The Swedish Squash Federation and a talented squash-playing carpenter have made the world's first collapsible court to open up access to squash for the local community.
Christian Borgvall and his son Wiktor have built a prototype wooden court that compresses against a wall when not in use and takes just five minutes to fold out into a full-size court and be ready for play, using the gymnasium floor. It is stable, has good bounce and offers an authentic squash experience.
Made of wooden beams, MDF and specialist wood glue, the prototype is installed in the sports hall at Fryshuset Elementary School Husby in Stockholm. The intention is to give pupils at the school and from the nearby Frysushet youth centre regular access to the court.
The area of Stockholm around the school is ethnically diverse but particularly socially disadvantaged. It is hoped that squash activity on the court will help local youth integrate into the local community, divert them from crime and enjoy participating in sport. From there, they can develop their interest in squash at local clubs.
The long-term goal is to begin regular activities in school and after school for local youth and prove the success of the concept to the Swedish Sports Institute, so they fund 20 more collapsible courts across the country.
An opening ceremony for the first court is currently being planned, where local school sports teachers and youth leaders can be trained up as squash leaders so they can run squash activity themselves. Local celebrities, dignitaries and media will also be invited to the launch to help spread the word.
Jan-Ulf Söderberg, Secretary General of the Swedish Squash Federation, successfully applied for initial funding for the pilot project of 330,000 Swedish korona (29,000 euro) from the Swedish Sports Institute.
Söderberg said: "This project is a breakthrough for squash. Christian and I are both very, very proud that we have got this project to this stage.
"By taking sport to new areas and making it available in schools and gymnasiums, we can reach more young people and introduce them to a sport that is not only fun, but also promotes physical and mental health.
"This project marks an important step in our quest to make squash accessible to everyone, no matter where you are. The flexibility of the court makes it a perfect choice for schools and other educational institutions that want to offer their students a new and exciting activity.
Borgvall, who designed and constructed the court with the help of his son, added: "We are pretty sure we're going to have a champion from this community in the future! Squash can be an important intervention in their lives. But it is not just for children, it can be used anywhere and with anyone."
Read more about the Swedish Squash Federation's project here.
What a fantastic initiative with the fold up court and giving all an opportunity to partake in squash.
Großartig!
Ein nächster Schritt könnte es sein, dass Schulen unter Anleitung die Falt-Courts in ihren Werkstätten selbst herstellen. Auch ein Schulkonzept zur Vermarktung solcher Courts bzw. Vermietung der Spielzeiten wäre denkbar. Die großen Sekundarschulen wären dazu in der Lage. Ein gutes Beispiel wäre die Marks Gymnasieskola in Kinna (Kunskapenshus). Das würde den Markt abseits der Großstädte öffnen.