The value of building bonds

People crave social connection. There are over 1.5 billion people on Facebook, 1 billion on YouTube, 300 million on Twitter and 400 million on Instagram (as at Sep 2015). Feeling a sense of love and belonging is also number 3 on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.

Therefore, building social interaction between your club members should be of critical importance since an individual’s decision to either remain a member or quit can hinge on the number and quality of friendships they have within your club. If you can connect people with squash and motivate them with great programme offerings that help them achieve their squash health and fitness goals, they'll come back to your club more often and for longer.

Studies show strong social connections can have a positive impact on health and well-being which leads to a positive club experience. We can further these connections by becoming more than just a place to play squash – somewhere people can meet and hang out with their family, friends and colleagues. To do this we can:

• Make playing squash as engaging as possible with the right mix of safe and appropriate group programmes.
• Welcome and help new members make friends when they start.
• Design the layout of our facilities to encourage movement and social interactions.
• Harness the power of technology and social media to allow members to interact with each other.