The Victorian Squash Federation ... What it is & what it does



The VSF mission
As the state parent body for squash in Victoria, the VSF's mission is:

To maintain the game of squash as a major sport in Victoria, and through effective administration, promotion and development;

(i) Offer the opportunity for all Victorians to participate at their required level,
(ii) Ensure a viable industry,
and
(iii) Support other squash court related activities




The History of the VSF
The Victorian Squash Federation is recognised by the Department of Sport & Recreation as the State Parent Body for Squash in Victoria, and the Federation also represents Victorian Squash on the National Parent Body, Squash Australia, which is based in Brisbane.

The Victorian Squash Federation commenced on 1 January 1988, when it took over from the previous State Parent Body, the Victorian Squash Rackets Association.

The Victorian Squash Federation is a unique body as it is the only Squash body in the World where it represents the total Squash community, with 50% of its constituents being the players (clubs) and 50% being the venue operators.




Management of the VSF
Victorian Squash has been divided into twelve regions - 8 Country and 4 Metropolitan Melbourne.
The VSF is managed by a Board of Management, which comprises seven Directors, responsible for the day-to-day control of the Federation.

Sitting below the Board of Management is two Councils:

1. The Technical Council (the player council), which has a representative from each of the Full and Associate members listed below.

2. The Venue Council (the venue operators), which comprises a representation from the venue operator groups, plus country Victoria.

The Councils meet on a quarterly basis and provide forums for reporting, discussion and policy recommendation, as well, the opportunity for members to have input into the decision-making processes of Squash in Victoria. Each council elects 3 directors to the Board of Management, with the board appointing the Seventh Director and the VSF President.




Membership
The Victorian Squash Federation is recognised by the State Government, as the sole and undisputed governing body for the sport in Victoria.

The full members of the Victorian Squash Federation are as follows:

  • Ballarat Squash & Racquetball Association
  • East Area Venue Operators
  • Geelong Squash Rackets Association
  • Mornington Peninsula Squash Rackets Association
  • North West Squash League
  • Southern Squash League
  • Victorian Masters Squash Association
  • Victorian Squash League
  • VSRA Club Circuit

Associate members of the Federation are the following organisations:

  • The Victorian Junior Squash League
  • The Professional Squash Coaches Association of Victoria
  • The Victorian Squash Rackets Referees Association.



Major Events
The Federation has been in existence for 14 years and has already invested over $2 million into squash events/promotions/clinics etc held in Victoria.

The Victorian Squash Federation has conducted the past 11 of the past 13 Australian Opens and this event alone has generated enormous publicity for the sport, in particular, when it was held at the Melbourne Central Shopping Complex, 1993-1996. This complex attracted 100,000 shoppers per day. From 1997 this event has been held at the new World Class Squash Facility developed at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre. The squash facility at MSAC only came to fruition through the endeavours of the VSF, which now provides the sport with the only International Class Squash Facility within this country.

Another major event, which the Victorian Squash Federation manages and co-ordinates, is the Victorian Open Squash Championships. For the past six years this event has been held in Wangaratta. In 1995, this was the first time in the 65 year history of the Victorian Open that it had been held outside Melbourne, reinforcing the Federation's commitment to the exposure of high quality squash into country Victoria.

To maximise the Tournament's promotional opportunities, we have built into this event (plus similar tournaments throughout the state) several promotions that ensures that wherever the tournament is played, the region is saturated with squash activity. Our promotional campaigns include:

  • Schoolyard promotions in Primary Schools within the region
  • Schoolyard promotions in Secondary Schools within the region
  • Erection of VSF Micro Court at a major shopping complex within the region
  • After-School Introductory Squash sessions conducted at the local Squash Centre
  • Media Launches incorporating World Squash Champion, Sarah Fitz-Gerald, and a host of other high profile V.I.S. players, involving a large number of the local print and electronic media
  • To further reinforce the Federation's commitment to the development of squash in country Victoria, the VSF is the major sponsor of the Victorian Country Teams Championships, and the Victorian Individual Country Championships, held each year, in May and August, respectively.

The Victorian Squash Federation has also been heavily involved in the promotion of several other major squash events that have included:

  • Melbourne 2001 International Squash Festival
  • 1995 World Master's Squash Championships
  • The National Squash League
  • The World Team Challenge
  • The World Open Replay
  • The International Women's Squash Classic
  • The Australian Doubles Classic
  • The Australian Racquetball Challenge



The Victorian Tournament Circuit
The Federation co-ordinates and manages the Victorian Tournament Circuit and the Victorian Tournament Circuit Calendar for both squash and racquetball, which includes junior, senior and master's events.




Junior Development
Another most important initiative by the Victorian Squash Federation has been the Squash and Racquetball in Schools/Skills Programs, co-ordinated by our Operations Manager, Adrian McCormack, and various regional co-ordinators.

This program has achieved remarkable success over the past twelve years with in excess of 500,000 Victorian school children having been exposed to squash, which ensures in the longer term that substantial numbers of junior players will be participating in grass roots squash & racquetball programs. These programs act as feeders into our pennants, tournaments, regional and state squads, Victorian and Australian Institutes.
For this program we have developed a wide range of resource material including a skills component which enables the participant to work at their own pace and for reaching each five sections of the skills program they receive a certificate and/or prize.

The Federation also sponsors the Victorian Secondary Schools Sports Association Squash Competition, which each year attracts several hundred teams from Victorian Secondary Schools.

