A squash revolution is happening in Sydney
 
The East Coast Squash Academy and Sydney University Sports & Fitness joined forces throughout December and January offering squash as part of the multi-sport program to over 250 juniors.

The Academy is determined to build the squash foundations in Australia once again, to ensure children are staying active and healthy and form a pathway from primary school right through to University clubs and representation. Along the way we are looking to identify those talented individuals who could be the next Australian representative at the commonwealth games.

The juniors who took part in the holiday camps were playing squash for the very first time and our objective is to ensure opportunities are created for them to continue playing.

During 2021 term time The Academy will be operating a number of junior training squads at Sydney University Aquatic centre and other venues across Sydney:

• SUSF Aquatic Centre: Mondays 4.30pm to 5.30pm
• SUSF Aquatic Centre: Saturdays 9am to 10am
• Other venues and times are available at Norths in Cammeray, CBD Squash club on Castlereagh Street, and North Manly Squash Club

Squash is rated as the healthiest sport in the world and we are starting a revolution to get as many children playing this wonderful game.

Our next holiday camp sessions will take place on the 12th, 13th and 14th of April from 1pm to 3pm at Sydney University Aquatic Centre.

​To enrol in these sessions please email ursula@eastcoastsquashacademy.com.au

For further information on all of our junior programs contact: mike@eastcoastsquashacademy.com.au

This is a great hack from Dr Marc Dussault to prevent your squash racket grip becoming slippery.

The East Coast Squash Academy’s Inaugural Squash tournament took place on 27th September at the North Manly Squash club at the Warringah Recreation Centre.
Balgowlah School Boys, currently part of The Academy junior squad programme, filled the draw and Head of English and keen squash enthusiast, Miss Jan, was onsite to encourage the boys and even challenge them to some games after the competition.
The timed round robin format ensured all the boys had plenty of matches and there were some extended and entertaining rallies on show.
The Academy’s new International coach, Mike Dickens, was pleased to see all the effort the boys have been putting into the training sessions is paying off, especially with the early start following the completion of their exams!!
Eventual winner was Jack Pilkinghome taking the trophy and the bragging rights amongst his friends, until next time!!
The Academy is rapidly growing its junior program and will continue to run the mini tournament series across the 5 locations, filtering our junior squad members into competition.  

The Junior Squads run on the following days during school term:

North Manly Squash Club:                        Monday 4.15pm to 5pm                 (5-9 years)
                                                                       Mondays 5pm to 6pm                    (10-18 years)
Norths Fitness Club in Cammeray:          Tuesdays 5.15pm to 6pm               (10 – 18 years)
Norths Fitness Club in Cammeray:          Thursday 4pm to 4.45pm               (5 -9 years)

For more information please contact mike@eastcoastsquashacademy.com.au
​
Stay tuned for a BIG Sponsorship announcement that is coming soon for the Academy….

The East Coast Squash Academy continues to further educate its coaches, to ensure during this ever changing landscape of regulated access and delivery, they are Covid certified and ultimately deliver a Covid Safe squash lesson/class. Our players’ safety is our major priority.
​
The Academy continues to follow all of the latest rules associated with squash play in New South Wales. As well as communicating with all of our venues on a regular basis to ensure club specific guidelines are met.

We often have scenarios in squash where we are slightly unsure as to when a player calls for a let what the correct decision is. There are many examples on the internet of decisions in the professional game (PSA) but very few at the amateur level where play is generally not as structured and accurate as the top professionals in the game.

In this video we can see a range of scenarios at an amateur level:

Decision 1: STROKE - There is no direct access to the ball and the striker has made no attempt to move away from the shot. The opponent would have comfortably made it to the ball and has the racket up ready to hit.

Decision 2: LET – The striker attempts to move out of the path of the ball and the ball is deeper into the back of the court. The opponent is impeded on his path to the ball.

Decision 3: STROKE – This is a dangerous situation, the striker has played the ball and moves to the right but is still very close to the path of the ball. The opponent should have stopped play and asked for a let and would be given a stroke. The opponent continues to play on and hits the other players racket, this is a stroke, but she is also given a warning for dangerous play.

Decision 4: STROKE – The striker plays the ball and moves into its path so the opponent has no direct site to the ball.

Decision 5: STROKE: - The striker makes a minor attempt to move away from the ball but directly in the line of the ball he hit at himself. The opponent is there ready to play a shot.

