| CHRIS YEEND |
"We are isolated as an island (Australia), so the more we can bring the best players in Australia together and train the best way possible, that's how I know we can get those players to be the next top quality players for Australia." - BOSWELL
Squash Australia's National Coach Stewart Boswell has adapted to the change of life-style circumstances due to the current COVID-19 Pandemic and looks forward to growing the High Performance Program over this time to build stronger pathways for aspiring junior players across Australia.
Boswell recently caught up with PR and Communications Manager Chris Yeend to discuss how he has transitioned in his role from being a hands-on coach, to working with his squad via the use of technology.
He has a squad of players part of the High Performance team that is scattered across the country with all players returning home to their families prior to lockdown.
Since joining Squash Australia in January, Boswell was fortunate enough to spend several months with the players before the nation went into lockdown, but has acknowledged some of the key challenges since the doors closed to the National Squash Centre in March.
"Fortunately I got to know the players (before lockdown), so I had a pretty good idea of where they were at (with their development)," Boswell says.
"It (going into lockdown) was challenging because each player had different things to work on and each player has access to different equipment (treadmills, running tracks) and trying to get all of that together and still have some group sessions and provide advice on what they can do outside of that has been the hardest thing."
Having that time with the players before lock-down really enabled Boswell to have a greater understanding of where his group was at in their lives and their overall mentality.
"They're all at different stages (uni, finishing high school), they're all pretty positive, everyone has a pretty clear head," Boswell says.
While other businesses and sports around the country have been restricted in how they operate, Boswell has had his workload increased with how he engages with and coaches his players remotely.
He connects with his players three times a week and spends a significant amount of time planning circuits. Part of this process is constructing a plan, producing, editing, and sending out videos to his players and following up on the results of the circuit training.
Boswell is also working towards getting things in place for the Commonwealth Games which include preparation for the events at the National Squash Centre in December, the Women's World Championships, and the World Doubles in 2021.
He understands that it is an uncertain time for older players and PSA players based on the current world landscape with countries at different stages of their battle against COVID-19 but that makes his role as National Coach extremely important during this time.
"The main focus is getting back into training and becoming a better Squash player, we can't control of when the events will go on, the players just have to be ready," Boswell says.
The focus of growing the High Performance Program for Squash in Australia is extremely important and Boswell is determined to leave his footprint in this space for the future of the sport.
"For young players out there, we need to have a pathway plan that they can work towards and if we can keep improving the High Performance Program at the National Squash Centre (Gold Coast) and provide those players the opportunity to train in an environment that can catapult them to represent Australia and play Internationally," Boswell says.
"We are isolated as an island (Australia), so the more we can bring the best players in Australia together and train the best way possible, that's how I know we can get those players to be the next top quality players for Australia."
For more, watch the full video above.