SQUASH AT WINDSOR
Welcome to Windsor Squash!
After a challenging period in which playing numbers at Windsor (and Ulster as a whole) have declined over a number of years and, after the significant impact of Covid-19 on the sport, Squash at Windsor is on the rise again! There is a real buzz about the sport. Playing numbers are growing and court utilisation is on the increase.
Windsor has some of the best squash facilities in Belfast that make them the envy of any club, with an enthusiastic membership enjoying social squash as well as competing in the inter-club Ulster Leagues.
We have two top-quality courts (one glass-back) and each court is heated using large overhead gas heaters which when used with wall heaters ensure that the courts are at the optimum temperature for players. Both courts are fitted with LED lights to a high standard.
PLAYING SQUASH AT WINDSOR AND COACHING
There are many ways for anyone of any standard to play squash at Windsor:
Club Night
We run an open “Club Night” every Thursday evening between 5-8pm. Anyone can drop in at any time and all standards are welcome. Its a great chance to meet other players and to benefit from some pointers and light touch coaching from our coaching team.
Members free, Non-members £5
Our club nights are run by Alex Gillingham. He is a Level 2 Qualified England Squash Coach with over a decade of coaching experience, working with a variety of players from Middlesex Juniors in England to the University team at Queen’s University Belfast.
Alex moved to Belfast in 2016 to study Chemical Engineering at Queen’s and has played his squash in the Ulster leagues ever since. Alex brings his knowledge of the game to the Windsor squash, currently working with the other coaches running the Squash Club night on a Thursday as well as developing ideas for social squash events and club tournaments – watch this space!
For more information about Club Night or to join our Windsor Squash WhatsApp Group, contact Alex on:
Mobile: 07833254457
1-2-1 Coaching with Squash Head Coach Will Nicholson
Will is our Squash Head Coach. He is an England Squash Level 1 qualified coach and approved for coaching in Ulster by Irish Squash. Will is an Ulster Premier League player and has been coaching since 2016. He is a new Windsor squash member who has just relocated to Northern Ireland from London with his young family.
Will is deeply committed to raising the profile of squash in Northern Ireland and passionate about championing the positive role it can play in our society through its clear health and wellbeing benefits, its accessibility to anyone and its ability to bring communities together.
He sits on the Board of Ulster Squash as Funding, Club Liaison and Partnerships Director – responsible for the identification of funding opportunities, maintaining relationships with funders, engagement with all clubs and acting as the conduit between them, the Board and Irish Squash. He is responsible for development of strategic partnerships with key stakeholders including Local Authorities, Sport NI and NI Sports Forum, delivery partners, sponsors and funders and will seek to support partnership working between Windsor and these organisations.
Private Lessons – £25 per hour for members, £30 per hour for non-members
Contact Will on:
mobile: 07773345862
email: wanicholson@gmail.com
Beginner/intermediate group coaching with Senior Coach Michelle Jackson – Monday evenings 6-7pm and 7-8pm
Michelle is a very experienced WSF level 1 coach. She has been coaching and playing squash in Belfast for many years. She is particularly passionate about raising the profile of women’s squash and women in sport and has run coaching programmes in Northern Ireland for women in partnership with WISPA (Women in Sport and Physical Activity)
Members £30 for 6 sessions, Non-Members £40 for 6 sessions
Interested in getting involved in squash at Windsor?
For all coaching queries – Contact Will Nicholson – wanicholson@gmail.com or call/whatsapp/text on 07773 345 862
To find our more about Open Club Night – Contact Alex Gillingham – call/whatsapp/text on 07833 254 457
ULSTER LEAGUES
The club has always been one of the top clubs in Ireland and fields 3 Mens teams and a Masters team in the Ulster Squash leagues. Interested in playing on a team? We operate a ladder for the teams and you can challenge on to the ladder to gain a play on one of the teams.
You can find out how the Windsor teams are doing in the leagues through the Ulster Squash league site – https://www.sportyhq.com/league/view/Ulster-Open-Squash-League
TOP PLAYERS
Windsor has always attracted top-class players, with many of them representing Ulster and Ireland at various levels.
Derek Ryan – Current World Masters O50 Champion and former world number 7. Derek is also one of the PSA World Tour physiotherapists and occasionally brings the world’s top players to Windsor!
David Ayerst – Current Windsor Club Number 1 and Ulster top 3 player, David is one of the top ranked masters players in the world and represents Ireland at O50 level. He is former British Masters Champion and is a regular on the masters tour, most recently winning the Luxembourg open.
David Gotto – Member of Windsor since 1957 and Vice President of Windsor LTC since 2012. Outstanding squash career with 122 international caps (a world record) and no fewer than 200 caps for Ulster. Holder of 4 Irish National Championships. Irish Senior Number 1 from March 1977 – March 1981. Irish Senior Team Captain 1977-1986. Played in 12 European Team Championships for Ireland. Voted best sportsman at the European Team Championships in 1983. Captained and played at No1 for International European Team Tour of USA in 1978. Played for Ireland in 5 World Team Championships.
Dorothy Armstrong – had a very distinguished squash career, representing Ireland many times at senior level over a number of years, as well as representing Ulster at tennis.
CLUBMARK
Windsor is one of the few clubs in Ulster to be accredited with Clubmark from Ulster Squash, demonstrating a high standard of programme delivery within the club.