REGIONAL TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS
17 – 18 April – University of Birmingham, Solihull Arden SC + Coventry and North Warwickshire SC
The England Squash & Racketball regional programme comes to a colourful conclusion this weekend with the eagerly awaited staging of the Regional Team Championships in the West Midlands.
The event sees the eight ESR regions competing against each other in the traditional Boys and Girls Under 13, 15 and 17 age categories. This year also sees an expanded mixed Under 11 category as we start to develop a stronger Under 11 national programme that will become fully integrated into the junior structure over the next season.
Almost 300 talented juniors will be involved at the weekend in what promises to be a real festival of squash. Current British champions such as Oliver Holland (East Midlands), Richie Fallows (South East), Eleanor Lake (South West) and James Peach (North East) are all competing and will be spearheading their regions attach and hoping to provide the inspiration to drive their regions to glory.
London return as the reigning overall champions after taking the Under 11 crown and finishing in the top four in all other categories bar 1 in Birmingham last season. The East will also be looking to build on last year’s impressive haul of three individual category titles. However it is likely to be the South West who start as overall favourites with no fewer than 10 top ten nationally ranked players in their ranks – definitely the region to watch!
ESR Head of Performance, Keir Worth commented ‘The Regional Programme has developed significantly over the past year, with a greater number of players receiving coaching through Regional Squads, County Squads and local mini-squads. In addition, the Regional Coaches and the Performance Team have been working with coaches across the country to raise the standards of coaching practice. Next season will see further changes, as ESR increase the resources invested at regional level and strengthen the Performance Programme.
The Regional Team Championships is a fantastic event. The culmination of a season’s hard work, the weekend provides players with tough matches without the pressure of chasing ranking points, within a competitive, but fun team environment.’
The championship runs over Saturday and Sunday and is spread across three venues. University of Birmingham’s Munro Centre is hosting the Boys and Girls Under 13’s as well as the Mixed Under 11’s. Solihull Arden SC are the venue for the Under 15’s while Coventry and North Warwickshire await the Under 17 teams.
Play starts at 9.00am on Saturday as the regions all play group matches which then culminate in final positional play offs on Sunday afternoon. Any spectators are welcome free of charge.
