World Squash Day

How will we celebrate World Squash Day in New Zealand?

It's our chance to join together worldwide and celebrate the sport we all love, while locally enhancing the health and happiness of our communities and inspiring New Zealanders.

This year Squash New Zealand and the Districts have agreed to re-partner with the New Zealand Mental Health Foundation (MHF) as the charity for World Squash Day. The charity fits well as we both support healthy lifestyles and we look forward to building a meaningful relationship that provides good health outcomes for New Zealanders.

The theme of this year is linking in with that of the Mental Health Awareness Week taking place from 26 September to 2 October, and is fittingly around 'Reconnecting with the people and places that lift you up'.  For many of us, a squash club and those we connect with within those walls is exactly that.  A place where we go to with friends and family to escape life's challenges and feel the rush and freedom of chasing a little black ball around the court, along with the post-match reflections in the clubrooms afterwards.

Exercise, connectivity, and a sense of belonging plays a large role in everyone’s mental wellbeing, so let us come together to share our love for squash and open our doors to welcome members of the community into our clubs and invite new people to play our great sport.
 
Last year collectively clubs managed to raise over $20,000. 

Those funds went towards supporting the MHF with:
  • $40 distributes 132 physical mental health resources to schools, workplaces, communities and health care centres, ready for those who need them
  • $80 enables Mental Health Foundation staff to respond to 6 enquiries from people experiencing mental health issues
  • $150 supplies 48 sets of digital support and guidance resources, enabling 32 individuals or organisations to support a friend or colleague through mental distress
If we just look at enquiries, the $20,000 raised last year helped the MHF respond to as many as 1,500 enquires!

This year our goal is $21,000 to celebrate 21 years of the Mental Health Foundation working in New Zealand towards creating a society free from discrimination, where all people enjoy positive mental health & wellbeing.

SIGN UP YOUR CLUB HERE!

How can our club get involved?

We want as many clubs as possible to take part, so ultimately it's up to you!  Last year clubs took part in a range of activities from open days, fun tournaments and bake sales.  The most popular option was a Squash Marathon which we will be providing resources on how you can run one on World Squash Day.

12 Hour Squash Marathon

How will this work?

  • All clubs that are taking part can take the court at 8am on Saturday 15th October and have continuous play until 8pm.
  • The aim is to keep at least one court going over this 12-hour period! 
  • Seek community sponsors to support this event and all funds raised to go back to the Mental Health Foundation (more details below)
  • While the marathon is happening, there are also a series of challenges to compete in which could also be attractive to a sponsor.
  • We will have a Facebook Event page dedicated to this day where you can report on your progress throughout the day and see how everyone else is going as well

Attempt these challenges and upload to the group page!

  • Report how many people played on your squash court marathon court during the 12 hours
  • The longest rally
  • How many people can fit on a court and hold a 20-hit rally  
  • Most outrageous dress up for a specific theme (Superhero)      
  • How many times can you hit a target in a 20 min period eg bucket on a court
  • What is the biggest age range that one game is played between two people (10-yr vs 80-yr old)
  • Complete squash specific fitness session, CrossFit and/or yoga on squash courts (examples will be in the packs)
  • Picture of other activities that a squash court can be used for
  • Skills hour

*Example challenges - use these or make up your own!

SIGN UP YOUR CLUB HERE!

How can we fundraise?

  • The Mental Health Foundation website clubs will register through has been created to easily accept donations
  • Each club will be able to register their own club on this website (contact us if you need assistance doing this) and track how your donations are coming along
  • You will also be able to have some friendly competition with other clubs across New Zealand as you will see their tally
  • The donations are automatic so we will be able to see live tracking!

SIGN UP YOUR CLUB HERE!

What support will we receive?

  • Fundraising poster
  • Stickers
  • Coin buckets
  • Squash fitness session provided
  • Skills hour guidelines
  • Posters to print for community sharing (place in shops/schools and for club notice board
  • Silent auction guidelines
  • Social media tiles to tailor and/or directly share
  • Guidelines how to report back and send pics
  • Support in setting up fundraising page
  • A district representative who will follow up with how it is all going
  • Your activities shared through our social media challenges over the duration of the event. A hashtag will be created so we can easily find and share posts.

    *Please note the number of each item you receive will be subject to club size.

SIGN UP YOUR CLUB HERE!

Major Partner

Programme & Team Partners


Community & Youth Development Partner

Community Trust Supporters


 

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