Picking up from where we left off last month, there are two additional issues to consider with respect to women playing squash. While women do indeed play for fun and fitness, they also face priorities during their lives that generally take them away from the courts. For some, the hiatus from squash is temporary. For others, it can become permanent unless circumstances facilitate their return. And steps can be taken to ensure that these women return to the game.
Breaks from squash
It seems to be universally agreed, by all age and ability squash players, that squash is addictive. There are very few players who, having taken up the sport, give it up willingly. However, there are circumstances when this happens. Reading the survey results, it was clear that there are two sets of women who take squash breaks—college players and new mothers.
College Players
College players, who are moving into the “real world,” find it very difficult to continue to play for those first few years. They may be burned out, work may be too demanding, cost may be prohibitive. College graduates have many challenges when they leave the coddled world of college squash. They may be setting up home for the first time, leaving family and friends behind. They may be overwhelmed by what it takes just to maintain their own life and work that the last thing on their mind is to find a place to play squash.
Let’s look at the journey a recently graduated college squash player may face. Remember that when a student plays college squash, they know where the courts are, they don’t have to pay for them, and lessons, matches and tournaments are all arranged for them. They are told where to be and when. Now, imagine moving to a new city, or country. If you have the energy to look for a squash club, where do you look? www.ussquash.com is a great resource. You can use the “find a club” feature to see what squash courts are in your area. Additionally, as part of U.S. SQUASH’s partnership with the Collegiate Squash Association, all CSA graduates receive three years membership absolutely free, including all the benefits, such as the “Find a Match” feature which allows you the ability to find matches against players in your area and of similar ability. Affording the club is a different question and opens up a whole new debate. It is one that cannot be answered here; though attracting younger people to a life-long sport surely makes sense financially for private clubs. Health club owners are all too aware that squash players tend to be their most loyal members.
New Mothers
Any woman who has just had a baby, especially her first baby, will testify to how totally exhausting it is. How can something so small take up so much time, especially when babies in actuality sleep a lot? Babies and children take over your life and it is very difficult to keep up your previous activities, particularly during the first few months. How long it takes for a woman to want to come back to squash will vary from woman to woman, but the absolute certainty is that, when she is ready, she will need decent childcare facilities available to her. Many clubs will provide this but, if not, then the woman’s break from squash will be extended!
New mothers will fall into the category explained in the last issue of Squash Magazine. At this point in their lives they change from the competitive individual who happily traveled and played tournaments, into the woman who wants to play for fitness and fun.
This break from squash is inevitable, and the only question is how long will it last? Partly that is a personal decision, but clubs (and maybe tournaments) that provide childcare will probably see returning mothers sooner than those that do not have these facilities.
Conclusion
There is an excellent set of tournaments in place, thanks to U.S. SQUASH, for those devoted squash players who are prepared to travel and compete, including the national skill levels, the masters and the Howe Cup. However, these dedicated players are in the minority and we need to set up more events that reach out to the vast majority of squash playing women. It would seem that more women would be encouraged to participate in squash events if they are arranged with the following considerations:
- Events are short ,taking up an afternoon, or no more than a full day;
- Some squash events are identified as “women-only”, be they competitive, training or social;
- An inherently social element, such as a team format, is a plus; and
- Childcare is readily available.
Women’s squash in the Bay Area has seen a dramatic increase in participation. By looking at what appeals to the average woman player we have managed to provide a program that suits her lifestyle. And women talk—have you noticed? There is a snowball effect. Starting new programs does take time, but word gets around and more and more interest is shown. There is definitely a place for the classic 3-day tournament, but if you really want to attract the women—look at the conclusions we have found and try some out. Tap that latent squash playing population, it is there waiting for the right opportunity to be unleashed.
