This years CSSC Multi-sport Games, held at Loughborough University over 2 days in September was the scene of the ninth Civil Service National Singles Squash Championship. The Games with its numerous sports and competitors alongside the squash event made for a different atmosphere outside of the squash court building and provided a WOW factor to the whole experience for the competitors playing squash. For the organisers it was a change from the previous Games when the team competition had been played. How would we fare with a singes event? The CSSC Games committee provided the facilities and social aspects for the Games leaving the squash section organisers to focus on the squash competition itself, which this year attracted a record entry of 46 players.

Forget the FA Cup, forget Zimbabwe's Independence Day, April 18th 2009 was all about the CSSC Racketlon Championships. Graham Norton and Patricia Wood both performed well reaching the finals as expected, going on last year's performance, however would they retain their 2008 titles in 2009?

From the Squash community this year was Mark Rylander and Stuart Scourfield from the Defence Science and Technology Laboratories and Kay Dalton from Revenue & Customs. Linda Parsley was on hand officiating the badminton and the squash events.

The Grand Masters of Civil Service Squash gathered with their vast experience recently to attend the very first stand-alone Civil Service Age Group Championship. The Tournament held at one of the country's leading Squash Clubs in The Park, Nottingham attracted over a cumulative 1000 years of squash knowledge and craft.

The senior members of this gathering - Men's Over 55 saw the almost youthful face of Phill Crane enter the event for the first time having recently qualified (got old!!). The former Over 45 Champion looked unstoppable sweeping aside opposition from David Stratford and last year's Over 55 winner Paul Taylor. His main opposition, however, lay in the opposite side of the draw in the form of Tony Claydon - but Claydon was giving Crane nearly ten years - a daunting task! Claydon, however, despite his years was never short in the competitive department confidently sweeping aside both Bob Shepherd and Chris Johnstone to reach his expected meeting with Crane in the Final. Claydon showed all his courage and best effort in this match but the young pretender Crane edged through to victory with a fine 3-0 win!

The Transport Team succeed while giant snowflakes wipe out Defence's hopes of yet another title!

Arctic conditions could not stop the annual CSSC Squash Team tournament, held in the Birmingham University Murray Sports Centre, from taking place. Only two competitors out of nine teams failed to battle their way through the snow-covered roads to reach the venue on time.

The nine teams formed up on day one into three groups of three to battle through a Round Robin style competition. Winning teams from these three groups would play each other on day two to decide who would win the coveted Title. Second place and third place teams would do similarly to decide the winners of the two Plate events.

Final Positions

The eighth Civil Service National Singles Squash Championship was once again held at Nottingham’s famous Squash Club in the Park Estate. Despite the dismal and damp conditions outside, the event attracted over 40 squash players of all standards from all parts of the country.

The first ever CSSC Racketlon tournament took place on a Saturday in May 2008 at Redbridge Sports Centre in Essex.

With over 40 competitors coming from all over the country and all over the Civil Service participating in both a Men's and Ladies tournament there was plenty of games to be played.

This year's Squash team event took place in January at the popular Nottingham Squash Club. A few organisational hic-cups and uncertainties resulted in a reduced entry of 6 teams and for some teams less strength than last year. However the composite Dstl team (The Defence Science & Technology Laboratories) pipped into second place last year by Revenue and Customs (RCSL) were not to be denied and came back with full strength and all guns blazing to take the top prize.

Nottingham Squash Club set in the prestigious ‘Park’ area of Nottingham and close to the famous Castle hosted the seventh Civil Service Squash Singles Championship over two days on 2nd and 3rd November 2007.

Over 40 players of all standards varying from beginners to international duly arrived for a weekend’s bonanza of squash – they were not to be disappointed!