Introduction

Whether you are a beginner picking up a racket or an advanced competitor aiming for pro status, joining a squash training camp is a good way to develop your game. Around the world, top squash clubs and academies offer a range of camps and programs to suit all ages and skill levels.

This article highlights some of the best squash training camps globally, spanning short-term intensive clinics to long-term elite academies. We have organized them by type and audience: adult recreational camps, junior camps, and full-time academies. For each camp or program, we note the location, coaching highlights, facilities, and duration options.

Short-Term Squash Camps and Clinics

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Short-term squash camps provide a focused boost in a limited time frame. These programs range from single-weekend clinics to week-long summer camps, and typically pack in intensive training sessions, match play, and personalized coaching.

Some are geared toward adult enthusiasts, while others target junior players on school break. They offer a chance to train hard and make rapid improvements. Below are top short-term camp options, divided into those for adult players and for juniors.

Camps for Adult Players

For adult squash enthusiasts, many clubs and organizations run intensive camps that let players train hard for a few days while still accommodating busy schedules. These camps welcome a range of skill levels, from newer players building fundamentals to seasoned club competitors seeking advanced tactics.

Adult camps often feature experienced coaches, sometimes current pro players as guest instructors, and mix drill sessions, fitness training, and plenty of match play in a social atmosphere.

In New York City, the non-profit Open Squash hosts full-day adult camps for players of all levels. Their summer sessions are led by top pros: recent camps have been led by world top-25 player Victor Crouin and by British Open champion Georgina Kennedy, each bringing elite experience to the clinic.

These one-day camps include focused training, strategic workshops, and coached match play. Participants are split by level, for example an "Intermediate (4.0+)" group versus a "Progression (2.5 to 4.0)" group, so that everyone trains at an appropriate pace. In the UK, EliteSquash (based in Bristol) runs periodic 2-day adult camps open to players of any standard, blending technical coaching with intensive gameplay in a weekend format.

A more travel-oriented option for adult players is to join an international squash holiday camp. Companies like World Enjoyer and Squash Voyage organize squash getaways in various countries.

World Enjoyer (established 2003) has run more than 450 squash camps across up to 17 different countries, offering everything from weekend clinics to five-day summer programs. They host separate sessions for adults, juniors, and elite players. Squash Voyage, a Swiss-based organizer, offers destination camps in places like Stockholm, Madeira and other European cities.

These squash holidays combine daily training with tourism and social events, making them a way to improve your game while experiencing a new locale. Such programs are usually open to all skill levels (often grouping players by ability). They feature coaching by local professionals or visiting coaches, and they let adult players enjoy a vacation atmosphere alongside structured squash time.

For players seeking a boot-camp style experience, the East Coast Squash Academy in Sydney, Australia is known for its immersive adult training camps. Founded by former pro Aaron Frankcomb, ECSA has hosted 2-day intensive clinics aimed at competitive club players. These sessions emphasize breaking through plateaus by immersing participants in several hours of training per day.

The idea is that a short burst of high-quality coaching and focused practice can produce breakthroughs in your game that might otherwise take months of regular play to discover. The curriculum typically includes:

  • technical tune-ups
  • drilling routines
  • strategy and mental-game workshops
  • lots of on-court application

Coaches push players hard while managing injury risk to build fitness and consistency. Many adult attendees report coming away with a sharper game and more confidence after this kind of high-intensity immersion.

For a special adult camp experience, some of the sport's leading names run their own clinics. Three-time World Champion Nick Matthew periodically leads adult squash retreats and masterclasses, including a multi-day adult retreat and themed clinics such as an intensive 2-day volleying masterclass. Training under a former World No. 1 provides a chance to learn champion techniques firsthand.

These events are limited and fill quickly. Other pros, such as Peter Nicol and Jonathon Power, have also guest-coached adult camps or corporate clinics.

Camps for Junior Players

Young players have many opportunities to attend squash camps, especially during school vacation periods. Junior squash camps range from local club programs to elite residential camps at universities or academies.

These camps offer a structured environment for kids and teens to improve skills, fitness, and on-court strategy. Attendees are usually grouped by ability (beginner, intermediate, advanced) so that coaching can be tailored appropriately. Many junior camps also incorporate fun activities and a taste of competition. Below are some of the top junior squash camps worldwide.

