At university there were and still are various sports that undergrads could participate in competitively, which can launch them into the spotlight – ironically Squash is rapidly becoming one of those sports.
With the Squash 2017/18 competition at higher education in full flow, given the surge in popularity in the last 18 months, it would be expected that some larger universities or even the specialist higher education establishments would look to capitalise on having a Squash team compete against other universities? No – mainly as there is a lack of Squash courts to play on.
During my time – the most common played are Football, Rugby, and Basketball. However, Squash was one of the most popular sports played at my university with students of all abilities taking part in regional and national competitions – but not many studied sports degrees though.
Squash participation in a UK University
There are thirty-eight men’s and women’s BUCS squash leagues, with four to eight teams in each league; men’s squads have five players, and women’s have four. The administration of all intercollegiate squash competitions is a company called British University and Colleges Sport (BUCS).
The first such university squash tournament dates back to 1925 when Oxford and Cambridge’s men began playing each other in the so-called Varsity Match. In 1949, a men’s national intercollegiate championship was started and the women’s category came in 1961.
In comparison to U.S. squash, each school can enter as many teams as they wish. For example, the University of Nottingham supports five men’s and four women’s teams. Thus, this past winter eighty-six institutions fielded a total of 203 men’s and ninety-three women’s teams.
The most successful English university squash is the University of Birmingham has consistently fielded the U.K.’s most successful squash program, winning a total of twenty men’s and twelve women’s titles overall since 1949.
Popularity overseas
Compared to the UK, Squash at a university level is very popular – especially attracting overseas and local talent with scholarships. However, in the United States College squash is a hugely successful enterprise that has fuelled the strong development of American squash
Recently, Alexa Pienaar of South Africa won the University of Johannesburg Sportswoman of the year and student-athlete of the year at the University’s 2017 Sports Gala Awards. Already, Alexa has represented her country at the junior level in the U14, U16, and U19 squash teams and has hopes to play in senior level competition tournament – the 2018 World Squash Championships, in Charlottesville, USA.
Meanwhile, Amanda Haywood, one of Barbados’s most outstanding female squash players won a full scholarship to the University of Virginia, where she will study finance for the next four years. Now, this bolds well, as the chances of Amanda playing in an international squash tournament in 2020 are very high.
Continuing to play in the big leagues
However, for those who have played Squash for their university, some players have gone on to compete in the professional ranks.
Current squash stars – Sarah-Jane Perry is an alumnus of the prestigious Warwick University, who has won in tournaments in university competition and is now a senior success, as well as Emma Beddoes, Daryl Selby (Loughborough University), and recently retired Steve Coppinger (Birmingham University).
The most notable professional players who have played Squash at university in the U.K. include Chris Ryder, Vanessa Atkinson, Jenny Tranfield, Denyer, Becky Botwright, and Joey Barrington.
To sum up, playing Squash at University has a number of benefits notably access to great coaching and planning for a career after playing. Oddly enough, I have seen a graduate who has played squash and go to own his or her squash club.
Nevertheless, Squash is a sport that has no boundaries when you are at university as the people you compete with are bound to remember you when you reach the professional ranks – hence keep on playing when you progress from the grassroots.
