New coach joins club on World Squash Day

This Saturday is a day for a double celebration by the squash club at Exeter Golf and Country Club, welcoming a new squash coach on World Squash Day.

To mark this important date in the squash events calendar, Exeter Golf and Country Club are opening the doors to the squash courts for free coaching sessions for juniors from 10am until 12pm with the new coach, Mike Harris. Mike will also run an elite academy for some of the county’s best players in the afternoon, followed by the Club Session to meet squash members.

Mike, who is 26 and is an England Squash and Racketball Level 2 Squash Coach, is the current and 4 times Devon Squash Champion. He is also the Racketball Number 1 and is the Highest Professional Squash World Ranking 115. Sponsored by Karakal, Mike has many coaching achievements including coaching two British Junior National Champions, currently one of ESR’s South West Area Academy Coaches and has worked with players at all levels from U9 year old Juniors, through to Professional Men’s and Ladies players.

Mike chose to join the team at Exeter Golf and Country Club on World Squash Day to celebrate the occasion raising the profile of the sport in Exeter.

World Squash Day exists to promote the sport, attract new players and help elevate the sport to become part of the Olympics.

Mike said, “I’m really excited to be coming back to the club where my squash playing started. I’m looking forward to getting stuck into building both the Squash and Racketball sections and encouraging more members to try this sports, which is great fun as well as being a superb way of keeping fit.

I’m looking forward to meeting all the members of the sections either this Saturday for World Squash day, or indeed as this season progresses. Exeter Golf and Country Club has the best squash courts in the region and so I am very proud to be coaching here and developing players to excel on a competitive level across the county.”

Mike explains that World Squash Day is important to raise the profile of squash especially after the sport not being included in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. Other sports such as skateboarding and sport climbing were included above squash which was a disappointing blow for those in the squash world.

Mike continues, “Although squash is not as popular as its heyday in the 1980s, squash remains one of the most beneficial sports to play from a fitness point of view. Squash offers a serious work out with more muscle groups used and more calories burnt that many other fitness activities.

“However, in my point of view, this comes second to the simple fact that both squash and racketball ar incredibly good fun! They are intricate games that have many facets and options within them. The ability to use so many different angles and heights to your shots makes every rally, every game you play so different so there is no way you could get bored! Whether you play a lot or a little sport doesn’t matter, you can get involved and have lots of fun regardless of your abilities. I can help match members to other squash players and give them an overview of the basic rules of the game, so you don’t have to have played before to get into squash at Exeter Golf and Country Club – all you need is to want to play!”

Find out more about squash at Exeter Golf and Country Club and book squash or racketball coaching with Mike.