Squash Canada operates a high performance program that includes a number of year round national squads and specific event teams that represent Canada at international competitions.
In keeping with it’s corporate value of openness and transparency, Squash Canada publishes selection criteria well in advance so that athletes, coaches and parents are aware of the process that will be used to select athletes to a squad, or for available funding.
Squash Canada operates several ‘national squads’, groups of athletes at different levels who are provided various recognition, annual training, coaching and/or monitoring services. These include:
- Senior National Squad – Eligibility and Selection Criteria
- NextGen National Squad – Eligibility and Selection Criteria
- Junior National Squad – Eligibility and Selection Criteria
To understand the obligations of Squash Canada to the athlete and the athlete’s obligations to Squash Canada, the Squash Canada Athlete Agreement is posted HERE.
Should a national squad or team athlete wish to request exemption from a mandatory event, an Event Exemption Request Form is posted HERE.
In order to support its athlete focused value statement, Squash Canada includes a position of Athlete Director on its Board of Directors who is elected by current Senior National Squad athletes, and maintains an Athlete Representative Policy posted HERE, which identifies a Male and a Female Representative for liaison purposes and who each carry a vote at the Squash Canada Annual General Meeting.
Many squash competitions are ‘open’, where players are eligible to enter directly. There are, however, a good number of elite level nation vs nation or limited entry competitions where the respective national squash federation controls the entry. In such cases, Squash Canada develops selection criteria in order to determine which players will represent Canada. The following table reflects those competitions and the status of selection criteria and related information.
Senior Events
- World Team Championships (Men’s & Women’s) – Selection Criteria
- 2026 Commonwealth Games – Criteria Pending
- Pan American Senior Championship and Pan Am Games (2025) – Selection Criteria
- 2024 World University Championships – Criteria Pending
Under 23 Events
- 2024 Junior Pan Am Games – Selection Criteria
Junior Events
- 2025 World Junior Championships (Junior Women’s & Junior Men’s Individual and Team) – Selection Criteria
- 2025 Pan American Junior Championships – Selection Criteria
- US Junior Open – Selection Criteria
- British Junior Open – Selection Criteria
- 2025 Battle of the Border – Selection Criteria
Squash Canada manages two direct athlete funding programs in support of High Performance Squad members:
Athlete Assistance Program ‘Carding’
The AAP is a program of the Federal Government administered by Sport Canada. Squash Canada receives an annual quota from Sport Canada and in turn proposes criteria to determine which athletes will be nominated for ‘carding’. Historically, Squash Canada has received a quota that has permitted carding of 4 to 5 High Performance Squad members annually. Carding amounts per player can range from $21,180/year to $8,480/year.
Current Carding Criteria can be viewed HERE
Individualized Athlete Funding
Each year, Squash Canada typically makes a budget allocation in support of High Performance Squad members to assist with training and competition expenses, with emphasis on support for players who may not be ‘carded’. The amount of support is budget dependent but historically has been in the $4,000 range.
Some provincial/territorial governments, agencies or squash associations make available performance-based funding assistance to high performance, elite development and junior players. Athletes are directed to their respective provincial/territorial squash association for information about respective athlete funding assistance program that may exist.
Arjun Gupta Foundation
The Arjun Gupta Foundation’s Bursary for International Excellence will consist of one or a series of $2500 bursaries available each year specifically for Canadian junior squash players and their pursuit of international excellence. Considerations for bursary selection will include playing level, professionalism of training program and support team, goals for the future, and need based. $2000 of these funds should be allocated specifically towards coaching, training, competition and/or related expenses (squash coaching, off-court conditioning, mental training, etc.). $500 of these funds will be allocated to the athlete’s designated National Training Centre.
The successful applicant must be a junior aged 13 – 18 years old who is invested in their player development as a Team Canada athlete leading into the LA2028 Olympic Games.
This Bursary is made possible by the Gupta Family. More information.