GRAMPIAN REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT

 

A welcome from Jackie Riches

Grampian Regional Development Officer

Tel:  07958004120

E-mail:  hugh@richesh.freeserve.co.uk

 

I am the main point of contact for any enquiries regarding the development of squash within Grampian. Please do not hesitate to get in touch should you require assistance in developing your club.

 

News:

"Congratulations to Greg McArthur, Lyall Paterson, Robin Hodgson, Sam Allan and  Lauren Hodgson who have been selected for  The Academy for the season 2006/2007.  Also congratulations to Lyndsay Ackers, Lisa Aitken, Rosie Allan, Nigel Anthony, Hannah Anthony, Mhairi Charlton, Tim Davidson, Andrew Forbes, Chris Leiper, Robbie Paterson and Josh Leary who have been successful in gettting into the National Talent Squad for 2006/2007.  Well done to all these very talented Grampian players."

 

Our Funding Partners

 

Grampian Squash would like to thank all of our funding partners for their continued support.

 

Our Senior Leagues are sponsored by Shell, the Junior Leagues by Romex and the Junior Tournaments by “Mr Chips”. Aberdeenshire Council & Aberdeen City Council are particularly supportive of what happens with the Grass roots development of Squash. Both councils have actively supported the school links, where both curricular and after-school activities are encouraged. Veripos provide the finance, which allows us to deliver the Grampian Squash Foundation coaching sessions. These squads have been designed to bring together the Regions best players and allowed them to train centrally together at ASRC. The Region’s players, that are in contention to play for Scotland, are supported by Sportscotland via the National Junior Groups Programme and our elite players have the support of the Grampian Institute of Sport as they endeavour to make an impact on the world stage.

 

‘Awards for All’ have also been very supportive of the Region’s Coach Education Programme and once again have made an award of nearly £5,000, which allowed our new coaches to receive mentoring and tutor support throughout the season.

 

In particular I would like to extend my personal thanks to Grampian Squash. They have supported me financially at a time when Scottish Squash was going through a transitional situation regarding the funding of the RDOs. They also heavily subsidised the two Inter Regional competitions, which were held this year in April & November. We are undoubtedly moving the sport forward together, and the future of squash in the Region is bright.

 

What happened in Grampian in 2006/2007

 

Inter regional            18/19               November 2006

Grampian Open        8/9/10             December 2006          ASRC

Midlands Open         12/13/14          Jan 2007

Nationals                    2/3/4                February 2007 Heriot-Watt

 

 

Junior Regional Squads

The Grampian Squash Foundation squads offer an opportunity for the Region’s most promising players to develop through group coaching, and are designed to assist those ranging from beginner level through to the elite. The squads are undoubtedly a tremendous success. Sponsored by Veripos, they were introduced in August 2004 and membership has increased by over 30% in the 2005-2006 season. Managing the squads is head coach Gerry Towler (Academy & Stonehaven), ably assisted by Area Talent Squad Coach Alistair Gorrie (ASRC head coach) and trainee coaches Gavin Sutherland from (ASRC) & Danny Molyneux from the (Peter Nicol Centre). The Region’s coaching team provide valuable additional support for what is happening at club level. Together we have helped the players produce remarkable results. As at 29/04/2006 no fewer than 23 of the Region’s players were ranked in the top 15 of their respective National Ranking age groups, with another 12 ranked between 16 & 25.

 

Coach Development

‘Awards for All’ continued to be supportive of the Region’s Coach Development Programme and generously provided funding, which allowed us to put new coaches through their coaching courses and to provide invaluable mentor and tutor support throughout the season. Mentor support was provided by way of including the new coaches, within the Foundation Squad sessions, where they were able to learn the “National Best Practices”.   

