Summer of Sport
A nationwide summer programme of free and low-cost sporting activities has been launched by sportscotland, following a £20 million investment from the Scottish Government
Under the campaign theme ‘Game On’, the initiative has been designed to harness inspiration from a landmark summer of international sport – including the Scotland men’s team’s participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals tournament and Glasgow’s hosting of the Commonwealth Games.
The Summer of Sport programme will give children and young people the chance to get active in their local communities through events and activities hosted by schools, clubs, sporting bodies and local authorities..
Scottish Squash have applied for funding from the programme to be used to launch a new coaching programme for young people across the country. More than 40 clubs have already shown interest in the programme and further details will be announced in July 2026.
Scottish Squash launches a new free coaching course for children
The eight-week long programme will be offered to clubs throughout Scotland this winter, funded by sportscotland’s Summer of Sport.
Scottish Squash is delighted to be facilitating free coaching for children aged nine to 12 years old, between January and March 2027.
Working with clubs and communities across the nation, the Wee Smashers programme aims to provide hundreds of children with the opportunity to try squash in a fun and welcoming environment.
Paul Macari, CEO of Scottish Squash, commented on the new programme, saying: “Wee Smashers is a fantastic opportunity for clubs around the country to offer free squash coaching to the next generation of juniors. After receiving “Summer of Sport” funding from sportscotland, we engaged with over 30 clubs across the country, and the overriding message was the need to attract more young people into clubs.
“Our target is to attract up to 40 clubs to register for the programme and support them to introduce over 700 new juniors to the sport. After the initial 8-week programme, this will provide a platform for the clubs to grow their junior squash programme.”
Clubs can enrol for Wee Smashers and those selected, will be supported in their delivery of the sessions. The funding will enable each club to appoint a qualified coach as well as providing equipment, marketing resources, lesson plans, passports and certificates for participants.
The Summer of Sport funding is a one-off investment from sportscotland, which they hope will, “create opportunities for young people aged three to 26, particularly those facing disadvantage, to get active, stay active, and enjoy the benefits of physical activity”.
Interested clubs can enrol via the Wee Smashers website: WEE SMASHERS SQUASH
For more information, please contact: weesmasherssquash@gmail.com.