Decision 6: A WARNING: This is a warning for dangerous play as the player has no idea where his opponent is as he is facing backwards and attempts a very dangerous shot between his legs. CRAZY...

Scenario 7: The lady mid court should have asked for a let and not hit the backhand volley drop. She would have been given a stroke decision as her opponent was directly in front of her and should have access to hit to the front wall.

Scenario 8: Let + Warning: The player returning the serve did an air swing at the ball and then turned 180 degrees and played a dangerous shot with his backhand. In this scenario when you turn, stop and ask for a let. If you do continue play depending on the position of your opponent, you may be given a warning for dangerous play. If you hit the opponent with the ball after turning, it is a stroke to your opponent + warning.

Decision 9: WARNING – never ever throw your racket on court, it has feelings! You will also receive a warning for racket abuse.

Decision 10: NO LET. The player in yellow is in no way ready to play a shot, let alone a winning shot. It is an afterthought to ask for a let as the ball goes past him.

*Remember if you feel it is a dangerous situation stop and ask for a let, SAFETY COMES FIRST!
​

As restrictions lift many players are returning to sport after long term isolation and will have to manage a range of psychological and physical demands that have been lost during enforced lockdowns.

With Small Group Classes, Training Squads and Play to Win Feedback sessions back up and running with the East Coast Squash Academy, returning players will have to adapt to new guidelines and in some instances adapt to new environments to train in.
​
Lori Dithurbide (@DrLoriD) Assistant Professor in the School of Health and Human Performance at Dalhousie University, noted that there are 3 phases to returning to sport.
​
Below we have shown how these phases relate to squash.

Phase 1: Managing emotions

Players will have to manage their emotions from the excitement, in our instance, of getting back on the court and training with peers as well as controlling the anxiety of de-training and if they have fallen behind other players.

Handling the expectation of performance when returning, the player must understand it needs to be taken in simple steps and progression made over time.

Phase 2: Making sense of the situation

Assessing what level, the opponent is at physically and mentally as a player will return to sport at different levels than pre-isolation.

A number of players kept up with at-home exercises and conditioning completing their own exercises or participating in Squash in the Park sessions. These players will not be as far behind as the players that were not able to continue any exercise.

Players who spent time working on other aspects of their performance (e.g. strategy performance) through VSA sessions, will find themselves ahead of the game when they return, having a better awareness of what they’ll need to do or adjust when under pressure.  

Training should be gradual to avoid injury and overtraining, and both players and coaches must remain adaptable as they navigate changing restrictions and renew goals.
 
Phase 3: Mobilizing energy and efforts

It is clear that players will have a sense of “I am too far behind” or “how will I achieve my original goals”. Short term goals need to be reset and managed continually to build confidence in an ever changing environment.
 
We all know that physically time needs to be taken when returning to the court to reduce the chance of injury but it is also essential to remember the psychological aspects and fatigue may set in due to the change from normal training.
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If this can be understood early and clear in the short-term goals achieved, this will maintain motivation, focus and reduce that chance of injury.

It is important to have the right kit in your squash bag. Many situations can occur prior, during or after a squash match that need attention, and a medical kit can undoubtedly come to the rescue.

For example, a player can graze a knee when stretching into a shot, and if this draws blood, the player must be able to deal with that situation and clean up the wound and stop the bleeding as quickly as possible (WSF Rule 14.4).

When playing several matches in a short space of time a player can get blisters on their toes, feet and ankles. To have some light pain relief and essential band-aids and bandages can be the difference between being able to continue or having to withdraw.
​
CHECKLIST: Medical Kit Contents

• Gauze pads
• Scissors
• Knuckle bandages
• Athletic tape (Strapping Tape)
• Voltaren tablets
• Paracetamol tablets
• Butterfly bandages
• Elastic wrap
• Band-Aids
• Fingertip bandages
• Hand sanitizer
• Tiger Balm
• Black Permanent Marker to colour in a bandage to stop blood appearing.                                         ​
• Knee Brace
• Cotton wool
• Sharpe Pin
• Antiseptic liquid
• Small Scissors
• Pumice stone
• Aloe Vera cream
• Anti-inflammatory cream - can reduce swelling quicker than tablets.
• Ice pack to reduce inflammation (it can be a small plastic pouch for local application and not too heavy for travel).
• Knee patella and/or tennis elbow strap (if this is a previous issue)

 

Being prepared for any situation will ensure you are calm and collected throughout practice matches, league games (pennant) and tournaments. Nobody wants to be that player that has to wear cold sweaty kit for a second match!

