On March 9, our second annual Women in Squash: Leadership Conference brought together a diverse group of 33 women, all passionate about advancing the sport of squash and empowering female athletes. The conference was held at the Vancouver Lawn Tennis & Badminton Club, alongside the Richardson Wealth Women’s PSA Open. Attendees had the opportunity to participate in the Richardson Wealth Women’s draws, attend engaging sessions, and watch the riveting Women’s PSA matches, featuring top squash players from around the world – all on the International Women’s Day Weekend!
One of the highlights of the conference was a captivating fireside chat featuring Nicole Bunyan, BC’s top-ranked PSA player, and Tasha Doucas, Squash BC’s Past President. Nicole shared her journey from being a Team BC Junior to playing and training at the professional level. Nicole provided invaluable insights into the challenges and triumphs she faced throughout her career, offering a glimpse into the life of a professional squash player and the dedication required to excel in the sport. She also shared how she started her company, Squashletic, and the importance of marketing herself as an athlete and entrepreneur. Nicole’s story inspired all women in attendance, especially the aspiring Junior girls who were in the audience.
Before our conference break, Nicole helped select the two conference draw prize winners, Iana Kovalska and Sarah Eisler. They each won a brand new squash racquet thanks to Black Knight.
Cristina Sutter, one of BC’s top rated sport dietitians and founder of Elite Dietitians, presented on the importance of nutrition and its impact on athletic performance. With her expertise and practical advice, Cristina emphasized the significance of maintaining a balanced diet tailored to the unique needs of female athletes, empowering attendees to optimize their health and maximize their potential on the court.
The conference concluded with an engaging presentation by Tennis BC’s Director of Coach Education, Jeannie Rohr, and Co-Founder of Inspire Through Sport, Rachel Gould. They focused on best practices in women and girls programming within the Tennis community and how to apply similar practices for squash programs. Rachel spoke about the Inspire Through Sport initiative, which includes programs and courses focused on fostering inspirational leadership development and promoting participation in sport for young girls.
Squash BC would like to extend a HUGE thank you to our presenters; Nicole Bunyan, Tasha Doucas, Cristina Sutter, Jeannie Rohr, and Rachel Gould. Your contributions truly helped make this conference a success! As well, we thank our Member Service Coordinator Justyna Kusiak for emceeing the day. Finally, Squash BC thanks the Vancouver Lawn Tennis & Badminton Club (and specifically Heather Nivison and Viktor Berg) for hosting the event at their amazing venue alongside the Richardson Wealth Women’s PSA Open.
EMERGING FEMALE LEADER – JENN ARNTORP
This year Squash BC is excited to award our Emerging Female Leaders Grant to Jenn Arntorp of the Vancouver Racquets Club (VRC)! This $500.00 grant supports a female leader in her design and delivery of squash programs for women and girls through the remainder of 2024. Jenn is actively involved at VRC and her volunteer activities include: Vancouver Women’s Squash League Team Captain, Ambassador for Women’s Squash Week (WSW), Ladies Night, and Club Tournament Supporter.
This past fall, Jenn stepped up to plan and lead a six-week Skill Training Clinic as a follow up to WSW 2023, with the goal of attracting new female squash players. Jenn will use this grant to expand Drop-in Sessions at VRC to include further skills training for women and girls. Club Pro Shawn Delierre will help expand the number of courts to include more participants and Junior girls will be asked to step up and provide coaching. These young leaders will help attract and retain more girls to the sport while gaining valuable leadership skills. We look forward to seeing this program take place at VRC and continue the growth of female participation in the Vancouver area.
We thank our Women in Squash Partner Buntain Insurance for supporting this initiative. As part of Squash BC’s Women in Squash initiatives, the Emerging Female Leaders Grant Program supports female leaders at Squash BC member clubs to promote the participation of women and girls in squash. Squash BC thanks all clubs that nominated Female Ambassadors for this grant this season.
