The international Women’s Squash Week movement continues its growth and participation.
The 2017 edition included a record of fifty registered host events, record participation and new host countries Hong Kong and South Africa joining the fold.
In the United States, new host locations included Denver which boasted thirty players at the Denver Athletic Club. In Minnesota, a first-time host record of thirty-two players gathered at Eden Prairie outside of Minneapolis with clinics, round robins and a social.
UNC Chapel Hill offered free clinics for their first women’s squash week event, and further west in Chattanooga, Scenic City Squash held clinics and an exhibition for their first event.
On the west coast, first-time hosts Seattle Athletic Club held softball doubles on a new glass court. In San Francisco, Bay Area players took to the Oracle NetSuite Open Challenge court and received professional clinics. Portland’s Multnomah Athletic Club held their first event with singles and doubles play.
Urban programs including Racquet Up Detroit, Hartford’s Capitol Squash, StreetSquash Harlem, SquashSmarts and public facility Portland Community Squash all brought their communities together in celebration.
U.S. women’s champion Olivia Blatchford carried the torch at three different locations—in San Francisco, Chattanooga and at her home club and first-time hosts Chelsea Piers Connecticut.
Existing locations continue to grow and innovate women’s squash week programming.
Berwyn Squash & Fitness held an auction to benefit SquashSmarts and began lead up events to the Howe Cup Women’s Team Champion. Germantown Cricket Club held a different event each night of the week including clinics, fitness, match play and an exhibition over the course of the week.
Boston held the largest recorded women’s squash week event ever with seventy-six players on site at Harvard’s Murr Center. Howe Cup host venue Squash on Fire and National Capital squash held a record sixty players in Washington, D.C.
Internationally, Hong Kong joined the women’s squash week movement by becoming the first event of the week with a three-day Squash Angels tournament.
Read more stories from Women’s Squash Week 2017 on the women’s squash Facebook group. Join the group and share your community’s story with #WSWEEK17 or #squashisfriendship.
Only in its sixth year since emerging on a national scale, Women’s Squash Week has ignited new programs and continues to build enthusiasm and participation worldwide.