England Squash has given their female-only programme, Squash Girls Can, a new look ahead of Women’s Squash Week (19-26th September) to inspire more women to get on court.
As part of a drive to increase gender diversity in the sport and engage more women from ethnically-diverse communities, England Squash has produced a new toolkit of downloadable content including a video, graphics and a poster which shows women of all ages and ethnicities playing squash to showcase the fitness and social benefits to new players.
The new promotional content was informed by an evaluation of the Squash Girls Can programme carried out by insight charity Women in Sport, which explored why women play squash and what images and messages appeal to women’s values including feeling good, having fun and developing skills.
September sees the return of Women’s Squash Week, an international campaign that aims to celebrate and raise the profile of female squash. England Squash has teamed up with Dunlop on this year’s campaign to encourage and incentivise clubs and venues to become delivery partners and stage female-only group sessions that attract new and lapsed players to the sport.
“We’re excited to give the Squash Girls Can programme a complete makeover to appeal to more women ahead of Women’s Squash Week,” said Jo Rowbottom, Head of Partnerships and Programmes at England Squash.
“Sport England research shows there are significant differences in activity levels amongst women of different ethnicities and we want to encourage all women, whatever their background, to get on court and enjoy everything that squash has to offer.
“Women’s Squash Week provides a brilliant opportunity to increase female participation in squash and squash 57, and we’d like to thank Dunlop for their support in delivering this fantastic campaign.”
The Squash Girls Can toolkit can be accessed at englandsquash.com/squashgirlscantoolkit.