It’s Down To The Top Five Clubs

Squash New Zealand are pleased to announce the finalists for the 2012 Club of the Year awards.

With a 50% increase in nominations from 2011, whittling them down to just five finalists was a tough job for the Judging Panel who felt the task was a very difficult one this year and who were very impressed by the quality of the applicants.

The Judging Panel feel that all entrants deserve a mention for their fantastic achievements and will honour all entrants at the Awards Ceremony on Friday 30 November.  Squash New Zealand would like to congratulate the five finalists on the fantastic achievements throughout the year in their communities.

The five finalists, in alphabetical order, are…

• Burnside Squash Club
• Devoy Squash & Fitness Centre
• Squash City Invercargill
• Squash Gym Palmerston North
• United Matamata Squash Club

In a city recovering from a devastating earthquake, Burnside Squash Club has increased their membership at a time that has seen a large transition out of the city and surrounds. After earthquake damage they have implemented several facility improvements including court walls, security and heating.

Squash NZ’s 2010 Club of the Year, United Matamata Squash Club hosted a very successful Women’s Squash Association (WSA) this year, which attracted nine of the top 20 world players and provided an opportunity for five NZ professionals to play on home soil. Their club is a real community hub, situated in a sports centre and often playing host to other activities such as community walking, yoga and heart fit classes.

It has been a big year for the newly named Devoy Squash & Fitness Centre (previously Tauranga Squash Club) with its grand opening of a new four-court facility in collaboration with Tauranga Boys High School. Since its opening, the club has seen a staggering 85% growth and are now operating a waiting list.

Squash City Invercargill are the first club in the country to install the iSquash Pay2Play access and security system which will open the doors of their club to the community, utilising the opportunity that the closure of Stadium Southland (with its four squash courts) presents. The club has a fantastic relationship with local TV and radio and have run several successful Year of Women’s Squash initiatives.

SquashGym Palmerston North, three times winner of the Club of the Year Award, has had a year full of great initiatives. They have been successful in receiving funding from Sport Manawatu for a number of Kiwisport squash in schools programmes and have seen some great results from their recruitment initiatives “Women & Wine” and “Blokes & Beer”.

Squash New Zealand would like to thank all clubs who were nominated for the great work that they have achieved in the past twelve months. Development Director Pennie Ball said “it was fantastic reading through the nominations and seeing some great achievements from a variety of club types. It’s heartening to hear about so many passionate volunteers in our clubs, working hard to make their clubs the heart of their communities”.