‘Covid challenged people to create ways of playing outdoors and we look forward to seeing lots of fun events in streets, playgrounds and parks,’ says WSF President Zena Wooldridge
By ALAN THATCHER (Squash Mad Editor and Founder of World Squash Day)
Tomorrow (July 7th 2022) marks 100 days to go until World Squash Day 2022.
This annual festival of squash is the biggest grassroots promotion of the sport on the planet.
Clubs and federations on every continent join forces to showcase the fun, friendships and fitness that squash delivers.
And this year’s event promises to be the biggest in World Squash Day’s 21-year history as nations across the globe bid to help the game bounce back after the effects of the Covid pandemic.
Zena Wooldridge, President of the World Squash Federation, led the call to action by stating: “Now is the time for every club in every Member Nation to start making plans for World Squash Day 2022.
“The beauty of World Squash Day is its simplicity. All we want squash venues to do is to open their doors to show their communities what a brilliant, fun sport that is available to all.
“Covid also challenged people to create ways of playing squash outdoors and we look forward to seeing lots of fun events in streets, playgrounds and parks as well as on the courts on World Squash Day.”
In the next month squash will be showcased as part of the World Games in Birmingham, Alabama (July 7-17), and the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England (July 28 to August 8).
Zena added: “These multi-sport games attract some of squash’s biggest live audiences and our biggest global broadcast reach, with our leading players delivering incredible feats of athleticism as well as producing tremendous entertainment.
“Combine that with the energy of squash players on World Squash Day and it’s easy to see why squash is a perfect sport for the modern world.”
On a personal note, I am delighted to see so much energy in so many parts of the world to get the game bouncing back in style this year.
For the past two years our activities have been hampered by various lockdowns, but I have been in touch with friends from federations in numerous countries and I look forward to seeing some spectacular events on October 15.
I am working on this year’s Toolkit and if anybody wants to share any ideas please feel free to get in touch.
World Squash Day website and graphic.
World Squash Day website
World Squash Day graphic courtesy of Robert Pacey (Squash Republic, Vancouver, Canada).