What the PSA Foundation are Doing in Response to COVID-19

The PSA Foundation have been working hard during this period to ensure that players and the community programmes they support are given all the support they need during this difficult period.

Find out more about what the PSA Foundation have been doing to help below.

The We Are One Fund

The ‘We Are One’ fund is a player-driven initiative which aims to bring the global squash community together to provide relief to the players that need urgent financial support following the COVID-19 pandemic and suspension of the PSA Tour.

Inspired by the generosity of our squash community, the PSA Foundation and the PSA have created the “We are One” fund, an initiative that aims to bring the global squash community together to raise funds that will directly support the players experiencing severe financial and emotional difficulties due to the suspension of the PSA Tour.

The PSA Foundation “We Are One” fund will be dedicated to providing relief to those players facing urgent financial challenges that are directly threatening their basic well-being, and the possibility of them being able to return to play squash professionally.

For more information on the ‘We Are One Fund’ or to donate, visit the website.

We Are One

PSA Foundation launch fund to support professional players during the COVID-19 pandemic – full story and how you can get involved belowhttps://t.co/6okyLtMjDq#WeAreOne #Squash pic.twitter.com/Fydp3rYj88

— PSA World Tour (@PSAWorldTour) May 14, 2020

Motivation Monday

Every Monday, the PSA Foundation reaches out to all players on the PSA Tour to offer an opportunity for them to voice difficulties they are facing and also to push opportunities to support their current circumstances.

This led to further developing the Foundation partnership with SquashSkills, who have now launched a free and fully tailored webpage for PSA Tour players to access appropriate home workouts.

Other content has included online courses, mental health support and ideas from other players facing similar challenges.

USA’s @OliviaFiechter1 coming in strong with today’s #WorkoutWednesday

Can you complete this circuit? #SquashedInside @NCASquash @KelvinGary @BodySpaceNYC @USSQUASH @squashsource pic.twitter.com/IjRZG549rI

— PSA World Tour (@PSAWorldTour) May 13, 2020

Let’s Talk

The Let’s Talk series are webinar sessions with the players of the PSA Tour and various industry professionals. They are in place to up-skill the players in matters that both make their squash careers more sustainable and also prepare them for life after squash.

Such classes have so far included; former World No.1 Nick Matthew on motivation, training and anxiety during lockdown; Chris Nadherny (former 30 year recruiter and Senior Partner from Spencer Stuart, the leading global recruiting firm) on career planning in the midst of chaos; and Rory Gillen (author of 3 Steps to Investment Success) on investing and saving.

Sporting Chance

The PSA Foundation have developed a new partnership with mental health support providers Sporting Chance.

They have since started working with Sporting Chance and the players of the PSA Tour to make sure the necessary opportunities for support are available. You can read more on our partnership with Sporting Chance here.

For more information about the partnership, clickhere.

Community Engagement

The PSA Foundation have united all their partner community squash programmes from across the globe into a support network and ideas hub.

This has allowed each programme to share ideas and initiatives with each other to support the survival of their programmes and support the families in need locally through vital food drives.

The PSA Foundation have used this platform to distribute activities and resources to the juniors of the programmes while stuck indoors. They have also launched a new weekly spotlight campaign that will shine a light on the fantastic work these programmes do.

Players have been getting involved too, the Foundation recently hosted a live webinar with World No. 9 Miguel Rodriguez and the juniors of Squash Urbano and Squash Para Todos. Check this out here.

They have also partnered up with World No.239 and Pakistan’s Noorena Shams, who has gone above and beyond with inspired efforts to support families in need in her local communities. Read more here.

You can find out more about these programmes by clicking here.

Weekly Spotlight!

We take a look at the work of Egoli Squash from South Africa

Egoli Squash use the sport as a means of protecting juniors and helping them with opportunities outside of the cycle of poverty and crime.

Read more here: https://t.co/iaVxfg4xQX pic.twitter.com/kRZONtFhhI

— PSA World Tour (@PSAWorldTour) May 12, 2020