Over the past thirteen years in support of our country squash centres we have also been involved in numerous Aussie Sports Focus Expos involving thousands of Victorian country school children.

In 1997, the Victorian Junior Council was launched which now co-ordinates all junior squash activities in Victoria. A snap-shot of its initiatives/achievements includes:

  • Established the Victorian Grand Prix Circuit
  • Established a new Tournament Grading SystemEstablished and maintains the Computerised Player Ranking System
  • Introduced the State Junior League
  • Manages and co-ordinates the Victorian Junior Championship
  • Launched the VSF/VIS High Performance Program
  • Introduced Novice & Graded events to the junior circuit
  • Manages the Victorian Junior Team
  • The initiator of the National Junior Circuit
  • Encouraged the establishment of a National Junior Rankings System
  • Selects the Victorian Junior Training Squad & Team
  • Provides direct assistance to all Sanctioned Junior Tournaments
  • Introduced Regional Inter-Club Challenges
  • Co-ordinates Fundraising for the Victorian Junior Team
  • Manages the Victorian Junior Rankings System



Coaching
Coach education continues to be a major component of the Squash and Racquetball Skills Program with the number of accredited Level 1 coaches swelling to nearly 160, which compares most favourably with the 1988 figure of 15 active coaches within this State at that time.

Annually, the Federation conducts a host of Level O and at least 2 Level 1 Coaching Courses. As well as linking in with the Professional Squash Coaches Association of Victoria who conduct several updating workshops for accredited coaches.




Victorian Institute of Sport
In January 1991, through the initiatives of the VSF, Squash became the seventh sport selected to participate in the Victorian Institute of Sport and in 2002, 24 scholarships were awarded to Victorian Squash players.

The Victorian Institute of Sport Head Squash Coach is Roger Flynn and over the past eleven years our V.I.S. players have achieved some remarkable results. V.I.S. scholarship holders have won over 150 senior and 110 junior tournaments throughout Victoria, Australia and overseas, including major interstate titles and PSA and WISPA events.

VIS Squash Scholarship holders include: World Open Champion and Commonwealth Games Gold Medallist, Sarah Fitz-Gerald and British Open Runner-Up, Paul Price, plus John Williams, Cameron White, Raj Nanda, plus several up and coming junior players who have been able to maximise their potential.




Player Insurance
In 1992, the Federation implemented a low rate insurance package for inter-club, in-house and casual players. This package at around 21 cents per week per player has allowed many clubs to have their players insured at a low rate and guarantees that if an accident does happen they will be well and truly covered. Details on the Player Insurance Scheme are attached.




Racquetball
The Victorian Squash Federation in conjunction with the Victorian Racquetball Federation administers the sport of Racquetball and initiated the Victorian Racquetball Circuit which comprises several singles and doubles tournaments for both seniors and juniors, with the major event being the Australian Open, first held in 1984.

Racquetball has also been included into our Schools Program and this no doubt has helped in swelling numbers into our squash centres and further enhances the viability of our venues.




Facility Development
A most exciting initiative for the Federation has been our involvement in the development of the Melbourne Sports & Aquatic Centre, which was completed in July 1997. This project cost the State Government around $65 million and the World class squash facility includes a four walled glass court and nine other glass back courts, three of which are rainbow coloured coaching courts and three which have moveable walls to provide two full size doubles courts.

This is the first international standard squash facility ever built in this country and already it has been of enormous benefit to the promotion and marketing of the sport. This facility now allows the Federation to bring a host of national and international squash and racquetball events to both Victoria and Australia.

In October 1997, the Victorian Squash Federation secured the rights from the World Squash Federation to conduct the Melbourne International Squash Festival at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre, over a three week period during October last year.

Overall, the Festival Program comprised twenty championships, conferences, social functions and ceremonies. The championships and conferences attracted nearly 3,000 competitors and delegates, including 996 from 49 countries. A further 3,100 patrons attended the 7 social functions and in excess of 4,500 spectators attended the championship events.

The number of room nights for nearly 2,500 country, interstate and international competitors and delegates was in excess of 30,000 and the economic impact of the Festival on the Victorian economy has been estimated to be in excess of $7 million.

Due to a remarkable team effort this mammoth task was completed through the expertise and dedication of 175 volunteers and officials.

The Festival comprised the four World Championships of the year, plus a range of other events including the World Coaching Conference, the World Referees Conference, and the World Squash Federation (WSF) AGM and Conference. As well, the WSF utilised the Festival to show-case the sport to the International Olympic community, in it's endeavours to have squash included in future Olympic Games.
The Festival was the world's biggest ever squash event.




Promotion & Publicity
The Victorian Squash Federation also acts as an information bureau on squash and we make available to members resource material on both squash and racquetball, industry magazines, competition formats and information on squash centre maintenance, etc.

The Victorian Squash Federation has established two websites; one for the Victorian Squash Federation (www.victoriansquash.com.au) and the other for the Melbourne 2001 International Squash Festival (www.melb2001squash.com.au). These sites are continually updated and have proven to be most valuable in communicating with the squash world, as well as the general public.




Affiliation Fees
Annual affiliation fees are paid by members to the Federation and are shared between the Venue Operator and the Club operating within that venue.



Privacy Policy
To view the VSF Pivacy policy click here

[ TOP ]


Mission
History of VSF
Management
Membership
Major Events
Tournaments
Junior Development
Coaching
VIS
Player Insurance
Racquetball
Facility Development
Promotion/Publicity
Affiliation
Privacy Policy

 


last updated by Squash Logic: 14 August, 2008