New Zealand Squash History

The Future

Heading into the new millenium, the final words should perhaps be left with Neven Barbour, encapsulated in his Chairman's Review to the members in the 1998 Annual Report.

“Leadership is about setting an example that other people will want to follow.

While there has been good work carried out at a national level, the destiny of squash still lies in the hands of the clubs. They deliver squash to those who play the game. The club's front door is the critical threshold where the product meets the customer. If the game is to flourish again, the example set by Squash New Zealand (in acknowledging new leisure trends and investing to grow the game) must convince club administrators to re-examine the way they offer squash in their own communities.

The theme of the 1998 Annual General Meeting, “Competing in a New Environment”, defines the essential change which all sports face – what was popular and successful in 1978 may no longer excite the imagination of a discerning sport and leisure public. Squash has to ready itself to compete in this new environment and first of all it must accept the need for change.”