Junior Squash Academy
We are very proud to offer a high quality Junior Coaching Programme at Bollington Health & Leisure as part of our Junior Squash Academy! We have built up a programme that offers courses for children aged 4 – 19 in Bollington and the surrounding Macclesfield area, catering for all standards and abilities.
Squash is a fun, challenging and very rewarding sport in terms of both fitness and enjoyment! It is perfect for teaching children skills, movements, and tactics whilst also keeping them fit.
Our Squash Academy and our courses are very popular and see over 80 juniors attend regular Coaching sessions at the centre. There is a clear pathway of progression through the club and beyond with strong links to Cheshire Squash and the work they do within the county. When Juniors achieve a certain standard at Bollington they are invited to take part in the County set-up to further progress within the sport while continuing through the pathway at the Leisure Centre.
Below is our current timetable for Junior Activity at Bollington Health & Leisure.
| Lesson name | Length | When? | Ages |
|---|---|---|---|
Girls Only Junior CoachingPart of the Junior Coaching programme, this session is tailored to girls only to try and increase female participation in the sport. A spin off from the #SquashGirlsCan campaign it's fun, social and a supportive learning environment for young girls to thrive and develop their Squash! |
1 Hour |
Monday5:20pm - 6:20pm |
Ages 8 - 13 |
Tot's SquashChallenging and fun introduction to Squash for children aged 4-8. It teaches them basic fundamental skills they will be able to transfer to most other sports. Filled with fun games and challenging activities, all tailored to getting them started on their Squash journey at an early age. |
40 Mins |
Saturday10:20am - 11:00am Saturday11:00am - 11:40am |
4 - 8 year olds |
Junior CoachingBeginners to Intermediate Level Squash Coaching for children aged 8-19. Junior Coaching is a progressive course that teach kids the basics of Squash technique, introduce them to the rules and teach them about tactics. |
1 Hour |
Saturday (Improvers/Intermediate)1pm - 2pm (Ages 8-13) Saturday (Beginners)2pm - 3pm (Ages 8-13) Saturday (Beginners/Intermediate)5pm - 6pm (Ages 13+) Sunday (Beginners/Improvers)10:20am-11:20am (Ages 8-13) Sunday (Beginners)11:20am-12:20pm (Ages 8-13) |
8 - 13 year olds |
Transitional GroupAn Improvers Group for older children who have learned the basic techniques of the game and have a good understanding of the rules and tactics. This Group is Invitation Only from The Junior Coaching courses. Routines are more challenging and there is a more in-depth look at the finer points of technique. |
1 Hours |
Saturday5pm - 6pm |
13 - 17 year olds |
Potential GroupAn Advanced Group for children of all ages who have mastered the basic technique of the game and are competent Squash players. Many are involved with Cheshire Squash and the county set up and have a complete understanding of the rules and tactics. This Group is Invitation Only based on the Coaches assessment. Routines are more challenging and there is a more in-depth look at the finer points of technique, sport psychology, nutrition and fitness. |
1.5 Hours |
Saturday3:30pm - 5pm |
8 - 17 year olds |
If you would like more information on any of the session listed above, please get in touch with the Head Coach – Chris Ogden. If you would like to register your son/daughter for Squash Coaching please follow the link below!
Duke of Edinburgh / GCSE PE
Squash is the perfect Sport for those doing their Duke of Edinburgh Award. Our Beginners Squash for kids aged 13+ will introduce them to a new sport, and with weekly sessions they will be able to sign off their physical section in no time!
Over the years we have seen many Juniors do their DofE through us and use Squash as their Physical section of the Award. Some have continued with Squash after the Award had finished, having found a new hobby.
Squash (Coaching) is also a popular option for the Volunteering section as well! A number of our Juniors have helped out as assistant coaches in the past to fulfil their Volunteering requirements. It is also a great opportunity to gain experience as a Leader and gain a good understanding of the role of a Coach.
As it happens, our Head Coach started his Coaching career by doing his Duke of Edinburgh Bronze with us as part of his volunteering!
Increasingly Squash is being taken by a number of people for part of the GCSE PE. It is not an easy sport to assess on camera – hence its lack of TV coverage! However, after a number of successful participants over the years, our Coaches understand the criteria and are able to work with our Juniors to try and achieve their goals.
The Player Pathway
We aim to make the Pathway of progression as clear as possible throughout our programs and beyond, to the very top of the game. Here is a simplified version of the Player Pathway from our entry level sessions onwards:
For more detailed information on the Player Pathway visit the England Squash website. Go to www.englandsquash.com/performance/talent-pathway.