The Mater Hospital squash club is a relatively small squash club located in the Hospital, Dublin. The court hadn’t been refurbished since the 1970’s and was in need of refurbishment. At the time it was only some members of staff playing from the hospital and the more regular players like, Pat Faherty, Jason Hickson, Dave Boyner, Rohan Pienaar, Liam daily, Brendan Tobin and Peter McMahon. About four or five years ago the group of members led by Pat Faherty saw the position the club was in and wanted to improve it.
They organised play in the club with an internal league, squash ladder and entering teams into the Leinster league. To generate funds to reinvest in the club and its facilities, they charged subs to generate some income. A group of club members volunteered to refurbish the court. The group came together to plaster the front wall, paint the court and also sand the floors. Tom Mckeon, a local businessman and keen squash player has been supporting the club for many years.
There is now a strong club atmosphere within the squash club and are taking initiatives to bring their club to the next level. They have done this by holding their tournament each year which has attracted more and more new players. They also have recruited some new players to try the game who have come to really enjoy it. As the club is within a healthcare body it’s very appropriate that a healthy sport is being promoted.
The club has grown leaps and bounds since it was reformed four or five years ago and this is demonstrated by now having two teams compete in the Leinster league, which is very impressive for a small club.
This example just goes to show what one group of people can do with hard work and commitment. It’s great to see such proactive people within the community. If your club is in a similar position to this and needs maintenance, go to the ‘Help build your sport’ section on our website where we give information on how to refurbish your court, making it more appealing to your members and importantly new members.