 

School Partnerships

Curricular school projects this season took place at ASRC, Peter Nicol Centre and Stonehaven. The Stonehaven project in particular was extremely successful and lessons have certainly been learned, as how we should proceed with such projects in the future. No fewer than 70 of the Arduthie schools primary 6 pupils were introduced to squash, with over 30 eventually joining the Stonehaven club. Many of these players progressed to become part of the Stonehaven Development teams, which were winners & runners up, respectively in the Grampian Development League, and who also then went on to win the two Individual Knockout prizes and the Team knockout cup. Sadly the Stonehaven club closed at the end of the season, when the County Hotel was sold to Barrat for a housing development. The legacy of this project, however, will be used as a template to help the remaining junior clubs to develop effectively in the future. 

 

Junior Leagues

Both Ellon & Shell have made tremendous progress this season and it was very encouraging to see them in contention for the silverware. The work at both clubs is now beginning to produce results. As always, both ASRC & Garioch have seen their young players produce the goods, and it was most encouraging to see Garioch make it a League & Cup double in the U15 competition. Banchory and Shell were to make it to the U13 and Development League Cup finals. However it was Stonehaven who had the season to remember, winning the League, the Cup and the Individual knockout titles and runners up trophies in both the U13 and Development League competitions. 

 

Junior National Honours

Congratulations to ASRC’s Greg McArthur (U19) and the Stonehaven trio of Lyall Paterson (U17), Robyn Hodgson also ASRC (U15) & Lauren Hodgson also ASRC (U13), who were National champions this year. All were capped for Scotland as were Lisa Aitken, Sam & Rosie Allan, Hannah Anthony, Mhairi Charlton, Lyndsay Ackers and Chris Leiper; a total of 11 Grampian players.    

 

National Honours

It was a Grampian double with Ian Brown winning the Scottish Squash “Services to Sport” award and Gerry Towler winning the “Coach of the Year” awards for the previous season. Congratulations to you both.

 

Grampian’s Active Junior Clubs

 

Several of our clubs in Grampian have particularly active Junior sections. The contacts at each club are as follows:

 

Club

Head Coach

Telephone

email

ASRC

Alistair Gorrie

07738108418

ali_g63@hotmail.com

Banchory

Jackie Riches

07958004120

hugh@richesh.freeserve.co.uk

Ellon

David Ovenstone

01358789421

 

Garioch

Maureen Maitland

01467642642

maureenmaitland@hotmail.com

Montrose

Alan Slinger

07957856931

Sling51@hotmail.com

PNC

Pat Nicol

01224742329

N/A

Shell

Paul Charlton

07919628179

paul.charlton@champ-tec.com

 

APPOINTMENTS

 

I would like to offer a warm welcome to John Leiper who has taken over the role of Junior Convenor within the Region. John has been actively involved in the junior section of ASRC in recent years and is keen to build on the sound foundations put in place by his predecessors. John brings with him some valuable skills, which have evolved from a background in Nutrition and excellent teaching and tutoring skills.  

 

The Grampian Squash Foundation has evolved over the last two years and as such, the roles of those involved need to change, if the project is to continue to develop appropriately. The last two seasons have seen a very much “hands on” approach by the Head Coach Gerry Towler, who will now be vacating this position, to take up the role of Grampian Director of Coaching - (DoC).

 

In the role of DoC, Gerry will manage the Grampian Squash Foundation and be responsible for overseeing the introduction of the Coach Education Programme within the Region. He will be directly linked with the National Programme and be responsible for writing the weekly session plans for the squads within the Foundation Programme, as well as line managing the Head Coach, Development Coaches and Trainee coaches within the programme.

 

Alistair Gorrie is promoted to Head Coach and will run the Foundation Squad Sessions. Alistair will provide appropriate support to the Development Coaches and ensure that the players receive the appropriate level of coaching support. He will ensure that all session plans are delivered at each coaching session.

 

Both Gavin Sutherland and Danny Molyneux have successfully completed their apprenticeships and are deservedly being promoted to the role of Development Coaches and will provide valuable support in both group and 1-1 situations.