Squashing the gender gap: How Ynys Môn Squash Club is changing the game for girls

When Shaun Sullivan first set up Ynys Môn Squash Club in 2018, just two of the 38 members were women. That’s just five per cent.

But Shaun had a vision.

A vision where women and girls were just as visible on court as the men. And thanks to support from the National Lottery via Sport Wales, that vision is now becoming a reality.

Fast forward to 2025, and nearly 40 per cent of the club’s members are female. In junior sessions, the girls now even outnumber the boys.

Shaun has been coaching since he was 13 years old. But it was the birth of his daughter in 2021 that gave him the push to make squash more inclusive at Ynys Mon.

He once again applied for the National Lottery funding and this time to run free coaching sessions just for women and girls.

It worked.

Word spread quickly. Girls brought their friends. Mums joined in too, grabbing a bit of well-deserved “me time” each week.

Many had never picked up a racket before. But with expert, friendly coaching, nerves gave way to confidence.