Squash and Beyond (Williamstown, MA, USA) is one of the premier junior squash camps in the United States. Founded in 2003 by Williams College coach Zafi Levy, it has been a leading summer squash program in the U.S. for two decades. The camp offers one-week and two-week overnight sessions based at Williams College, where campers train at the Simon Squash Center and stay in campus dorms.

The program routinely brings in some of the world's best players as guest instructors. Nick Matthew of England, the world's top-ranked player at the time, has joined to coach the juniors. Matthew became involved through co-founder David Pearson, former England national coach.

Alongside on-court work (multiple sessions a day focusing on everything from swing fundamentals to conditioned matches), the camp includes fitness conditioning, strategy sessions, and recreational outings. Squash and Beyond also runs international training trips, taking groups of promising juniors abroad to train and compete.

International Squash Academy (ISA) offers intensive summer camps across the U.S. for boys and girls roughly ages 10 to 18. ISA's programs welcome all skill levels, whether you are brand new to the game or an advanced athlete invited to the Elite Invitational Squash Camp. Camp sessions are typically one week long and are hosted at university campuses or squash clubs.

Every ISA camp is led by accomplished coaches, often drawn from top college squash programs, and the player-to-coach ratio is kept low (around 4:1) to ensure personal attention. The daily schedule might include:

  • two on-court training sessions (morning and afternoon)
  • an evening match play session
  • off-court seminars on topics like nutrition or mental toughness

For advanced players, ISA runs invite-only sections to train the top high schoolers with more rigorous drills and higher-level sparring. Beginners receive foundational instruction in rules, basic strokes, and footwork. The camps are supervised and offer an overnight boarding option. With an emphasis on both improvement and fun, ISA camps are a popular choice for junior players in the U.S. looking to sharpen their game over the summer.

Many top universities also host junior squash camps run by their varsity coaches. The Penn Squash Camp at the University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, USA) invites beginner, intermediate, and elite junior players to develop their game in Penn's world-class squash facility, a ten-court center that hosts events such as the US Junior Open.

Penn's coaches run the camp, which typically spans several days and offers both day-camper and overnight options. Juniors train on the same courts used by college athletes, receiving coaching on technique, fitness, and match strategy.

Other colleges, including Princeton, Trinity, Dartmouth, and Harvard, have historically offered summer squash camps as well. These college-based camps often feature guest appearances by college team members or alumni, and may include competitive ladders or mini-tournaments during the week. They are a good way for juniors to raise their level and potentially get noticed by college coaches. To find such programs, check the athletics or recreation websites of universities.

Elite Squash (Bristol, UK and international) is a program led by coach Hadrian Stiff, and it runs high-quality camps for juniors in the UK and abroad. Stiff's coaching credentials are exceptional: he worked with Mohamed El Shorbagy (former World #1) across roughly 15 years, the longest coaching relationship of El Shorbagy's career, and has also coached Marwan El Shorbagy and Joelle King.

EliteSquash hosts junior summer camps each year, typically a week long, in its home base of Bristol and sometimes in other cities through partnerships. These camps cater to various levels: beginner-friendly groups, intermediate development groups, and advanced junior camps for tournament-level players.

EliteSquash's training philosophy focuses on modern, holistic coaching, developing a player's tactical understanding, movement efficiency, and mental approach rather than just rote drills. Stiff is known for methods that create a positive and relaxed learning environment to allow technical and sensory learning to occur. Campers can expect:

  • intensive court time (often 4+ hours a day split into sessions)
  • video analysis of their play
  • fitness and conditioning workouts
  • workshops on goal-setting and mindset

With EliteSquash's track record of producing top players, their camps are an attractive option, especially for intermediate and advanced juniors aiming for elite levels.

Millfield School (Somerset, UK) is a sports-focused boarding school in England with a strong squash program. The school encourages boys and girls of all ages and abilities to play squash, and it also has a legacy of training world-class junior players.

The squash academy at Millfield was established by the legendary coach Jonah Barrington, a six-time British Open champion. Under Barrington, Millfield trained numerous future stars. The Egyptian brothers Mohamed and Marwan El Shorbagy attended Millfield as teenagers and went on to reach World #1 and World #3 respectively.

