of the squash community.
Shaping the Future of Squash
Squash is at a turning point, filled with great optimism. The future looks promising, driven by its recognition at the Olympic level, growing popularity, and acknowledged health benefits. It is time to adjust our strategies to make squash even more visible, accessible, and relevant.
We are all called upon to seize this opportunity and lead squash into a bright future. Through innovation, collaboration, and commitment, we can establish squash as a dynamic, inclusive sport that meets the demands of modern society. With focus on reaching out to the general community and helping players have a positive introduction to squash by guiding new players to use the right ball, receive simple instruction on how to play, organise activities at the venue/club, I’m sure we will gain more players.
Now is the time to act and lay the groundwork for a successful and flourishing future of squash.
Keep It Simple and Just Do It!
Accessibility is the key. If a person has to pay an annual fee to a club to try one hour of squash, squash is not going to regain big numbers of participants. The tradition of squash as a private club sport ( anglo saxon tradition) has to let space to new forms of pay-per-use access to new kind of venues. If the sport is appealing, people is going to come and play. Why a sport entrepreneur should invest in building such kind of venues instead of padel or pickleball courts right now? Maybe some kind of incentive should be put on the table….