As Easter arrives, Henley Squash Club is celebrating the end of an action-packed Winter Season and gearing up for an exciting ‘summer of squash’ across all levels of play.
Over the winter months—both before and after Christmas—the club proudly fielded two teams in the competitive Oxfordshire Squash Leagues and one in the Berkshire Veterans’ League for players aged 45 and over.
Despite grappling with a long injury list, the 1st Team, led by Harry Carr, put in an outstanding performance, finishing 3rd in the fiercely contested County Division 1. The skipper led the way with the most matches played, closely followed by stalwart players Munro Simon Montanus and Andrew Martin.
Meanwhile, the 2nd Team, captained by Steve Dance, made fantastic progress. Pre Christmas, they featured in Division 4 but earned promotion to Division 3 for Winter 2. They fought hard ending with a respectable 7th place. Key contributors included Jim Reay, Tom Tuite Dalton, and Tim Budden.
The club’s Veterans’ Team, captained by Richard Little, wrapped up a challenging but rewarding season in Berkshire League 3 with a brilliant 4–1 win against local rivals Maidenhead. Most frequent faces on the team included Peter Hopkins, Steve Dance as well as the captain himself.
Looking ahead to the warmer months, the Club is ramping things up even more. For the first time, three teams will compete in the Oxfordshire Summer Leagues, which run from May to August. This is one entry more than last year, reflecting the club’s growing momentum.
But it’s not just about the teams. The club is proud to host monthly Internal Leagues and welcomes all to their popular Friday evening Club Nights. These are open to everyone, members and non-members, including complete beginners looking to give squash a try in a friendly, social setting.
And in a big win for community engagement, Henley Squash Club has partnered with Gillott’s School who between them have introduced over 500 local pupils to the sport since September. Thanks to enthusiastic interest, a regular lunchtime squash club is now running at the school.
Henley Squash Club is open to players of all ages and abilities and thrives on the support of the local community. A huge thank you to our fantastic sponsors over the winter season including —Zzoomm, Invesco, Oxfordshire Squash (OSRA), England Squash, Tom Moore, Roger Booker, Dave Wright, GLL/Better, TMS, and Mercers—and to South Oxfordshire District Council for their valued support of our mission to grow the game and create opportunities for everyone to get involved.
With squash officially joining the 2028 Olympic Games, there’s never been a better time to pick up a racket and discover why squash is one of the most accessible, exhilarating sports around. Whether you are new to the game, a returning player, or a seasoned competitor, Henley Squash Club welcomes you to come and join the fun this summer!
A smiling Henley 2nd team before winning a home match v Carterton 2
L-R: Tom Tuite Dalton, Richard Little, Rick Legget, Jim Reay, Tim Budden
1st team’s Munro Simon Montanue serving during a home victory against Brackley 1 in an Oxfordshire 1st Division team match.