What should be in your bag:

4 racquets with the same grips, string and string tension (strings may break during matches, so it is best to have back-ups. Beginner - 2 racquets, Intermediate - 3 racquets, Advanced - 4 racquets.
A spare racquet with the same string and grip is essential as we have seen many times a player break their favourite racquet and have to borrow another players racquet that is totally different and quickly lose because of the frustration that the equipment isn’t the same.

• Squash Shoes (spare squash shoes that have been worn, brand new shoes will be stiff on first wear)
• A wrist band for each match (spare wrist band if the conditions are very warm)
• Head band for each match
• 2 towels
• 2 + Extra grips
• T-shirts for each match (plus a spare shirt for each match especially in hot conditions)
• Sport socks for each match (plus 3 spare pairs)
• Shorts for each match (plus 1 spare pair)
• 2 sets of string (some events have restringing on-site, but it is unusual you are able to get a restring done straight away)
• Skipping rope                                           (warm-up)
• Therma band for stretching                  (cooling down)
• Muscle mate/tennis ball /hockey ball  (recovery)
• Squash balls
• Drink bottle / Sports Drink (Powder) / Banana / Protein Energy Bar (during performance & recovery)
• Music / Headphones / A good book (mental performance)
• Rules Booklet
• Practice Etiquette Document - By East Coast Squash Academy 
• Toilet Bag
• Medical Kit – check out our next blog for the medical kit content.

 
Not only is it important to have spare kit but also essential to have plenty of drinks and food for fuel. Whilst waiting for matches it is an idea to keep your mind occupied with music, a book or puzzles.
 
Some kit examples can be seen below:
​

Competitive squash players have played in a match when there is uncertainty of when the ball was broken, was it the previous rally or was it during the serve of the new rally? So what is the right decision?

When a ball breaks, if either player identifies the issue after a rally then a let is granted, and the point is replayed. A player may stop mid-rally if they think the ball is broken; however, that players’ risks forfeiting the point if it is determined that the ball is not yet fully broken.

A ball is only considered broken if there is a hole fully through a section of the seam.

A further note: If a player returning serve appeals that a ball is broken before attempting to make the return of serve and it is determined the ball is broken, a let is allowed for the previous rally if the referee is uncertain when the ball broke.

If a player discovers the ball is broken upon returning to court after a break between games, the ball is replaced but the final point of the previous game is not replayed – the new game begins with no change in outcome of the previous game.

“WHATS THE CALL REF?”

It is essential in the game of squash to have the right equipment. Everyone is unique and we all certainly have different shaped feet, so it is crucial to have a squash shoe that suits you!
The more a player wears a worn out shoe for squash the higher the chance of injury due to a reduction in grip, stability and support. This will ultimately lead to unnecessary stress and pressure in your knees, hips, calf, around the foot (Achilles) and ankle. There are some clear signs of when to change your shoes and how to pick the right ones:

1. If you frequently slip or skid when lunging into the ball due to the rubber being worn.
2. Clear tares and rips to the upper material will reduce foot support.
3. Following a squash session your feet are regularly sore in the heel, the arch or the toes and you have regular blisters, this proves the shoe is not fit for purpose anymore.
4. The sole becomes visibly worn and you can’t see the rubber tram-lines of the grip.
5. If you leave your shoes out in the sun too long the sole & sides of the shoe will go shiny and no longer grip on court.  Scuffing them on concrete can bring back some grip but if this doesn’t work it’s time for a new pair of shoes.

Selecting the right shoe:
​
Squash shoes are specifically designed for Squash! The sole of the shoe is designed to grip the floor and built to support the foot and ankle in a different way to a standard running shoe.
It is important the shoe is the perfect fit, too tight and this will be painful as the foot swells during play, too big and the foot will move when lunging into the ball causing the player to be unbalanced. This will increase the chance of injury and give you blisters.
It must be very comfortable and light on your feet so you can feel the court under your foot whilst playing.
Here are some important considerations that you must ensure to follow when you aim to get the perfect squash shoe:

1. Do you have narrow feet, wide feet, flat feet? Make sure the shoe fits the shape of your foot. The shoe must not be too thick or heavy.
2. Always try on both shoes, walk around in them even do some lunges in them as they need to be right before purchasing.
3. It will need lateral reinforcement to ensure optimal stability.
4. Look at the materials as they should be absorbent as the foot sweats during play.
5. The sole of the shoe must be made of non-marking rubber to create a firm grip on the court.
6. Push down on the heel of the shoe and if it caves in you know it doesn’t have the heel support you are looking for.
7. Twist the show from the front and back and if there is no restriction and lots of range of movement this shoe doesn’t have the support you are looking for. 
8. Bend the shoe front to back and test the range in the movement, it shouldn’t be easy to do this with the shoe.
9. Regularity on changing your shoe is dependent on how often you play but if you follow the signs above you will know when to make that purchase.

