EIS On Court With England Squash & Racketball

 

by Rebecca Lee - 17.03.09

England Squash & Racketball have secured sport science and sport medical services from the English Institute of Sport (EIS) for the next four years.

One of the first sports to have signed up services when the EIS began in 2002, they are the first English sport to renew their partnership in 2009. Having been close partners for 7 years, the partnership will continue to see every service being utilised through the EIS.

“We’ve been working closely with the EIS since it started – it’s been a really important part of the success we’ve had over the past few years” says England Squash and Racketball Chief Executive Nick Rider.

“I’m delighted that we’ve agreed our programme for the next four years, you only have to ask the players what it means to them to understand the importance of this relationship. The skills and dedication of the EIS guys are exceptional. I should add my thanks to Sport England for agreeing to support the programme up to and beyond the 2010 Commonwealth Games” he adds.

This renewed partnership will see all EIS sport science and medical services being utilised from the programme’s base at Sportscity, Manchester with service provision increasing in areas such as performance analysis, strength and conditioning and sports psychology.

EIS Regional Director of the North Peter Elliot said:
“It is fantastic that a sport with which we have worked so closely with since our inception has continued their partnership with us. The sports’ capacity to maximise the impact that sport science and medicine can have in elite performance has ensured their athletes excel and our staff continually develop and deliver services to the best of their ability.”

There has been great success in recent years within the sport with EIS support services supporting those athletes and coaches at the top of the game. Over the past seven years England squash have seen men’s and women’s champions in Europe every year, 2 World Men’s Tens team champions, 2 Women’s World team champions, 3 Gold, 3 Silver and 4 Bronze Commonwealth medals, two world no.1’s in the men’s rankings and currently 4 in the top 10 for both men and women.

EIS Performance Analysis National Lead and EIS/ESRack Liaison Manager Stafford Murray said;
“This partnership stems from the mutual trust and respect built over seven years between the EIS and England Squash and Racketball management, coaches and athletes. Our team of practitioners have worked extremely hard over the years and ensured close working relationships with coaches in order that an effective team of support around the athletes exists – long may it continue!”

Photography © Getty Images