SA Squash Club Committee Development Workshop

SAVE THE WEEKEND

SA Squash Club Committee Development Workshop

13^th and 14^th of September 2025

We are inviting two committee members from each Club!

I was recently and the SIA (Sports Integrity Australia) road show. The opening line was “we’re from the Government and we’re here to help” to which every laughed. They used it to point out that the staff in SIA really do want to see sports thrive in Australia, even though they are “from the Government”!

Well, we’re from Squash SA and we’re really here to help! We really are, we are a small team but passionate about Squash in South Australia. We want to see Squash participation increase and clubs build to see the sport grow to the levels it once was.

We really want to see the clubs grow and facilities develop. There are two thoughts, build the facilities and then player will come or build the clubs which generates demand for facilities. After years trying to develop the first version, we’ve increased resources to help clubs and committees. Land and facility cost has increased significantly and for the most part Squash courts need to be multi-use courts as part of a multi-use facility to justify the cost and business success. We have some Squash only facilities left which are important but they need to run as successful, vibrant businesses in their own right to make sure they can pay the bills and promote our sport! The environment is considerably more demanding and competitive than it even was and this drives the need to work together, help each other, share resources and time.

In September, Squash SA is investing $5,000 towards a club development work shop at Tonsley. We have secured the services of Brad Hindle, arguably the most successful club operator in Australia, who operates 4 successful squash centres in Brisbane. He works with centres and facility owners to run Squash based businesses. We’re working together to develop a workshop to help upskill, resource and inspire clubs and committees in SA. We have a couple of commercial businesses that operate venues, in addition, I realise most clubs are “not for profit” but not for profit doesn’t mean you don’t make money, it’s just that you make money to fund, improve and develop the club for the players as part of the community. Even commercial centres are the same, stronger clubs within the centres = more profit for the centre, win/win. This will be free for affiliated clubs and we are providing some accommodation for regional clubs to help with their attendance costs.

We really want all clubs to have a committee members attend.

The Club workshop will be on the weekend of the 13^th and 14^th of September

We will be discussing;

·       The business of Squash – how to make it a going entity

·       Pros and Con’s of owner operator, lease and sub lease arrangements

·       Healthy relationships between Committee’s and owners/lease holders

·       What stimulates growth and what stimulates contraction

·       Plan, act, do for a 1 year, 3 year and a 5 year plan

If you have other ideas that you may wish to include, please email Nathan Tichy, nathan.tichy@squashsa.asn.au.