Award winning coach Dax Mellor
His hugely successful development programme has centred around numerous grass root initiatives including ‘Squash 4 Schools’ a programme enabling Primary School children to try and play Mini-Squash as part of their PE lessons. The programme finishes by inviting children to their local Junior Club, ensuring all pupils have an opportunity to extend their activity following the School sessions. Dax also received a commendation for his ‘Squash Girls Can’ project.
On Saturday 11 February at the National Squash Championships in Manchester Swindon’s Dax Mellor received a National award for Squash Participation Project of the Year. The National Polar Squash Awards reward and celebrate the outstanding accomplishments of coaches, volunteers, referees and squash facilities throughout England. The award presented to Dax by England International Jenny Duncalf was in recognition of the incredible work he has done in increasing Squash participation all over Wiltshire.
This Sport England led initiative which is part of the award winning national campaign ‘This Girls Can’ encourages more women and girls to participate in Sport. Dax delivered numerous taster sessions and 8 week programmes around the County, making Squash accessible and affordable to well over 100 women and girls. Follow on activity has resulted in many Centres, most notably at Chippenham & Swindon where there are now Ladies Club Nights and Ladies Teams established.
Dax also facilitated coaching bursaries for 4 women who have since gone on to qualify as Level 1 & Level 2 coaches;
Modern Pentathlon Laser Pistol Training with Ex GB Olympic and National Coach Bernie Moss
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14 Wiltshire and Swindon Relay
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Modern Pentathlon is an Olympic sport that comprises five events: fencing, 200 m freestyle swimming, show jumping, and a final combined event of pistol shooting, and a 3200m cross- country run.
Abbeyfield students were given the opportunity to participate in Laser Pistol Training with Ex GB Olympic and National Coach Bernie Moss.
The combined run/shoot event is the climax to the competition. Shooting is with any 4.5mm (.177") calibre compressed air or laser pistol. The combined event begins with a handicapped start, calculated on the basis of the results after the previous disciplines.
Athletes run a total distance of 800m, 1600m, 2400m or 3200m (1, 2, 3 or 4 laps of 800m) dependent upon age. The run is interspersed by shooting 1, 2, 3 or 4 sets of 5 laser or knockdown targets.
Only after having hit 5 targets with an unlimited number of shots OR after a time of 50 seconds (laser) or 70 seconds (pistol) can the competitor leave the firing point to perform the next running
leg of 800m. The first person to cross the line is the winner.
Each student had the shooting distance between 5-10 meters and Bernie Moss coaching and showing how best to “light the board up”. A really fun packed “take over PE lessons” and “lunchtime sessions” had by all.
Many Thanks to Rik Grover from Wiltshire and Swindon Sport (WASP) and Jess the SSCO from Abbeyfield for making this possible.
Bernie, Abbeyfield PE Department
hopefully going some way to make the programme sustainable.
The award also recognised the huge amount of work Dax had done in supporting the various leisure providers across Wiltshire. Special praise was given to his tireless work in improving facilities, most notably in leading the funding project which delivered a £20K upgrade to the 3 courts at the Oasis LC in Swindon.
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