 
Below you can see an example of a new squash shoe against an old worn shoe.

​Whenever you notice that the squash ball is skidding/sliding along the floor, this useful tip will take care of it quickly and easily.

Rub the ball along the side of your racket where you hit the least amount of balls.

Once you’ve removed all the shine, the ball will bounce like new within just 5-10 practice shots to warm it up and get rid of the excess dirt you’ve just scraped off.

#EasyPeasy

This is something players take for granted but when that time comes to put on a new squash grip, we are faced with several questions.

“What am I supposed to do when taking off the old grip?”
“Why is the old grip sticking to the handle?”
“How do I remove the little sticky bits stuck on the handle?”
“What do I do with the plastic on the new grip?”
“Do I pull the plastic off or keep it on when gripping the racquet?”
“Do I start at the top of the handle and work down?”
“How much do I overlap the grip?”
“Do I use all the grip no matter how long it is?”
“How do I finish the grip off?”
“Do I need any equipment other than the racquet and the grip to change the grip?”
“I am scared what if I make a mistake?”

Below is a video demonstrating an easy step by step guide to re-gripping your squash racquet and the equipment required. Watch, learn and give it a go!

The World Squash Association has created a new #StaySafeWithSquash tag to post stories and videos during these trying times.  

​Check out the slick skills & tricks from players all around the world.

An Academy member raised the bar and took on the COVID-19 Handstand Challenge.  

Check it out below.  

Do you think you can handle the Handstand Challenge?

Please share and show us what you got!

#HandstandChallenge
#WeAreAllInThisTogether 
#MakeTheMostOfWhatWeHave
#Don'tTakeLifeTooSeriously

This is the original link:

https://www.google.com/doodles/celebrating-hashim-khan

• April 4, 2020 - Celebrating Hashim Khan

​

• Google honoured and celebrated legendary Pakistani squash player Hashim Khan, widely revered as one of the sport’s all-time greatest players on his birthday, April 4th.

​

• On this day in 1951, Khan won the British Open Squash Championships propelling him from relative obscurity to the status of an international icon.  
  Born in 1914, Khan was raised in Peshawar, a small village in what was then India. His father worked at a British officers’ club with squash courts where Khan apprenticed as a ballboy. Learning the ropes of the sport while on his off-hours, Khan played barefoot on the club’s rough brick courts—an early testament to his tenacity. By age 28, Khan became a squash pro and soon after, a national champion of the sport. After winning three All-of-India titles, the newly independent government of Pakistan drafted him to represent the country at the 1951 British Open.
  Khan dominated during his first appearance at the British Open, considered squash’s world championship at the time, and went on to take home the grand prize. He returned to Pakistan a national hero with a million people greeting him upon his arrival. This monumental victory became the first hurrah of the Khan family’s squash dynasty. Over the next 46 years, the tournament was won 29 times by either Khan or one of his relatives, including renowned players Jahangir Khan and Jansher Khan. Establishing a career that earned him a spot in the U.S. Squash Hall of Fame, Khan won seven British Opens, five British Professional Championships, three U.S. Opens, and three Canadian Opens.
  

Thank you, Hashim Khan, for proving that through hard work and determination, people from every background can achieve greatness.

What I love about the Doodle is you can see his physical progression over time… brilliant!

This is the early concept and draft of the Doodle by Alyssa Winans & Olivia When… ​

The Academy has just launched Squash In The Park sessions, but Aaron Frankcomb and Marc Dussault decided to improvise and play some “Squash In The Car Park”…

A few hundred calories were burned keeping the ball ‘in play’ without the benefit of side walls.

The Joyce family from the US built their own makeshift basement squash court so they can play squash at home!​

Check out this MEGGA RALLY on Instagram... 
​

Sydney, 31st March 2020 – Australia’s leading squash academy, the East Coast Squash Academy, is pleased to announce the arrival of Mike Dickens to join its coaching faculty.  
 
