Squash Otago

2020 Cousins Shield & Mitchell Cup Cancelled

27/3/2020

Cancellation of Events - All events being held in April have been either cancelled or postponed. SNZ regret to announce that the Cousins Shield and Mitchell Cup competitions which were to be hosted by Devoy Squash & Fitness, Tauranga on 29th – 31st May has been cancelled for 2020.

Squash New Zealand Update re COVID'19

26/3/2020

To our Squash Clubs,
We acknowledge that the Government measures recently put in place to stop the spread of COVID-19 will be having an adverse impact on all squash clubs. The main priority for Squash New Zealand and the 11 districts is to ensure that clubs are fully supported during this period of uncertainty. As a primary action to help all clubs focus on their core business, the option to defer payment of national and district affiliation fees will be made available.
Clubs that require this facility need to contact their district directly regarding district affiliation fees, or Squash NZ regarding national affiliation fees.
Districts will be working with clubs on a case by case basis to ensure their ongoing viability and, once the full impact of the lock down is ascertained, further consideration will be given to financial relief.
Stay Safe,
Squash NZ

COVID'19 Update

23/3/2020

Today the Government announced that the country is moving to Alert Level 4 restrictions within 48 hours. This will mean ALL Squash Clubs will need to close their doors and activities for a minimum of four weeks. If we adhere to this then it will reduce the amount of time we will be in lockdown.
Squash Otago in conjunction with Squash New Zealand and all other districts will be monitoring the situation on a regular basis with the Board of Squash Otago reviewing relevant issues of concern to our clubs and players and our squash community as soon as possible.
Stay safe and look after each other

The Safe Way to Play Squash

20/3/2020

Sport Waikato's recommendation is, that for the sake of our physical, mental, social and spiritual health, the community needs to continue to remain active but needs to do so in a socially responsible way - minimise group gatherings where you possibly can. Here are some practical tips to implement to help you stay healthy while you continue to enjoy your squash -
Before the game

All players must discuss and confirm that they haven’t been in contact with anyone that is unwell or has recently returned from overseas.

The discussion must confirm that neither player has any of the symptoms of COVID-19 such as:

a cough;
a high temperature (at least 38°C);
shortness of breath.
clean the ball with an alcohol or disinfectant wipe.
wipe (or replace) grip with alcohol or disinfectant wipe.
clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and objects, such as doorknobs.
wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before your game, and make sure your hands are thoroughly dry.

During the game

don’t touch your eyes, nose or mouth during the game.
if you must cough or sneeze do so into your elbow.
avoid personal contact, don’t make body to body contact at all if this can be avoided, think about the application of a let call possibly more often than normal to keep a suitable distance.
ideally maintain at least 1 metre (3 feet) distance between yourself and your opponent.
do NOT wipe your hands/arms on the court walls.
do NOT share towels or drink bottles.

Remember to

stay home if you feel unwell and cancel the game if required.

play Squash, be Smart and stay Safe

SNZ & SO Update on Coronavirus

20/3/2020

In line with the increasing preventative measures in response to Coronavirus (COVID-19) and our collective responsibility to the wider squash community, Squash New Zealand and the 11 squash districts have suspended all National and District run events/competitions/training squads until May 1st effective immediately. It is strongly advised that clubs follow this lead and suspend all club events and competitions until the same date May 1st effective immediately.
National events affected:
Aon New Zealand Junior Open – Postponed until further notice
All high-performance squads – Cancelled between 19th March 2020 and 1st May 2020
District competitions/events affected:
All District run Interclub – Cancelled between 19th March 2020 and 1st May 2020
All District Opens - Cancelled between 19th March 2020 and 1st May 2020
All District run training squads – Cancelled between 19th March 2020 and 1st May 2020
To date - Otago Tournaments/events either cancelled or postponed:

2020 Summer Tourney (Dunedin) - last two weeks cancelled
Pirates Squash Club - Tournament 1 of the Black Pearl Series (this weekend) - cancelled
Otago Festival Open - 27th - 28th March - cancelled
Otago Uni Orientation Open - 4th - 5th April - cancelled
Queenstown Easter Open - 10th - 12th April - cancelled
Dunedin Interclub - delayed starting date until 5th/6th May (no grading games)
Alexandra Junior One Day Tourney (1st of Junior Head Series) -19th April - postponed

Updates will be circulated as new information comes to hand.
Please note - individual players are encouraged to still play friendly games (one on one) in their own time, taking all the necessary precautions and using common sense before and during their game. This is important to help players remain active for both their physical and mental well-being.
Decisions about attendance at any squash activity should be made with regard for the best interests of yourself, your whanau and your community.
Squash New Zealand and the squash districts will continue to monitor the ever-changing situation. Please continue to check in with the Squash New Zealand website www.squashnz.co.nz and the social media channels for further updates.