Dubai never had an established squash league or group to cater for all levels of players. That all changed in 2014, when Abdullah Al Shawaf & Alexander Sayegh, a couple of squash enthusiasts decided to create a group on Meetup called Squash Lovers. The rest, they say, is history. Well, not exactly! That was really just the start. From a single session once a week to multiple sessions per day across 3 venues, the group has grown to over 5,000 members! When you say ‘humble beginnings’, it doesn’t get much more humble than that!

The group has evolved over the years to accommodate the increase in numbers and to factor in the skill levels so that every player would be competing with others that could pose a challenge. The journey of Squash Lovers is also a journey of Abdullah’s love for squash and Squash Lovers! Abdullah was still learning how to play squash whilst simultaneously learning how to manage a squash group with all the issues that come with it; liaising with venues and, even more complicated, dealing with members and their endless requests. Just for your reference, this hasn’t become any easier, especially with the increase in members. As in any job, you sometimes wonder how easy it would be without the ‘client’! Despite these hurdles, the love of squash kept Abdullah smiling throughout and even to this day! It’s not just a ‘job’, it’s a passion!

It’s not an easy challenge, to create such a structure. It started out with scores being recorded on an Excel sheet. Yes, manually inputted; each and every game for each and every player, day in and day out! In fact, even this manual system was constantly evolving to ensure a fair and effective system. Nothing was static in the process as everything needed to be created and adjusted. As if all of the above was not enough, it was only a matter of time that Abdullah would also have to learn coding in order to bring the management of the group into the 21st Century!

Thankfully, Alex (as we call him!), brought in his IT expertise and automated the process to create a digital system which allowed Abdullah’s scoring system to operate smoothly creating the format we have today. The unique scoring system means that players are always pushing themselves to rise in the ranks. Of course, the players have a passion for squash and the beauty of the game, but winning is the icing on the cake, and who doesn’t like icing?!

Another beauty of Squash Lovers is how it has brought together people across the city (and even visitors beyond), from all four corners of the world, people from all walks of life, so truly capturing the essence of the UAE as a melting pot of internationalisation. The group is not only a squash group, but a place where like-minded people have formed friendships. The group shares the spirit and values that have given it the success it has achieved so far, and despite being started by a couple of enthusiasts, the group also relies heavily on the support from the members. The members take on the role of hosting sessions as well as marketing the group, not forgetting, being ambassadors of the group.

As with evolution, change is always underway and the Squash Lovers group has been quietly working behind the scenes to build a more advanced technological platform to better serve all the squash lovers. This was initiated by the website and most recently the long awaited App. The Squash Lovers App allows players to check their scores, make payments, challenge players, check statistics, and many more features with new ideas being planned regularly.  All in the interests of the player experience.

As it now stands, there are 5 levels; Newbie, Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced and Elite. In essence, a category for anyone with an interest in squash and the ability to advance into new levels. Every player, new or old, feel the passion of the group and commitment of the leadership to continue to encourage the enjoyment of squash, so the group really deserves the title Squash Lovers!