The Red Beach Squash Club was formed in 1982 when the surf club built a new clubhouse containing two squash courts. The club proved a hit with locals and for a period in the 1980s membership was closed at the maximum 250 playing members.
The Squash Club now has about 160 members, including competitive seniors and intermediates, juniors, off-peak members and associates.
Interclub:
Red Beach teams compete in regular interclub competitions run by Squash Auckland, against teams throughout the region. Interclub competitions are held in autumn (single round), winter (double round, maybe three rounds in 2007, including a grading round) and spring (single round). Squash Auckland may bring back a Summer Challenge competition next year.
Squash players are graded according to a computerised grading system, enabling interclub teams to be reasonably evenly matched.
The Summer Challenge is a different competition, fairly social, with mixed teams, players of different grades in each team and with a doubles match to finish.
Senior interclub is held on Monday and Tuesday nights.
Masters:
Masters squash (over 40) is strong in Auckland and Red Beach teams have competed well in it. Unlike the format for senior squash, each masters division is like a travelling circus, with clubs taking turns to host the whole division each week.
Masters interclub is held on Wednesday nights.
Junior Squash:
Juniors have coaching on Sunday mornings, intermediates on Mondays after school. Junior interclub will be held on Friday nights in terms 2 & 3 in 2007.
The annual subscription includes professional coaching at least once a week and enables juniors to play in regular competitions, including weekly interclub and tournaments throughout the year.
Tournaments:
Squash clubs around the country hold tournaments every week of the year and registered players can enter any of them, provided they meet the grading requirements of the particular tournament.
The Red Beach club holds two senior tournaments for players B grade and below, a masters tournament and an end-of-season junior tournament.
A number of Red Beach players also do away trips as a group to tournaments in the Bay of Plenty, Waikato and Northland, mixing the social and competitive aspects of the sport.
For the more serious players, there are the Auckland championships and the interdistrict teams event (now called the National SuperChamps). The Auckland champs are for individuals, while the SuperChamps are the toughest competition on the squash calendar.
The SuperChamps are a graded competition for club teams of 7 (5 playing in each round), playing first for the provincial title and the winner going on to the national competition. It’s an event that suits big clubs because of the large number of players of the same standard required to make up a team, but Red Beach has been one of the strongest small clubs in the country performing in this competition in recent years.
Coaching:
Kaye Jackson, a leading player, coach and administrator over many years, has been coaching the club’s Sunday morning junior sessions. The club doesn’t have a regular senior coach, but senior players will happily help newcomers learn the complexities of the game.
Business House:
The Business House competition, run on Thursday nights during the winter, is designed as a social introduction to squash for non-club members, in teams which include members. Play is in 12-minute slots and all points count towards the team’s tally.
Social Squash:
Squash is inherently competitive, but there is scope for social squash at Red Beach as well. Booking for the club’s courts are for 45-minute time slots and the courts can be booked at any time of day or night, outside set competition times. The peak period of 4.30-6.45pm is reserved for full members. There’s also an off-peak membership for players not involved in competition.
Social Club:
Squash is a very social part of the Red Beach club. You can find a fair few members in the lounge on a Friday evening, when both the bar and kitchen are open, and if there’s a big football match on it’ll be televised on the big screen. The bar is open every week night from 5pm and late afternoons at the weekend.
Membership & Annual Subscriptions:
Senior: $250
Off-Peak: $150
Couples: $450
Family: $500
Associate (can use the club but not the courts): $55
Intermediates, 13-18 (still in tertiary education): $75
Juniors, under 13: $50
