National Schools Championships 2023/24 sees record entries

The National Schools Championships has experienced remarkable growth, with a jump in record entries after the 23/24 draws were released today.

This year's competition, run by England Squash, has seen a significant 44% increase in the number of participating schools, with an impressive total of 110 schools fielding 266 teams.

The draw reveals an unprecedented number of girls participating, with a total of 423 female entrants, marking a remarkable 34% increase from last year’s competition.

Celebrating its 51st year, the championships allows female players to compete in a boy’s team if their school can’t enter a girl's team, provided they play in merit order to encourage girls' participation.

This year debuts a new mixed team category, a first in the competition’s history, with 19 mixed teams entering the event, promising an exciting and inclusive tournament. The new addition allows pupils in Key Stage 5 to form mixed teams comprising two girls and two boys.

The competition will once again adopt the inclusive Every Point Counts scoring system, which not only serves as an ideal platform for newcomers to the sport but cultivates a positive team spirit among players.

Vickie Prow, Competitions Manager at England Squash, said:

“The National Schools goes from strength to strength and we’re thrilled to see a record number of players taking part this year, a third of which are girls.

“These championships are a fantastic opportunity for children to get their first taste of competitive action in a hugely, fun and supportive environment.

“We’re particularly excited to see the introduction of the mixed team category which has allowed even more schools to field a team and provide a more inclusive competition.

“We can’t wait to welcome schools to the first stage of the competition in November.”

The draw reveals an exciting line-up of participants ready to showcase their talent - with Epsom, the reigning champions in both the Boys and Girls Key Stage 5 competition - aiming to defend their titles this year.

The first stage of the championships starts on 8th November across Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4, and Key Stage 5.

View the draws for the 2023/24 competition.