We are delighted to introduce you to Miss December – The Geraldton Squash Rackets Association (GSRA), also known as Geraldton Squash Club! GSRA are based out of a stand-alone squash facility at 288 Eighth Street, Wonthella – an inner northern suburb of sunny Geraldton. From Perth you’d be looking at a 4.5 hour road trip with plenty to look at along the way!
GSRA host the annual Geraldton Open each year in May. Squash enthusiasts travel from all corners of the state to attend this tournament, to compete in divisions for junior and adults alike. The club sell their super-cool merch, canteen staples such as toasties and bananas, and create a sensational atmosphere, ensuring players come back for more each year.
We asked the crew for a run-down of what a typical week looks like, and wow, what a fantastic selection of activities from this pro-active group of squashies:
“We have six courts for casual hire. Our club is open Monday to Thursday from 4pm-7pm and Saturday from 10am-2pm.
On Mondays our pennant players train from 5pm and social players can come down for a game with friends.
On Tuesday afternoons, we have four coaches who volunteer at the club to help our junior players develop skills to build up to competitive games and ready themselves for pennants.
After Juniors we offer reduced court hire for social squash players from 5.30pm, with an in-house social competition for any skill level to come along and try squash.
Thursday afternoon our Junior Pennant competition starts from 5pm; they play games and gain valuable experience in marking and refereeing.
At 6.30pm our Mixed Pennant Competition starts, where all levels are welcome, from beginners to experienced.”
We KNOW that GSRA have been working hard on junior participation, approaching local schools, hosting open days, etc. Sounds like it’s all paying off, and junior and adult participation is thriving! 💪🏼
We then quizzed the team about who the MVPs of the club were. Always a tough question, they responded that there are “so many fabulous members who help around the club, our committee dedicate their time to ensuring the club runs smoothly. A huge shout out to our members who planned this year’s Geraldton Open, in particular Jeremy Church and Geoff Watters. It consumed a lot of their time, and it was a huge success and is very much appreciated by the club and players who travelled to compete. It was a great weekend!
Pictured: Jeremy Church and Geoff Watters
And a big shout out to Sharon Laing who is always there to assist – a real stalwart of the club!”
Pictured: Theresa Wilkes and Sharon Laing
A question much easier for ANY club to respond to then followed: What makes GSRA the best club in WA – what do you do or offer that other Clubs don’t?
“We are a very social club, and are welcoming to new players who relocate to Geraldton, whether they stay for a few weeks or a few years. We have pennant players who travel from surrounding smaller country towns to join our Thursday night competition. We offer flexible game scheduling to FIFO members to ensure they can still participate around their work commitments. We are independently owned and operated and strive to give the best experience and value to our members.”
Well, you can’t argue with that. 🫶🏻
On a final note, we gave GSRA an opportunity to highlight what they’re striving to achieve, and how YOU can get involved!
“We are looking to grow our membership and would love to see more females playing this great sport. Please make sure you call in to say ‘hi’ and attend a coaching session to help you get started. If you’re travelling through Geraldton, give us a call and join us for a game at the club!”
GSRA would also like to take this opportunity to give a shout out to their sensational sponsors:
- Southside Mechanical Services
- Batavia Health
- Evereve Funeral Home
- Westline Contracting, Glenfield
- Retravision
Keep us the great work team!!
Leave a Reply