Squash Up! is re-energising the squash scene in Hamburg by getting school children and university students on court — and the project has ambitions to spread its model across Germany and beyond.
The Squash Up! initiative was launched by former German champion Simon Frenz, fellow squash player Martin Meyer, and Ralph Faust, a lecturer at Fresenius University.
In under two years, Squash Up! has built partnerships with four schools in Hamburg and has held several squash and social events for university students, with plans for 40 similar events per year across 10 cities.
Schools
In schools, Squash Up! aims to establish squash as a regular part of PE lessons for pupils aged between eight and 18.
The process starts with one-day introductory events for children in schools. Two years ago this started at the Coppernicus Gymnasium in Norderstedt, just north of Hamburg. This year, 10 were held throughout Germany in June alone, including a a large event which attracted 120 kids.
After these intro events, teachers attend a training course so they can deliver squash in schools themselves, supported if necessary by qualified squash coaches.
The idea is then to create partnerships between schools and their nearest squash clubs, to convert the enthusiasm of the school sports hall into regular participation.
Co-founder Frenz says transport is proving to be one of the main obstacles so far, as well as trying to make the sports hall sessions as close to the real squash experience as possible.
Frenz and his team are looking to produce videos to promote the concept to schools in a marketing package. They're also working with ASB to develop mini courts that can be set up quickly in school halls, to replace the wooden structure they currently use.
Universities
Squash Up! works with Fresenius University to develop strategies to engage students (18-30-year-olds), coming up with the concept 'SquashUp! Your Night'
By combining squash with other social activities, the project's aim is to reposition squash in the eyes of young people into a relaxed, fun, social, accessible way to spend their evenings.
So far, these events have taken place in two different clubs in Hamburg (Kaifu Lodge and Sportwerk) and one in Munich, with an average of 50 participants each (roughly one-third women). Approximately half had never played squash before.
“That’s exactly the target group we want,” said Frenz. “Our goal isn’t to make people who already play squash better, but to show people who don’t know squash what it is… Ideally, we make them love it so they’ll play casually for the next ten years.”
The Squash Up! Your Night events blend light competition with a social, welcoming atmosphere. Rather than formal tournaments, organisers set up friendly round-robin games and training clinics geared toward beginners.
“The student demand is there and we’re getting a lot of positive feedback – both from the participants and, almost more importantly, from the court facility owners,” Frenz noted.
A student at with Fresenius University is being paid to host these events in Hamburg. The plan is to expand nationwide with four events per year in 10 cities.
The Squash Up! team's next priorities include developing a sustainable funding model for the initiative. So far, initial grant applications have been unsuccessful. Although the German federation (DSQV) don't have the resources to get behind it, they are supporting the project in other ways.
These grassroots efforts come at a crucial time. Squash in Germany boasted around 9,000 courts during its 80s heyday and an estimated one million players; today, only about 900 courts remain in operation.
The Squash Up! initiative’s early successes – from schoolyard demos in Norderstedt to sold-out student nights in Hamburg – represent much-needed reversals in participation trends.
The programme aims to spark a fresh wave of interest and lay the groundwork for a broader revival of the sport in Germany.
“Whether a kid ends up playing for fun or a student keeps at it for years, that’s as much a success for us as producing a top junior player,” said Frenz.