Dickens brings 20 years coaching experience and a fanatical passion for the sport coupled with his professional playing and coaching experience with some of the best contemporary and emerging squash superstars in the game. He will help shake up, invigorate, strengthen and support the grass roots initiatives the Academy has established within the greater Sydney area.
 
Dickens has coached professional players into the top 100 PSA World Rankings including: Stephen Coppinger (Highest PSA World Ranking, #14), Alister Walker (Highest PSA World Ranking, #12), Adam Murrills (Highest PSA World Ranking, #76) and female player, Carrie Ramsey (Highest PSA World Ranking, #59) by refining and developing their technical, strategic and physical skills.
 
Less well known, but more importantly for the Academy are Mike’s other coaching accomplishments with younger, up-and-coming players along the young player development pathway. Notable players include four Welsh National Junior Champions:  Lewis Poole (Welsh Boys Under 19), Lucy Jones (Welsh Girls Under 17) and two-time champion Eve Griffiths (Welsh Girls Under 13 and Girls Under 15 #3).
 
“We’ve been talking to Mike for over a year and had him come scope out the Sydney market a year ago. He’s going to focus on young player development. As a father of two, he intimately understands how important it is to nurture young minds and bodies to keep the game fun, challenging and rewarding,” says Aaron Frankcomb, Founding Director of the East Coast Squash Academy and former PSA World #38 and current #1 in NSW. “Mike will work to continue to develop school programs and to attract new players to the sport, including students and female players across all age groups,” adds Frankcomb.
 
Mike Dickens’ accomplishments as a squash player include:

• Ranking in the top 20 England Junior rankings
• European Over 35 top ranking of #30 
• 3rd place result in the Welsh Open European Masters events in 2017 
• 5th place result in the Welsh Open European Masters events in 2018 
• Welsh National Racketball Champion 2018
• Welsh Over 35 Runner Up in 2019.

 
The Academy has been an innovator within the squash community, facilitating corporate team building events and workshops to improve teamwork in organisations enhance health, wellness and wellbeing in the workforce through squash.
 
Dickens is available for Squash in the Park Sessions, Private Group Lessons, Small Group Classes, Play to Win Feedback Sessions and Training Squads on an ongoing basis.
 
Mike Dickens
Contact details: Tel: 0450 887 632
Email: Mike@EastCoastSquashAcademy.com.au

The East Coast Squash Academy is taking additional precautionary measures to ensure the health and safety of all our members, colleagues and self-employed coaches is our number one priority.

We are closely monitoring the Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation and following the advice provided by the Australian Government Department of Health (AGDH). In addition, we are working very closely with our facilities, governing bodies and other club operators throughout Australia.

The Academy is committed to providing our members with a safe and hygienic space to play squash in and we are taking this situation extremely seriously. Our colleagues have been extensively briefed on what actions they need to take, as per Government guidance, to reduce the risk of the virus spreading.

You can find out about the actions we are taking to keep our members safe, how we are responding to COVID-19 and how our members can keep themselves and others safe in the following FAQs:
 
WHAT ACTION IS THE ACADEMY TAKING TO KEEP MEMBERS AND STAFF SAFE AND WELL?
 
The health and safety of our members, colleagues and self-employed squash coaches are our top priority.

In line with AGDH guidance, our facilities have increased the level of cleaning and hygiene in our locations, including

• Increasing the frequency of cleaning and sanitisation, especially high touch areas such as pin pads, door handles, lockers, equipment, etc.

 

• Ensuring soap dispensers and hand sanitisers remain filled.

 

• Educating and reminding members and colleagues of the importance of good hygiene.

 
Within the Academy we have advised all colleagues and coaches on what to do when returning from foreign travel, in line with AGDH recommendations.

Professor Brendan Murphy is the Chief Medical Officer for the Australian Government and is the principal medical adviser to the Minister and the Department of Health. He has reinforced that it is still safe for people to go to the gym/sporting facilities and stay active. Click "HERE" to read more. 

If we are notified of any issue in our facilities, or if another member contracts the virus, we will notify you immediately and undertake a full deep clean of the clubs.

For the latest information, please refer to the FAQs on this page.

WHAT CAN OUR MEMBERS DO TO HELP?

With the efforts of everyone in The Academy, including our members, let’s work together to keep ourselves safe and healthy.

The Academy’s members are encouraged to help reduce the spread of the virus through good personal hygiene.

