Following on from the previous two years successful junior squash foundation, this year has seen significant expansion and participation, at competition and recreational levels, indeed from the fifty children introduced through our 'Taking squash into the local schools' initiative, we have managed to retain the majorities involvement. This season our junior playing membership of 44 players has shown an increase of 400%, over the previous year. We now have competing as Windscale Junior squash players within the county competitions 30 players. In fact our club now make up the greatest quantity of players from a single club at virtually all the competitions throughout the county, and as can be seen from the results below, our quality is also as high or better than most other competing players.

This would not have been possible without the extremely hard work of our club coach Linda Winder, and all her assistant coaches. Allied to this are the very keen parents who ferry their children to training and competitions, far and wide, at often-unsociable hours. We thank them all.

Since September 2006 through to May 2007, our current junior members will have participated in 7 county competitions, and at inter county level.

Junior Championships, Carlisle (3 Finalists/5 Windscale entries)

Wigton Graded Competition Boys/Girls, U.13/U.11

Workington Graded Competition (11 Finalists/19 Windscale entries) Carlisle Championships (8 Finalists/10Windscale entries)

Inter Club Championships (WINNERS, 8 teams at U.13 Age group) WINDSCALE 'A' COUNTY U.13 CHAMPIONS

(Hannah, Courtney, Jessica, Adam)

Windscale Graded Competition (Finalists at all 7 grades entered)

In addition to county competitions our juniors have played round-robin tournaments with Wigton (twice), Workington, and Whitehaven, and have had an unbeaten season in these competitions.

• County Representation

We again continue to have a good number of juniors participating in the county age group training squads, and have had 5 representing the county this season, Liam Barrett Boys U.17, Hannah Crichton and Courtney Musson at U.13 Girls, Adam Telfer U.13 Boys, and Jessica Winder U.11 Girls

Liam Barrett, our senior junior player has had a curtailed national competitive run this season, after finishing ranked 21 in the country last season, he has found the step up into U.17 national events not surprisingly somewhat tougher. He was the youngest competitor in the Senior County Championship main draw, and has continued to fly the Windscale flag at regional and national level. He remains a role model for our other juniors to aspire towards.

As can be seen from the above results, all our players are improving their standard within, and outside the county, and much is expected from them in the coming seasons. All our players are now well integrated into the county scene, and are well liked by all who come across them, due to their good behaviour on and off court, and their good sportsmanship in general. We, as a club, should be proud of them, and encourage their participation at all levels, whenever we can.

All involved this season with the Windscale Junior Squash would like to thank all those who have, and are assisting in, furthering the aims of the club towards the continuation and expansion of what we have set in motion over the previous couple of seasons. We are capable of sustaining what we currently have in place, indeed we can expand on what we have, but careful consideration needs to be given to other club users also. We are now beginning to attract older juniors to our club, and need to make sure that we have coaching and structures in place to encourage more participation from these age groups. As of next season, our club will have an under 15 team for the first time, competing against already developed, strong squads from the other clubs in county competitions. All these junior members are potentially our future senior players, and must be encouraged by ALL present playing members.

As was said last year, with a lot more hard work on everybody's behalf, we can look forward to a continuing successful junior squash program next season. We wish them well for next season in their higher age groups.