The Tamworth Squash Centre (Bunkhouse) was the venue for a Level 1 coaching course over the weekend in what was a major coup for the sport, proprietor Trevor Stehr said.

They will now have three new accredited Level 1 coaches on their books with Bob Ash, Sherilee Stewart and Patrick Hinchey all completing the practical component of the course.

The fourth participant, Shannon McCormack, is now based in Leeton.

“It’s the first time one’s been held in Tamworth,” Stehr said.

“There was an enormous amount of interest – people wanting to do it but they had other commitments.

“We’re looking at doing another one later in the year.”

NSW Squad head coach Grant Gough was on court to guide the participants through the course.

“The people doing the course found it very stimulating, and tiring,” Stehr said.

Stehr himself completed the course just before Christmas, which prompted him to try to organise a coaching course in Tamworth.

“We’re looking at resurrecting the game here,” he said.

The weekend course ran from 9 to 5pm on Saturday and 9 to 4pm on Sunday, and focused on coaching beginners and children up to an intermediate level.

Stehr said some of the skills discussed over the weekend included development both physical and conceptual, locomotion and manipulation, the role of the coach, training for squad, stroke technique, teaching and communication skills, rules and refereeing, the basic game and group

coaching.

The participants now have to complete the theory component to achieve accreditation.

“They’ve been given a work book and all the reference material,” Stehr said.

“They’ll submit it to NSW Squash for marking.”

Stehr said he was hoping to get the new coaches involved in junior coaching clinics at the centre and the various new programs that are being formulated for squash in Tamworth.

They include a new junior program, ladies’ morning squash, a financial services teams’ competition, a beginners’ competition, “learn to play” and “come and try” days.