All week, countries around the world have been celebrating Women’s Squash Week – an international campaign that aims to champion and raise the profile of female squash – in a variety of creative ways.
Read on to see some of the ways Women’s Squash Week 2022 has been celebrated so far!
In Pakistan, the Pakistan Squash Federation hosted a Women’s Squash Week tournament at the Mushaf Squash Complex in Islamabad. The competition welcomed players from all over Pakistan to compete, with Amina beating Zaman 2-1 (11-4, 8-11, 12-10) in a final attended by Director General of the Pakistan Sports Board Asif Zaman.
In the USA, there were a number of free sessions for women and girls, while US Squash ran a Women & Girls Summit, which included workshops to a the impact of social media, the role of families and personal growth in sport.
In Slovakia, a number of events were held by clubs and the Slovakia Squash Association, including a 16-strong Women’s Squash Week tournament at Squash Centrum Pionierska, free coaching sessions and education on healthy eating and why squash is the best sport for keeping fit.
In Canada, a number of events were held, with drop-in sessions, mixers, skills clinics and beginner-friendly activities taking place across the country.
In England, the Rally Together campaign continued to highlight the role everyone can play in making squash as welcoming and open as possible and resources were provided to clubs in order to help them stage events, with a number of individual clubs around the country hosting successful programmes.
In Australia, the past, present and future of women’s squash was celebrated, with success stories shared and Barbara Slotemaker de Bruine’s incredible new book, The Golden Age of Australian Women’s Squash 1962-2010, promoted.
In Papua New Guinea, social media was used to celebrate the country’s female squash players, while in the event was celebrated in Scotland alongside a reminder that more would be coming during Scottish Women and Girls Sport Week 2022 (3-9 October).
Elsewhere, individual clubs around the world, including Denmark’s Odense, Egypt’s Physician Club, Saudi Arabia’s AlSafa Club, and France’s TSB Jarville – one of the host venues for the 2022 WSF World Junior Squash Championships – ran beginner sessions encouraging women and girls of all ages to pick up a racket for the first time.
On the professional circuit, top players including World No.4 Amanda Sobhy and World No.8 Sarah-Jane Perry gave powerful interviews. Perry spoke to Give Me Sport, telling the online sports news site that, while there was still work to be done in closing the gender gap, she was “proud to be a part of the sport where that’s not even in question.” Sobhy, meanwhile, shared the advice she would give her younger self as a female within a high-pressure industry with Squash Mind.
Women’s Squash Week is being held from Monday 19 September, but support for women and girls in squash is year-round! If you, your club or organisation have any activities planned for Women’s Squash Week or beyond that you would like to share, please contact [email protected]. The PSA Foundation’s Global Map of Events is also a great way to share what you have planned!