University PRODUCTPortfolio

The Big Hit Aims:

To raise the profile of our sports through social participation, presented in a non-traditional way

To increase informal participation in both squash and racketball, directing new customers to appropriate and targeted products and offers housed within the Big Hit website

To collect customer data to facilitate enhanced communication with customers who exist outside of the traditional squash and racketball membership market

02 the big hit

Be part ofthe Big Hit

What is the Big Hit?The Big Hit is England Squash & Racketball’s development brand that will help increase the number of people interested in playing our sports. The Big Hit incorporates a website, a range of activities designed to get people playing, resources and support for facilities and a place to advertise your squash and racketball programme.

THE BIG HIT IS

TAKING

SQUASH & RACKETBALL

TO A NEW AUDIENCE

The products in this brochure have been developed to be flexible and increase participation or frequency of play through various initiatives. This guide has been produced to support University development plans and link in to existing programmes to enhance your offer.

03UNIVERSITY PRODUCT PORTFOLIO

04 the big hit

The aim of this offer is to increase participation in squash and racketball at a beginner level. The offer will create a flexible participation programme aimed at getting more beginners involved in the sports. The gap in participation will be bridged from beginners to those more advanced players, playing at a competitive level in BUCS fixtures.

The Big HitNational Offer

Why should your University be part of the big hit?To provide more students with the opportunity to take part in squash and racketball at a beginner level, providing them with the chance to play the sports in a fun, welcoming environment. The Big Hit programme will form a beginners pathway, creating a pool of new players involved in the sports. The link from the programme would be directly to the University club, where beginners can potentially play in BUCS fixtures, become social members and form a new tier of activity.

Students will be offered a ‘TRY IT’ session before they sign up to the programme. After the ‘TRY IT’, students will have the opportunity to sign up to the programme below;

The Big Hit programme offer (£15): Big Hit drawstring bag Big Hit t-shirt 6-8 weeks of beginners coaching with a qualified coach (The Big Hit programme)

ESR SupportESR would support the University during fresher’s fair by promoting the offer and providing marketing material and banners to do this. The ‘goody bag’ will also be provided by ESR and the cost of the coaching and the goody bag will be covered from charging the students.

05UNIVERSITY PRODUCT PORTFOLIO

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SQUASHERCISE

A fun and dynamic way to get fit, improve muscle tone and meet like minded people

A way to burn lots of calories without the boredom. Squash/Racketball burns on average 634 calories per hour compared to just 346 calories jogging!

A social and supportive environment

A way to help boost self-confidence, self-esteem and general well being

An opportunity to learn a new sport or brush up on old skills

This initiative is aimed at increasing female participation. Squashercise is a female only activity class, open to everyone and is based on the key fitness components of squash and racketball and specific movements and skills.

**Please note: Although the marketing campaign that surrounds Squashercise specifically targets females, the concept of a fitness class based on squash & racketball fitness components, movements and core skills can be adapted to a variety of different types of participant.

What is Squashercise?

A female only activity class for everyone based on Squash and Racketball specific fitness, movements and core skills. It is; -

07UNIVERSITY PRODUCT PORTFOLIO

Why should your University get involved?

Increase female participation at your University

Attract new players and potential club members

Retain players/members through the delivery of a new programme

Increase court usage and potential secondary spend

The Offer (£25 per person)

Squashercise can be delivered mainly by anyone, who has an interest in promoting a new initiative and be available to attend a workshop, to be up-skilled to facilitate a squashercise session. The facilitators can vary from qualified squash and racketball coaches to student volunteers who would like to be up-skilled in an initiative without having to undertake a coaching award.

Facilitators would have to attend a 3 hour workshop and will learn the following workshop outcomes:

Understand the concept of Squashercise, its role in increasing participation and the benefits to participants, facilities and coaches

How to structure Squashercise sessions

How to use the Squashercise resources

How to implement and promote Squashercise

How to use Squashercise to target different types of participant

ESR support

ESR can arrange to deliver a workshop for those who wish to take up the offer. Marketing materials, resources and banners will be provided to promote the sessions.

What is the Court Challenge Series?

The CCS format is a flexible approach and can be structured around the needs of the University. The standard format of the event looks like the following;

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COURT CHALLENGESERIES

The Court Challenge Series aims to encourage those recreational players to take part in social competition through the Court Challenge Series (CCS). The Court Challenge Series can form part of your Universities Intra-mural competition.

ESR research shows that:

Not having an opponent is a major cause of churn for male and female players across a number of customer segments, including students

Over eighty percent of current players cite the competitive elements of the sport as a factor critical to their participation habits

Most venues have capacity for additional court utilisation during off peak and at weekends

Court Challenge Series events are simple 3 hour competitions usually played at a weekend and can be either squash or racketball depending on the University needs

Events can accommodate between 8 and 32 players (event formats are flexible & guidance can be provided)

Players are guaranteed a minimum of 3 matches at each event

All participants get a free Court Challenge T-shirt - winners get a red t-shirt

Entry fees (if any) can be determined locally but the recommended participant fee is £10.00 with University facilities or University clubs retaining any income generated

ESR can provide Dunlop sponsored prizes for the winner and runner up

ESR support

ESR can provide training for students to become tournament organisers and arrange for qualified referees to be at your event (if required)

Each event can be run as a one off competition or as part of a series and can be scheduled in with ESR

ESR will advertise your event free of charge and process online entry on thebighit.net (if necessary)

ESR will also work with your University to promote events via your own website, database and social media channels

ESR will provide all the t-shirts and prizes for the participants of the event

09

The Court Challenge Series aims to

encourage those recreational players

to take part in social competition

UNIVERSITY PRODUCT PORTFOLIO

Aside from the Court Challenge Series events, box leagues are a great way to get students playing more often and competing against players of a similar ability.

ESR research shows that:

Not having an opponent is a major cause of churn for male and female players across a number of customer segments, including students

Over eighty percent of current players cite the competitive elements of the sport as a factor critical to their participation habits

Most venues have capacity for additional court utilisation during off peak and at weekends

Box league format:

Players involved in box leagues will play a number of matches every month and arrange them, themselves

Ideally the box league will have 5 players in it

Matches are usually the best of 5 games, each scored first to 11 points

The winner of the league moves up to the next box league to compete

The loser of the league drops down a box league to compete

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Universitybox leagues

11

BOXLEAGUESQUASH &RACKETBALL

FIVEPLAYER

TOTAL POSITIONS

What does a box league look like?

ESR Support

ESR will provide support to those in charge of the box leagues, explain the benefits of running such leagues and the importance of keeping the leagues up to date on a regular basis. ESR will help your University set up the box leagues if required and provide the resources to do so.

UNIVERSITY PRODUCT PORTFOLIO

Squash Ambassador programmeAn opportunity for students to take on the role of promoting squash and racketball at your University and encouraging new players into the sports. Successful programmes will be rewarded.

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comingsoon...

Do you have students who are:

Motivational Inspiring Great communicators Confident Want to promote squash and racketball and link into the University programme

Students will be provided with;

Promotional material Sports kit Resource pack Training in specific areas (if required) Invaluable experience, great for CV’s Major event tickets

Further details will be available once the role is confirmed. This programme will be rolled out from September 2014.

13UNIVERSITY PRODUCT PORTFOLIO

The Big Hit AIM

S to provide m

ore

students wit

h the opportunit

y to

TAKE PART IN squash and racketball

For more information:

If you feel the products would be suited to your University or you would like to discuss any of them in greater detail then please contact:

Angela Cwaczko (National University lead)Email: universities@thebighit.netTel: 07827 237 487