A current offering is the JB & PJ Squash Camp, a residential junior camp (aimed at players roughly 14 to 19) co-run by Joey Barrington and former England player Paul Johnson, in partnership with SquashTV, at the Millfield campus. Campers benefit from the school's facilities, including multiple glass-back courts, a full fitness center, and a swimming pool, in a campus setting.

The training is intensive yet enjoyable, covering technical skills, tactical awareness, and physical conditioning. Because it is a boarding camp, participants also experience boarding-school life and camaraderie in dorms. Millfield's long history and its Jonah Barrington squash academy give these camps prestige, and they are particularly suitable for intermediate to advanced juniors looking to be challenged in a high-performance environment.

Long-Term and Year-Round Squash Academies

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For players seeking a more immersive, continuous training experience, several squash academies around the world offer long-term programs. These range from full-time year-round training centers (often geared toward juniors on a professional track) to seasonal academies and professional training squads.

Such programs typically have top-tier coaching staffs, dedicated training facilities, and a track record of developing elite players. Many also host short-term camps or accept visitors, but their core mission is sustained development over months and years. Below are some of the most acclaimed squash academies and long-term programs globally.

MSquash Academy (USA) is based in Port Chester, NY and South Norwalk, CT. It is led by founders Shaun Moxham and Katline Cauwels. Moxham coached former world champion David Palmer to World No. 1, and Cauwels is a three-time Belgian national champion and former top-50 PSA player.

The academy provides training pathways for players from a young age up to top junior and professional levels. Its philosophy emphasizes Mindset, Movement, and Match Strategy as the keys to success (the "M" in MSquash stands for those pillars). MSquash operates two high-performance campuses with a combined court count in the double digits, including video replay and sensor systems for swing analysis.

They offer year-round programs: players can train daily after school, join weekend intensive clinics, and compete in in-house leagues and tournaments. There are also summer academy programs and holiday camps for concentrated training blocks. A typical MSquash day might involve:

  • on-court drilling
  • conditioned games
  • structured fitness sessions
  • one-on-one coaching check-ins to work on personalized development plans

MSquash places a strong focus on junior development, including goal setting, sports psychology sessions, and college recruiting guidance. With a large number of junior players training each week at MSquash's campuses, the community is competitive, and its graduates frequently achieve top national junior rankings and earn spots on Division I college teams.

Nick Matthew Academy (UK and USA) was founded by three-time World Champion Nick Matthew in 2015 to deliver squash coaching for children, club players, and professionals. In the UK, Matthew's base is at the Hallamshire Tennis & Squash Club in Sheffield (his hometown club), where he and his coaching team work with junior squads, run clinics, and mentor pros.

The academy's reach is international. Nick Matthew has run an elite summer camp at the Berkshire School in Massachusetts, USA, taking advantage of the school's 10-court squash facility and 400-acre campus. This residential camp brings Nick and other top coaches to work intensively with junior players from the US and abroad.

In his programs, Nick emphasizes the professionalism and work ethic that made him a three-time World Champion: fitness, disciplined tactics (Matthew was nicknamed "The Wolf"), and refined technique, including the trademark volleys he offers specialty clinics on.

The Nick Matthew Academy also offers one-on-one coaching and weekly training groups in the UK, catering to a range of abilities. Adult players can get involved too, as Nick has offered masterclass weekends and squash retreats where adults can train with him in an immersive setting. His academy programs often fill up quickly.

Pontefract Squash Club (England), in West Yorkshire, is one of the most successful squash clubs in the world, with an international reputation. It is officially recognized as an England Squash Centre of Excellence and holds Gold Charter status, a designation held by only a small number of clubs in the country.

Under the late coaching guru Malcolm Willstrop, Pontefract produced a long list of champions. Lee Beachill (former World #1 and three-time British Champion) and James Willstrop (former World #1) came through Pontefract's junior system and still represent the club. The junior program remains very strong, now overseen by experienced coaches including James Willstrop. The junior section comprises everyone from absolute beginners aged 3 years to players who represent their country at the highest junior levels.

