Scottish squash has selected 38 youngsters for a new regional development programme. With a purpose built facility already in the pipeline for Scotstoun in Glasgow, it seems that great times lie ahead for the sport. 

Stuart Crawford, a multiple Scottish Champion, is in charge of the innovative squad set-up that is aimed at increasing the skill-sets of our top young players.  

There are six squads, all overseen by high quality coaches. Claire Kidd is in charge of East, Mark Beaumont heads Tayside and Fife, Gerry Towler leads the way in Grampian, Robin Hammill continues his great work in the Highlands and Islands and Mark Woods takes on two regions – West and Central.   

“The players range in age from ten to 19 and we are aiming for them all to have 44 sessions per year.” explained Crawford, who took up his national post after retiring from the playing side earlier this year. “It will make a huge difference. 

“At the moment, the players come to Heriot-Watt for one session per month. Now they will also receive one session a week in their own region. That means they will get more repetitions of the same routines and practices. So they will really get to build on what they learn at the national squad sessions. 

“We will also get more feedback from the coaches and be able to spread more throughout Scotland. For instance, the Highland area has always been very strong and, hopefully, this will give the players even more incentive to succeed.’ 

The signs within Scottish junior squash are very promising. Mhairi Charlton, the top Scottish junior, finished third recently in the Nordic Junior Open, while Richard Hollins, from Aberdeen, reached the final of the under-13 event at the Danish Open. 

Charlton, also from Aberdeen, has recently moved to Glasgow for university and is now being coached by Woods as she looks ahead to a great season on the junior circuit.  

One of the first early tests of the benefits of the new squad session will come at the annual Scottish Junior Open that always attracts a world-class entry to Heriot-Watt at the end of next month. 

Kirsty Lobban will be defending the under-15 title, while her older brother, Greg, who was voted Scotland’s Junior Player of the Year for 2010, will be one of the leading lights in the senior age-group.  They are both based at Inverness Squash Club.  

“Our girls at under-15 level are particularly strong,” Crawford continued. “In addition to Kirsty, we have Elspeth Young and Claire Gadsby. It is really good because they push each other to a higher level. Kirsty did really well to win the under-15 Scottish Open title last year and it promises to be one of the best events for the Scots this time.” 

The Scotstoun complex – the Glasgow site is already home to the Scottish National Badminton Centre – is hoped to be up and running as a major squash venue by the autumn of 2012. 

At the Commonwealth Games in Delhi last month, tentative steps were made for Scotland to host the World Doubles Championships at Scotstoun in two years’ time. It would be a terrific part of the build-up towards the 2014 Commonwealth games in Glasgow. 

In Delhi, Scotland just missed out on medals in the doubles events.

EB

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