April is Stress Awareness Month which aims to raise awareness of the causes and cures for our modern-day stress epidemic. It is the time when we have an opportunity for an open conversation on the impact of stress in our daily lives.
This is a key time to talk about stress, how to cope with it and open up about our mental and emotional state with friends, families, colleagues, and professionals.
One of the core components of PSAF’s work is related to well-being support at all levels within squash.
Health and Wellness Support for Players
Being a professional squash player is a high-stress career that adds substantial pressure for all athletes. It can also be a very lonely sport as the players have to travel on their own and face the financial and emotional stress while competing on their own.
Through the PSA Foundation, the players have created a Health and Wellness ambassador group that spearhead a Tour wide effort to share struggles, advice, and experiences and support each other as they face the challenges of life on tour.
At the PSA Foundation, we believe that there are no better people to help inform on the challenges of competing on Tour than the players themselves and the health and wellness programme is a testament to that.
The programme is formed of 12 players who openly advocate for well-being by sharing their own stories and offer support to others while helping remove the stigma around mental health.
We have also launched our “Whats The T” campaign, where professional players at all levels on the tour will give quick tips on managing stress, mental health and wellbeing.
The first one comes from World Number Three and Fromer World Number One Mohammed El Shorbagy, who talks about dealing with pre and post match stress.
As an additional support for players facing difficulties, the PSA Foundation also offers fully funded counselling services through it’s partner, Sporting Chance.
One-to-one counselling is a form of talking therapy designed to move individuals forward to a place of balanced emotional well-being.
Squash for Development Organisations
Organisations around the world that are using squash as a vehicle for social change through academic tutoring, nutrition support and much more to help underserved populations around the world.
Sport has been linked to reducing stress levels, and many of these organisations provide key mental health support in their communities- utilising squash as a catalyst to make a positive difference.
As the charitable arm of the PSA Tour, we partner with these non-profit programs and provide resources and support they otherwise might not have.