They regularly host junior camps and clinics, as well as ongoing academy squads for different age groups. The facility has 8 courts (5 of them glass-back with viewing on every court), a fitness suite, and other amenities.

A typical training week at Pontefract for a top junior might include multiple squad sessions, one-on-one lessons, and match practice in internal leagues. Because the club also has many adult teams and current pro players around, juniors get a chance to spar with a variety of opponents. For a serious junior or an up-and-coming pro, training at Pontefract means inheriting a bit of the championship pedigree the club is known for.

Millfield School Squash Academy (England) offers a full-time squash academy integrated into its school curriculum. This is a long-term option: students enroll in Millfield (as boarding or day students) and receive daily high-level squash training alongside their academic studies.

Millfield encourages broad participation in sports, so even beginners can get coaching there, but it particularly attracts talented juniors aiming for collegiate or professional squash careers. The squash program has top coaches and uses the on-campus facilities year-round. Students might have early morning fitness, afternoon squad training, and regular competitions on weekends.

Millfield teams compete in school leagues and the British Junior Open, and the school has won many national school titles in squash. The academy's reputation comes from its track record: it has been integral to the development of many professional players over decades, thanks in part to the Jonah Barrington squash academy on site. Stars such as Mohamed El Shorbagy honed their game at Millfield during critical junior years.

For families looking to combine education with elite squash training, Millfield is world-renowned. Admission is competitive and tuition is required, as with any private school. Millfield's holiday camps can serve as an entry point to experience the training. Millfield represents a holistic long-term development route, producing student-athletes who often go on to top universities or the pro tour.

Wadi Degla / Darwish Squash Academy (Egypt) is one of the largest squash academies in the world. Headed by former World #1 Karim Darwish, the Darwish Squash Academy at Wadi Degla has a strong track record of producing world-class players. Ali Farag (multiple-time men's World Champion), Nouran Gohar (women's World #1), and other leading Egyptians have trained within the Wadi Degla system.

The club's model focuses on building depth in junior talent, with large numbers of juniors training across Wadi Degla's multiple branches, all competing in internal leagues and national tournaments. The training environment is intense: juniors often practice several days a week, with two sessions a day (one focused on drills and coaching, another on match play), plus fitness and conditioning routines.

Many of the coaches are former professionals, and they instill the attacking style and grit that Egyptian squash is known for. While Wadi Degla is a members' club, international players occasionally arrange to train there because of the high level of competition, and the club has welcomed visiting groups for camps in some cases. Facilities are excellent, with all-glass show courts used for professional tournaments. For advanced juniors or pro players looking to immerse themselves in a champion-producing environment, Wadi Degla offers an exceptional depth of high-quality sparring partners.

Prague training center with Grégory Gaultier (Czech Republic): former World Champion Grégory Gaultier has established a high-performance training hub in Prague. After relocating to Prague around 2018, Gaultier gathered a group of players of various nationalities to train with him, a setup that functions as an elite squad. It has included players such as Mohamed El Shorbagy (former World #1), Belgium's Tinne Gilis, and others training together under Gaultier's guidance.

The training center is based at Squash Club Strahov, which has strong courts and fitness facilities. Gaultier, known for his court movement and tactical acumen, provides hands-on coaching and serves as a tough training partner. While this setup is primarily aimed at professional players, Gaultier sometimes opens it up to top juniors or visiting players who want to experience a pro training atmosphere.

He has also run amateur-friendly events such as the El Gouna Squash Retreat in Egypt, a week-long camp where participants train with Gaultier and other pros in a resort setting. For advanced players (high-level juniors, college players, or budding pros) looking for a taste of world-class training, contacting Gaultier's Prague center can be an opportunity. The mix of playing styles and nationalities there, driven by a former World Champion's expertise, creates a learning environment that few traditional academies can match.

Conclusion

No matter your age or skill level, there is a squash training camp or academy that can help develop your game. From weekend clinics to full-time academies producing world champions, the options are global.

When choosing a camp, consider:

  • your goals
  • the coaches' credentials
  • facility quality
  • the level of players it attracts

The camps and programs above are among the best in their categories. Visit their official websites for the latest details on schedules and enrollment.