This includes:

• Frequent hand washing (wash your hands for 20 seconds) and hand sanitising during your visits

 

• Making full use of the soap, sanitisers and cleaning items available

 

• Covering your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing and dispose of the tissue in the bin after use

​

• Familiarise yourself with the latest guidance from AGDH and do not visit the clubs if you are displaying symptoms of COVID-19 and are advised to self-isolate

 

• Follow Government guidance if you are a returning traveller

 
We are monitoring the situation closely in all our facilities and hygiene is the number one priority for our Team. 

If you need personal health advice specifically in relation to Coronavirus (COVID-19), you should call the 1800 020 080 service or your GP. Please do not attend your GP or emergency department without phoning in advance.

CURRENTLY, ARE THERE ANY CONFIRMED CASES WITHIN THE ACADEMY?

No. But if we do all our members, colleagues and coaches within our clubs will be informed. 

Any further updates will be provided here.  

We understand that people are concerned about the Coronavirus (COVID-19). We are monitoring the situation closely and we will continue to provide as much advice, care and support as we can to our members.
 
IS THE ACADEMY OPEN AND OPERATING AS NORMAL?

No, our clubs are no longer operating. All members, colleagues and coaches within the clubs have been informed. 

Any further updates will be provided here.  

http://www.squash.org.au/w/blog/covid-19-important-update-for-squash-centres--pm-media-release-supporting-australian-workers-and-business

Our clubs have significantly increased the level of cleaning and hygiene in their facilities to ensure they remain safe to train in. We do understand that members are concerned about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) so please follow the instructions within the facilities on how to keep yourself and others safe.
 
CAN I TAKE MY OWN CLEANING SUPPLIES IN?

We are providing additional cleaning supplies in all the clubs to allow members to self-clean equipment before and after use and the facilities have increased the level of cleaning and hygiene, in line with AGDH guidance.

Throughout our classes there will be no human contact, we will disinfect all equipment before and after all sessions.

The Academy is committed to providing our members with a safe and hygienic space to play squash and we are taking the outbreak of Coronavirus (COVID-19) extremely seriously. Our colleagues have been extensively briefed on what actions they need to take, as per Government guidance, to reduce the risk of the virus spreading and we continue to educate and remind our members and colleagues of the importance of good hygiene in the clubs.

I HAVE CONTACTED THE 1800 HELPLINE AND HAVE BEEN ADVISED TO SELF-ISOLATE WHAT DO I NEED TO DO?

The AGDH has provided advice on self-isolation here.

If you have any queries or concerns, please email us: ursula@eastcoastsquashacademy.com.au

RESOURCES:  

Department of Health guidelines
About the coronavirus

Updated Daily
The most current medical advice and official reports

World Health Organisational
Getting workplace ready for coronavirus
 
Educational video’s
Great video's explain everything related to coronavirus

Sydney, December 16th, 2019 – The East Coast Squash Academy is happy to announce it has signed its first corporate member, Ultimate Edge Communications a local boutique media consultancy.
 
The Academy has been proactively promoting squash across both the athletic and corporate communities with a focus on grass roots efforts to introduce as many new people to the sport while also rekindling the passion within former players.
 
Today’s announcement has been possible with the strategic vision of the East Coast Squash Academy’s, founder Aaron Frankcomb. Aaron was a professional squash player on the world tour and reached a top world ranking of #38. “We’re proud to welcome Ultimate Edge Communications as the first of many corporate members we seek to attract to the sport with this unique partnership” declares Frankcomb. “This is the result of the success of past corporate events that cater to the athletic interests as well team building and professional development of employees. We thought we should take it one step further and provide a corporate membership” adds Frankcomb.
 
The corporate membership covers all the costs and provides the equipment for staff members who can attend an unlimited number of small group classes at no cost, across the Academy’s multiple locations conveniently located within the Greater Sydney area.
 
More than just a staff membership, the partnership includes staging squash events that serve as team-building opportunities. The inaugural squash tournament staged just a few months ago began with an explanation of the rules of squash followed by a high-speed exhibition match to demonstrate how elite players make it look easy. With the basics of the game covered, team members then got on court and were fed balls to practice the basic strokes: The drive, volley and boast. Once minimum proficiency was established, a round-robin competition was staged for all team members to play each other to crown the first corporate champion – Evan Bohringer who now has bragging rights in the office for the next 12 months!
 
