Rally for Change: Sally Archibald puts women and girls centre stage

When Sally Archibald picked up a racket in her 30s, she soon realised that women in squash often lacked the spaces and visibility they deserved. Rather than accept it, she founded Girls in Motion to create events and environments where women could thrive and qualified as a coach to inspire others on and off the court. Now an active member of the Women’s Squash Collective, Sally is part of a movement reshaping the game from the grassroots up.

What have you done to inspire and engage more people in squash and grow the game?

We’ve just completed our first year of Girls in Motion and it’s exceeded our expectations. We deliver events, support, mentoring and funding to women in squash and one of our main objectives was to increase the visibility of women’s squash through our website, social media, and in partnerships with other organisations. It’s all about collaboration. By working together, we can achieve more.

The biggest impact we can have with our funding and resources is creating large events which showcase what women’s squash is and what it can be. We don’t do regular weekly sessions but we test the boundaries of what can be achieved, showcase it at large events and take the learnings and share them with clubs and coaches to develop their own programmes.

Why has this approach been effective?

There’s a lot of information out there about a lot of sports and squash is getting drowned out because it’s quite niche. We wanted to shout about women’s squash, and you can’t visualise something from nothing. We’re trying to flood our social media with testimonials from professionals and beginners and pictures of women playing because it’s a bit barren out there. That goes a long way to inspiring women – they can see it, believe it, and be it.

How does Girls in Motion help girls and women find their voice in squash - and ensuring the sport listens to them?

We give women and girls a genuine voice through trialling new formats - from beginners’ tournaments and junior meets to playing with a single yellow ball. We collect feedback on what excites them, and back it up with data on entries, retention and engagement. By reshaping events around feedback and engaging with leagues, club and England Squash, we ensure squash evolves in line with what women and girls truly want.

What impact have you seen from your work so far?

There’s a buzz around women’s squash. I feel the difference when I overhear people talking about sessions or competitions at clubs that I visit. I see more women on court at the National Squash Centre where I play. At our club night, we had 40 people, including 16 women – that’s unheard of! At the weekend, there were more women hiring courts than men. I’m seeing more images online of women playing, and more incentives coming through from people offering women coaching. Clubs are really prioritising women’s squash.

What do you think squash has to offer to new and diverse audiences?

What I find is you can escape your everyday and all the noise by putting yourself in a box and hitting the ball against a wall. It allows you to mentally focus. And although it’s an individual sport, it’s very social. There's many formats and team options, which we’re experimenting with at Girls in Motion, and the more women I talk to, it’s really the team and social bonds that keep them in the sport.

What changes would make the biggest difference in terms of inclusion and for the growth of squash?

I’d like to see more flexibility and fun injected into the top level. I’ve been campaigning for people not to just use the double yellow balls, for example. If changes were endorsed by a professional, someone saying they train with a red ball, it could really help as they are the influencers within the sport. Everyone is looking up to their level.

It doesn’t always have to be as it has been. In the women’s game, we’ve got a massive opportunity to rip up the rules and start again.

What drives you to make changes in squash?

It was personal to start off with. I wanted to play squash but there wasn’t anyone to play with, there weren’t any girls for my daughter to play with. Now I’ve seen what a difference it can make. Squash is an underrated sport and right now, there’s a push for women’s sports in general and I think squash can be the biggest in the UK.

Why are you proud to be part of the Women’s Squash Collective?

The Collective has been a massive inspiration. It’s an open forum for anyone who cares about women’s squash and wants to push things forward to use as a sounding board and get ideas and connections. Also, these are some of the most important women in squash in the UK and they’re telling you your idea is good – it gives you the confidence to keep going. It’s been really helpful for me.

Find out more about Girls in Motion and follow them on Instagram.

Be part of the movement that’s putting women front and centre in squash. Find out more and join the Women’s Squash Collective today.

Discover more about England Squash’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.