News and Events

It was a weekend of grit, drama, and plenty of squash action for our Central men’s and women’s teams at the NZ Senior Nationals, hosted at SquashGym in Palmerston North. Day One: Making a Statement Central’s campaign kicked off in style, with both the men’s and women’s sides storming past Eastern in the morning session. Convincing 4–0 victories across the board sent a clear message that Central had arrived ready to compete. The evening session delivered all the drama fans could ask for. The women went head-to-head with Midlands in a tense 2–2 battle, eventually edging them out on

The NZ Masters Club Team Champs delivered three days of squash at its absolute best — early starts, late finishes, huge rallies, and Central teams bringing home serious silverware. With Whanganui and SquashGym both in action across multiple divisions, it was a weekend packed with drama, grit, and plenty of proud moments for our region. Day One – Making a Statement Whanganui 1 (Matt Nation, Paul Tuffin, Kent Darlington, Matt Ratcliffe and Dan Potter) came out firing, with Potter grinding out a five-set nail-biter to set the tone. The rest of the crew backed it up with straight-game wins,

The Central Squash Team made a strong statement over the weekend at the National Graded Championships, hosted at North Shore Squash Club in Auckland, with seven of their nine players making it to the finals—and a flurry of national titles and runner-up finishes to show for it. From Day 1, Central signalled they meant business. Rebecca Bennett, Jayden Bailey, Jessie Harding, Madison Lee, Lily Alabaster, Joe Waetford, and Laurie Potter all kicked off their campaigns with straight-set wins. Despite tough losses for David de Villiers and Jesse Perkins, the team maintained strong momentum heading into Day 2. Saturday proved

The 2025 Central Open wrapped up in style over the weekend, with SquashGym Palmerston North playing host to one of the region’s biggest events of the year. A strong field of 150 players took to the courts across 22 divisions, delivering a fantastic weekend of squash filled with quality match play, hard-fought rallies, and great energy throughout the venue. A huge thank you goes to the team at SquashGym for their superb organisation and warm hospitality, and to InspireNet for their ongoing support as tournament sponsor. Their contribution helped create a top-notch event that players and supporters alike thoroughly

Ohakune Squash Club hosted a standout weekend of junior squash with the 2025 Central Juniors tournament over the weekend with smiles, sweat, and sportsmanship stealing the show. With players from across the Central District descending on the mountain town, the annual event proved once again why junior squash continues to thrive in the region. The tournament was a showcase of youthful talent, fierce rallies, and above all, exceptional sportsmanship. From the very first serve to the final point, players of all ages demonstrated respect, resilience, and a genuine love for the game — win or lose. Club volunteers and

The Central Squash Graded Championships brought a thrilling weekend of competition to Ohakune Squash Club, as players from across the region battled it out for the chance to advance to Nationals later this year. The Graded Champs, a key step in the popular Champion of Champions pathway, saw fierce matches across all grades. Since its national debut in 2012, the Champion of Champions event has become a staple on the squash calendar, offering a unique format similar to SuperChamps — but with a focus on individual glory rather than team play. Ohakune Squash Club provided a fantastic atmosphere for

A spirited showdown between Central Squash and Waikato Squash took place on 6 April 2025 at Kawaroa Park Squash Club, with both regions battling it out for bragging rights and the prestigious Leevey Shield. Despite an early 6am start for most of the players, both teams were raring to go and ready on court by the scheduled 9:30am start. From the first serve to the final point, the intensity was high, with the Central Seniors Team leaving it all on court. But the Waikato side proved too strong on the day, taking the Shield with an emphatic 19–5 victory.

After a brief hiatus, the Central Masters made a triumphant return in 2025, hosted this year by the Ōkato Squash Club. With 38 players entered, it was fantastic to see the event back up and running, bringing together Masters players from across the Central district for a weekend of spirited competition and camaraderie. Players from near and far travelled to the picturesque coastal town of Ōkato, ready to test their skills on court and catch up with old rivals and friends. The atmosphere was buzzing throughout the weekend, with plenty of tight matches, tactical squash, and good laughs both

A huge welcome to all the passionate and dedicated individuals stepping into these roles. We can’t wait to see your ideas and energy drive our district forward. A big thank you to our outgoing committee members, Jeff See and John Laurenson, for all of your hard work and commitment. 🌟 Jeff served on the Central Board for 6 years, with 3 of those as President, and John has held many positions throughout his decades of service to Central Squash. Their contributions have been immeasurable! Your efforts have truly helped shape our community, and we are incredibly grateful. With the