“Off the back of the success of the tournament, we wanted to explore other opportunities to provide more value for our employees” explains Aleisha McCall, Ultimate Edge Communications founder and CEO. “Squash is a very efficient way to burn calories and with the courts conveniently located in the city, our employees were keen to give it a go. This was also the ideal time with our renewed approach to employee wellbeing and empowerment to attract and retain the best staff” states McCall.
 

The East Coast Squash Academy stages a variety of corporate events for small teams, from a fun social afternoon to specific skill-based team building right up to the deliberate practice principles that uses squash as the metaphor for striving for excellence and success for the most committed teams.
If you’re looking for a fresh, new (different) reward, team-building or professional development program for your team, contact the Academy for all the details. The Academy can cater for companies of all sizes with across multiple locations throughout the Greater Sydney area.

Ultimate Edge Communications Pty Ltd
 
Ultimate Edge Communications (UEC) was founded in Sydney in 2014, by Aleisha McCall, finalist of B&Ts “30 under 30 Entrepreneur” and a former international synchronised ice skating champion.
 
UEC is able to over-deliver on expectations by being the conductor to an orchestra of moving parts that create a symphony of results that resonate with highly targeted audiences across both B2B and B2C sectors.
 
The composition begins with expert media buying that requires establishing a key strategic proportion between traditional offline and digital media spending. Once the budget allocation is defined, it then proceeds to tactical deployment of funds across the selected channels to ensure target market optimisation to set the stage for everything that follows.
 
The second act is to create design elements specifically tailored to each of the channels to ensure optimal conversions while providing coherent maximum brand reinforcement. The collaboration and synchronisation of media and creative design is one of the reasons UEC out-performs its peers as well as internal marketing departments.
 
The third act builds on this momentum to integrate lead generation and client acquisition activities to feed into a cohesive customer journey that provides a higher conversion on their path to purchase. This is enabled with sophisticated automated workflows that create and enhance the customer experience, reducing attrition at or immediately following a purchase as well as substantially improving customer satisfaction during the consumption of the product or service. This inevitably reduces operational costs. Even though UEC is focused on media, sales and marketing, the systemisation of multiple customer journeys translates into organisational improvements that further create benefits with economies of scale. These improvements often provide the much-needed capacity to grow quickly without substantial additional and costly human resources.
 
The last act builds to a crescendo by embracing leading-edge technologies including: artificial intelligence, machine learning, heuristics, predictive modelling and data analytics to fully embrace the concept of deliberate practice principles that have created Olympic medallists and World Champions. This complex process involves creating a self-reinforcing feedback loop that automatically and systematically applies highly sophisticated mathematics and statistical techniques to optimise all the moving components, so we can manage, monitor and adjust each variable in harmony with the others to maximise profits at the minimum cost while sustaining the highest quality and brand integrity.

Level 1, Suite 117/80 Elizabeth St, Sydney NSW 2000
info@UltimateEdgeCommunications.com.au
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Check out the great article below from The New York Times explaining the insights of how Egyptian Squash has come to dominate over the past decade.  
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https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/01/sports/a-squash-mystery-in-egypt-is-there-something-in-the-nile.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share

​The XV11 Australian Masters Games will be held in Adelaide 5-12 October, 2019. The Australian Masters Games is Australia’s best multisport festival and is just as much a social event as it is a sports event. The Australian Masters Games is proudly sponsored by the South Australian Tourism Commission through Events South Australia.
 
There will be a fantastic line-up of entertainment planned for the Adelaide Convention Centre throughout the week. The Games provide an opportunity to party and enjoy the week away with mates while taking part in the sports activities on offer; and of course that includes SQUASH! There will be a wide variety of nightly entertainment and plenty of activities in and around Adelaide that will offer an incredible event experience for participants.
 
The opening ceremony on Saturday 5 October will start off with the amazing athlete march into the Adelaide Convention Centre where over 8,000 participants will be welcomed to the weeklong sport festival.

​There will be an array of musicians and bands to provide entertainment throughout the week. Check out the exciting line-up of entertainment that awaits you here.
 
Get your friends and playing partners together; don’t miss out on this week long festival where you have the opportunity to play squash during the day and party into the night!
 
David Koch, Sunrise co-host and Port Adelaide Football Club chairman, is headed to the Australian Masters Games this October and will be competing in the indoor rowing competition. If he can get going at 4 am to keep fit and active, what’s your excuse!

Squash Magazine By The Numbers.