|
|
|
 |
 Squash on the up in Jersey
 Nick Taylor moved down from Manchester started his role in
Jersey on
the 14th July last year, and the momentum of his programmes are
really gathering speed.
Nick gives us an insight into his first six months in the Channel
Islands ...
|
It must have been a bit of a culture shock after Manchester,
how did you get started ?
My first plan was to have a visual structure of squash in Jersey
which was obviously going to be different than the one in
Manchester.
 There is
only one squash club here that has leagues and
the club is Silver chartered with England Squash, it has 160 members
and is going through its most exciting times since the 1980’s
with all four courts being refurbished (the floors have not been done
for over 35 years).
We have just got planning permission to have the
old club bar knocked down and rebuilt at the opposite side of the
club, with its new modern design it’s going to be a real hit, this
will be finished in December 2009 and with the development programme
gathering pace membership numbers should really improve.
The next
big aim is to get daytime usage through the club, I think the only
way to do this is with a racketball programme, racketball is the
fasting growing racket sport in the UK and appeals to all, my wife
has been on with some of the lady members and they seem to love
it...
The racketball programme is being launched in January with a
visit from England Squash’s Jim Lord, Director of Development and
Matt Baker, England Squash Area Manager, we are doing a racketball
exhibition and a club workshop for the members and the committee.
Squash clubs really have to take responsibility and act otherwise
they close down, too many squash clubs are closing in the UK and the
members of these clubs just are not doing anything before it’s too
late! The sport is going through its most promising time with the
Men’s and Women’s tours growing and the World Open in Manchester in
October was the biggest and most impressive event I have ever seen
and I have played over 100 PSA events. |
I would like
to thank our main sponsors, Bedell Group and the States of Jersey.
Peter Byrne and Shane Hollywood, both partners of Bedell Group, are
very keen good squash players, both were Island
Junior Champions and are very passionate about the sport being
developed in Jersey and without their continued support I would not
be here so a massive thanks go to them.
Derek De La Haye from the
States of Jersey is very knowledgeable about development of sport in
general and supports squash, Steve Law President of Jersey Squash
who really wants to put Jersey squash on the World map and puts a
lot of time into squash without pay!
A big thank you goes to all our
other contributors to the programme which really helps the day to
day running...
Jersey Squash Info Leaflet
 |
How did you go about building up
the number of juniors ?
 I contacted all 24 primary
schools to deliver festivals of squash and got a great response, we
have delivered to date seven festivals reaching out to over 2100
children with two already booked in for January 2009 and the rest are
looking at dates up to April 2009.
My aim is to deliver squash to
7000 children under 11 years old and I am confident I will do that.
These festivals link into morning, lunch or after school sessions.
I
secured funding through Bedell Group and England squash to give all
24 schools a mini-net, rackets and balls and having my tutor
training qualification I can qualify teachers to continue to deliver
squash without relying on me.
This will feed into our Junior League
which will start in April 09 and will be a big success; I came
through the league in the 1980’s so I know the league system works!
I am on my own in regards to employment, so I have to rely on
volunteer coaches, my wife Sarah, Kate Cadigan, Olivia French,
Nikki
Faux and Steve Law have all give their time to helping me in
school ... without these guys I would not have been able to do it but
that’s what the Jersey players are like on the Island really keen
and willing to give their free time.
The way that I repay them back is giving them free individual
lessons and I have also secured a deal with Head UK who are now a
partner and realise the potential of squash in Jersey, all the
casual coaches will receive a sponsorship package in April 2009 that
will help their games! |
What about the current situation with players both Junior and Senior, how are you bringing their games on?
 Our Junior players are lacking practise and match play and they are
very talented at other sports, so with the new Jersey Junior Academy
sessions some of the players are now playing four times per week,
it’s just changing the culture over here.
We have good depth with
our senior players which is good as we always seem to get the better
of Guernsey! Mike Hopkins is the Channel Island Champion and best
player on the Island and was ranked 70 in the World about 6 years
ago - he actually played Jonathan Power in the 2002 Commonwealth Games
in Manchester - behind Mike is Rob Hickling who for O45 is a very
fit, committed and talented player. Rob would be ranked somewhere in
the top four in the UK for his age, he is also very committed to
developing squash in Jersey.
The next level of players are very good
first division players and we have some great other O45 players as
well, we will be bringing six players over to Manchester in February
to play the Nationals ... we are also hoping to take five players to the
Commonwealth Games in Delhi 2010 and we have a ladies player Kate Cadigan
who has nearly hit the qualifying standards to go.
We have
monthly sessions and have had Laura Lengthorn-Massaro and Steve
Coppinger practising with them so they get use to a faster pace! We
are also planning a trip to Manchester next year to hit on
the glass court and see the England squad practice. |
Do you think one
day there is a chance of developing some great players?
 I don’t see too many obstacles here, we are 9 miles x 5 miles and
have 15 squash courts. So many young players do sport which most
Jersey people think is a problem. As long as there is quality
coaching and regular sessions young people will make their own minds
up.
When I started the Saturday morning squash here there were two
players, within three months I have over 40 Juniors and I am hoping that
will be nearly 100 within the next six months.
I have just finalised
our promotional leaflet which will go Island wide and into every
child in school which will get back to their parents, and it becomes
a snowball effect, the parents bring the kids down to do squash and
the parents do racketball. It’s going to take 3-5 years but
eventually we will have a very healthy club and programme, and from
there who knows more courts and clubs...
Big claims but I really do
think we have a chance of doing something special here for squash ...
so the world of squash better watch out because Jersey are on the
up !!!!!!!!!!
 |
|
