Clubs Make A Racket For World Squash Day 2007

The fifth annual World Squash Day will be celebrated on Saturday 3rd November 2007. This is a day when every squash club on the planet is encouraged to open its doors to promote the sport.

Christian Leighton, Chief Executive of the World Squash Federation, is urging every national association to back the scheme to raise the profile of the sport as it continues its bid for a place in the Olympic Games.

"World Squash Day is a very simple but powerful concept," explained Leighton. "We want every single squash club to join in with a day of fun activity, to attract new people to the game and get the media involved to tell the world what a fantastic sport we have.

"This is a great opportunity for squash clubs to increase their membership lists as a result of supporting World Squash Day."

"Squash was recently named the number one healthiest sport by the influential Forbes magazine in America. What better reason could there be for youngsters to take up the sport and fight the menace of childhood obesity?" added Leighton.

The project is free to join and full details, plus a list of suggested activities for clubs to promote, can be found on the World Squash Federation website www.worldsquash.org

World Squash Day was founded following the death of former Scottish junior international Derek Sword during the 9/11 terrorist attacks on New York's World Trade Center in 2001. A group of friends, including ex-world champion Peter Nicol, a former Scotland junior international team-mate, got together to discuss ideas to honour Derek's memory and provide something tangible for the sport.

Part of the WSD programme is an annual match between New York and Great Britain for the Derek Sword Trophy, a magnificent silver rose bowl donated by Derek's employers KBW, a financial company operating in the Twin Towers.

Alan Thatcher, organiser of the WSF-backed World Squash Day, said: "This year looks like being the biggest competition yet, with teams of 25-a-side competing for the Derek Sword Trophy at the New York Athletic Club, where Derek was the squash champion."

Thatcher, a journalist and event promoter, added: "Out of something as ghastly as those terrorist attacks in America, squash has shown how sport can bring countries together and heal wounds that may have been created by political division.

"In previous years we have seen events taking place in more than 40 countries and it would be fantastic to increase participation this year."

Previous initiatives produced some amazing successes all over the world: In New Zealand, former world champion Carol Owens got on court with some of the All Blacks rugby team! In Hong Kong they erected a glass court in a public park to showcase the sport to thousands of passers-by, and in tiny St Lucia a group of squash enthusiasts ran up a mountain!

Two years ago, events took place in more than 40 countries as the global squash community banded together to support the game's bid for inclusion in the Olympic Games. Players from all over the globe attempted to set a world rally record, with groups of four playing a non-stop "feed" for an hour.

Among the activities being suggested are junior coaching clinics, handicap and pro-am tournaments, plus fun events such as wooden racket competitions.

Full details: www.worldsquash.org. Further information from Alan Thatcher alan@squashuk.com