Interschool Competition

Thanks Ella Holman, Squash WA.

On 12 and 13 of August, we successfully held our Interschool Sports event, bringing together high school students from across multiple schools to promote physical activity, teamwork, healthy lifestyles and positive community engagement.

The event attracted strong and positive participation, especially from the Year 10-12 division, and provided students with a supportive and inclusive environment to compete in. We are very thankful for Healthway's sponsorship in being able to host and deliver this high-quality event that supports our partnership objectives of the promotion of healthy living and healthy eating.

Over the two-day event, we had a total of 67 students participate across 22 teams. On day one, we had 8 Year 7-9 teams and day two we had 14 Year 10-12 teams with both days consisting of boys and girls. Please see appendix Figure A for a breakdown of game day participation statistics.

The strong participation numbers, particularly amongst senior students, demonstrate the real value of providing accessible and engaging sporting opportunities that support both physical and mental wellbeing.

Josh Blakey, the coach in charge of the event, spoke to the students about Healthway and Fuel to Go & Play® respective messages and students were encouraged to stay hydrated with designated hydration breaks announced by Josh during game time, and students were encouraged by Josh and other staff to eat healthy during the lunch break and eat the fruit provided by Healthway.

We had overwhelmingly positive feedback from both teachers and students over the course of the two-day event. Key themes of the feedback were:

• An appreciation for the inclusive and supportive environment harboured by Squash WA for students at all skill levels of Squash to participate in.
• Increased motivation and excitement from both staff and students to participate in future Squash WA school events.
• Amazing sportsmanship conduct between students and schools including but not limited to handshakes after all matches, cheering for all teams regardless of school, and more experienced students coaching and helping less experienced students regardless of school or gender.

The Interschool Squash event was a highly successful initiative that promoted physical activity, wellbeing, community connection, and positive youth development. The support provided by Healthway was instrumental in achieving these outcomes and ensuring a positive experience for all participants.

We sincerely thank Healthway for its valued partnership and ongoing contribution to the success of the 2026 Interschool Squash Series.