A youth injection is spurring on the Sunshine Coast Squash Association.
After struggling with lack of facilities on the Coast, the two new courts at the Gibsons and Area Community Centre have energized the association that has grown by leaps and bounds since the centre opened in April.
The junior squash program started in September and is being run by head coach and association president Murray Smith and facilitated through Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) parks and recreation. The program runs every Sunday in two sessions - one for beginning players and one for intermediate players. There are 20 kids taking part, 10 in each group.
"We're off to a great start," Smith said. "The kids are enjoying running around and learning about what a great sport squash is." Smith said the SCRD will have another sign-up for the junior program starting in January.
"Hopefully more kids will join and the program will just keep getting bigger and better," he said. "As is the case with many sports, you need youth involvement [to keep it vibrant], and squash is no different. We have a growing association, but we need young members to join and continue that positive growth."
According to Smith, it's not just the youth program that is booming. The association has started a regular league with 25 people participating. Smith said by December that number should be in upwards of 40 people.
"It's not just league play. We also have members who are coming out and meeting up with other players for games just for fun and fitness," Smith said. "Squash is a great sport to get a fantastic workout. As you continue to play and improve your level of play and the level of your fitness, your workout can get even better."
Association numbers are climbing so high, in fact, that Smith is in need of coaching help.
The past few weekends Smith solicited the help of Brooke Siver, a provincially certified coach from Kamloops and a friend of Smith's, to lead a 16-hour coaching clinic in Gibsons.
"We have six members of the association who took part in the clinic," said Siver. "Murray had more people who wanted to get involved, so we'll probably be back here again in the new year to offer another clinic. The enthusiasm from the members has been great. In order to grow the association, you need more coaches. Murray can't do it all."
The clinic saw the prospective coaches go through all the technical aspects of the game and gave them the basics to coach.
"There are several other steps in order for all the coaches to be fully certified, but basically, they are all on their way to being fully certified coaches," Siver said.
"Being able to have more coaches is a huge boost for the association," added Smith.
"I'm just so pleased and enthusiastic about where the association is heading. People are just so keen and so happy to finally have these courts and the ability to play again."
