Squash Wales Winter 2025 Newsletter

As we roll into the end of the year, it’s time for another Squash Wales newsletter - and there’s a lot to get through this time around, with new partnerships, awards, the winter leagues coming to an end and more - let’s get stuck in.

Table of Contents

• Winners at The Sports Business Awards 2025

• Partnership with DYNAMIK

• Upcoming Closed Events

• Christmas Squash Camps

• Safeguarding Update

• Anti-Doping Update

• Karakal Welsh National Championship Results

• Wrexham Brymbo Squash Club host Ysgol Penrhyn New …

• Karakal Competition Winner

• Coaching

• Masters Home International Selection Criteria

• Performance Results

• New Squash Stories Series - Racketball

Winners at The Sports Business Awards 2025

We entered the Sports Business Awards 2025 in the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion category for the work involved with the Welsh Wheelchair Open - and we won a bronze award! We’re incredibly proud to have supported this great tournament, so it’s a real privilege to be recognised for the work by the whole team.

Partnership with DYNAMIK

Upcoming Closed Events

23rd - 25th January: Karakal 2026 Welsh Masters Closed - Sign up here by the 9th of January

30th Jan - 1st Feb: Karakal 2026 Welsh Junior Closed - Sign up here by the 16th of January

Christmas Squash Camps

Limited spaces remain on our Squash Camps this Christmas holiday. We have spaces available on the 23rd and 30th of December, so if you would like your kid to make new friends and get active over the Christmas break take a look at the Squash Wales website here.

Safeguarding Update

At Squash Wales, the safety and wellbeing of everyone in our sport is our top priority. Whether you are a player, coach, volunteer, or parent, safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.

This quarter we want to remind you of a few key points:

• Our Safeguarding Policies: All Squash Wales safeguarding policies can be found on our website. www.squashwales.com/governance/safeguarding/ 

• Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL): David Evans is our Lead Safeguarding Officer. You can contact them at [email protected] 

• Club Welfare Officers: Every club should have a welfare officer. If you’re not sure who yours is, please ask your club committee.

• Reporting Concerns: If you have any concerns about a child, young person, or adult at risk, please report them. Concerns can be raised directly with your Club Welfare Officer or Squash Wales Safeguarding Team.

• Keeping Up to Date: We provide regular training and resources to support coaches, officials, and volunteers in understanding their safeguarding responsibilities.

Remember: If you ever feel unsafe, or you’re worried about someone else, it’s always better to speak up.

📧 Contact: [email protected] 
📞 Phone: 07904332251

Anti-Doping Update

Squash Wales is committed to keeping our sport clean, fair, and safe for everyone. As part of our responsibility under UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) rules, all athletes, coaches, and support staff must understand their role in protecting squash from doping.

Key reminders:

• Always check medications and supplements before use — visit www.globaldro.com. 

• Remember: athletes are strictly liable for anything found in their system.

• Education and resources are available through UKAD Clean Sport.

• Check the 2026 Prohibited List :  https://www.ukad.org.uk/athletes/whats-banned-sport-prohibited-list 

If you have any questions or need guidance, please contact David Evans – [email protected] 

Together, we can protect squash and uphold the values of clean sport.

Karakal Welsh National Championship Results

The Karakal Welsh National Championships took place this weekend at Swansea Lawn Tennis and Squash Club, it was a great weekend of Squash which saw a new Welsh National Champion crowned. Read the full report and see the winners photos at the link below.

Wrexham Brymbo Squash Club host Ysgol Penrhyn New Broughton Primary.

This term, the year 3-5 students at Ysgol Penrhyn New Broughton Primary enrolled on our Squash in Schools programme. The year 3 and 4 pupils completed the level 1 programme focused on hand-eye coordination and spatial awareness while the year 5 pupils completed the level 2 programme focusing on racket skills. After 5 weeks of in-school instruction, on Wednesday 3rd December the pupils visited Wrexham Brymbo squash club for their final visit and skills assessment. Over the course of the day, 60+ juniors experienced being on court with plenty of smiles and joy to accompany it. A big thank you goes out to the teachers for ferrying the pupils to and from school and their support during the day. Additionally, thank you to Jim Tunley (Head Coach) and Wrexham Brymbo squash club for their support and contribution and to the pupils who arrived with enthusiasm, energy and a willingness to learn. Hopefully this is the beginning of a strong relationship between the squash club and a local primary school that can continue to develop. 

If your club would like to set up something similar with a local school, get in touch with Tom Rosser [email protected].

Karakal Competition Winner

Throughout November and right up to the Welsh National Championship this weekend we ran a competition with Karakal to win £300 worth of goodies, be eligible for a 30% discount and get 12 months of Social Membership to Squash Wales - all for £5. The draw was done live this weekend and the winner was Mark Westcott - congratulations Mark!

This competition has now closed - but we will be running another competition in the New Year, so to find out as soon as that launches make sure you’re following us on social media to be notified as soon as entries open.

Coaching

• We are rolling out the Squash Wales Leaders Award to colleges and 6^th  forms looking to add coaching modules to their sports courses. For more information please contact Tom Rosser [email protected].

• The next Level 1 coaching course is taking place in Bridgend on 14^th  Dec and another is scheduled on 21^st  February 2026 at SWNC. Contact Tom for more details [email protected].

• Our coaching programme is currently under review and will see changes implemented in 2026. These changes will include but are not limited to development of the assessment criteria, an increase of interaction, expansion of learning modules and mentoring. Watch this space.  

• The coach website is undergoing development, if you are a registered coach and would like your details to be displayed on our website please reach out to Tom Rosser for further details [email protected].

Masters Home International Selection Criteria

Updates have been made to the Masters Home Internationals captain and player selection criteria. Information can be viewed on our website https://squashwales.com/masters/

Leagues Update

The Winter season 2025 is now closed with only a few fixture results still to be completed and entered into League Master.

Looking at the results it appears Congratulations go to Rhiwbina A who seem certain to top the Premier A league - following on from the same achievement in Spring 2025!! An excellent and consistent performance - Well Done to Rhiwbina A

Spring 2026 leagues will go live on Monday January 12th and as you will be aware, based on feedback and results of the club survey announced in the September newsletter, there has been a restructuring of the leagues in the south of the country to try to give a more balanced and competitive squash for all teams affected. Full details of how these new leagues will look and which teams will be in which leagues will be announced soon.

Ranking lists for Spring will need to be submitted very shortly so the Spring leagues and fixtures can be created and League Master updated. Please ensure all players have a suitable Squash Wales membership (Team player or above) to play in the leagues when submitting their names for ranking nominations.

I would like to thank all members for their support over last season, its been tough at times but we have gotten through it, and I wish one and all a very Merry Christmas 🎄☃❄️

Here's to Spring 2026!

Nick Edwards - League Manager

Performance Results

We’ve seen some brilliant results over the last couple of months for the junior competitors

• Salah Farrag runner up in Newcastle Gold U15

• Eliza Hales runner up in Swiss Junior Open U15

• Heidi Hales third place in Swiss Junior Open U13

And the pro’s have had some great results too:

• Joel Makin won the PSA Hong Kong Football Club Open.

• Joel Makin reached a career high ranking of 4 in the World.

• Emyr Evans reached the Semi Final of the PSA London Open.

• Rhys Evans reached the Semi Final of the PSA Swiss Open and Namibian Open.

New Squash Stories Series - Racketball

We visited Torfaen Racketball club and sat down with four of their members to discuss why they took up Racketball, what impact it’s had on their life and what advice they would give to anyone who was thinking about taking up the sport. All four videos are now available to watch from the Squash Wales News page here