Nick Taylor was appointed as Head Coach of US Squash after they recently announced their new Player Development Pathway in preparation for the LA2028 Olympic Games.

The pathway is designed to foster long-term athlete development by incorporating age-appropriate training and competition to minimise burnout, injuries, and early dropout. By offering clear opportunities for progression, US Squash inspires more players to stay engaged, whether they aspire to compete professionally or remain lifelong players.

The new pathway in the US demonstrates their commitment to becoming a squash nation to rival other competitive countries ahead of the Olympics on home soil. To help drive that development and bridge the gap between grassroots and performance squash is Coach Nick Taylor.

This article has been adapted from one first published by SquashPlayer Magazine. To read the full article, “Island Hopping: Nick Taylor’s Unlikely Rise to US Squash’s Top Job,” click here.

Coach Taylor first picked up squash on a small island called Jersey. The sport was a niche activity on the Channel Island, but Taylor made sure it found its place.

After years of grassroots work in Jersey, followed by a successful transition to creating his first Academy in the US, Taylor has taken on his biggest challenge yet: leading the US national squash team, as it gears up for the sport’s debut at the LA 2028 Olympic Games.

Having previously been an assistant coach to icons David Pearson and Paul Carter within England’s high-performance setup from 2004 to 2008—a transformative period that produced England’s “golden generation” with stars like Nick Matthew, James Willstrop, and Laura Massaro—Taylor feels primed to renew his ties to the elite level.

Taylor believes that the opportunity to work with US Squash is the perfect arena to bring his grassroots-honed expertise to the world stage.

“I have the experience of working within a great set-up in England and working closely with elite players—which extended beyond the English team to the likes of Anthony Ricketts and Stephen Coppinger—but I’m not coming into this role with US Squash just for high-performance coaching,” Taylor said.

“I’m coming in to bridge the gap between grassroots development and elite competition, to utilise my experience across all levels of the game and build something truly world-class from both a coaching and performance perspective.

“I’ve got a lot of work ahead of me but it’s exactly the kind of challenge that excites me.”

Taylor’s squash journey began in Manchester, England, where he emerged as a competitive squash player on the PSA World Tour, peaking at No.14 in the world. Despite his playing credentials, when he arrived in Jersey in 2008 to take over as the director of squash at the Jersey Squash and Racketball Club, he wasn’t stepping into an elite role.

Instead, he was walking into an under resourced club with less than 100 members that barely registered on the island’s radar.

Taylor seized the opportunity to make his mark and popularise squash to the people of Jersey.

He made grassroots outreach his priority, launching school programs that introduced the sport to over 8,000 children within a year.

“I was told it was impossible, that I’d never get into more than eight schools,” Taylor recalled. “But I just thought, ‘watch me.’”

By the time he left Jersey in 2017, he had built a thriving squash culture on the island, tripled club membership, and earned the island recognition by the European Squash Federation. Jersey even took home two bronze medals at the European Team Championships, stunning more established nations and cementing Taylor’s legacy as a transformative figure in the sport.

2017 marked the beginning of a significant new chapter as Taylor, and his family, moved across to the US. He first took on roles at local squash clubs, including Cross Courts in Massachusetts, gradually integrating into the American squash scene, where he gained a reputation for revitalising programs and developing young talent – none more so than through his Nick Taylor Academy set up in Boston.

Taylor was also a part of Team USA’s coaching staff during their record-setting 2023 and 2024 British Junior Opens.

“I know I’m coming from a different background than most national coaches,” he acknowledges. “But I’ve built programs from nothing before. I’ve seen what works at the grassroots level and how to scale that up.

“The task here is bigger, no doubt, but I believe in a holistic approach to building players – from the local courts all the way to the Olympic stage. That’s the journey I’m excited about.”

With Taylor at the helm, US Squash is not merely looking to compete but to redefine its ambitions as the sport heads toward the LA28 Olympics. The Specter Center, an 18-court facility in Philadelphia, serves as a critical piece of Taylor’s plan, acting as the nerve centre for the national team’s training and development.

Taylor wants to develop Olympic athletes but also a culture that can sustain long-term success.

“I’ve played at the top level, worked with professional players, built programs, and produced junior players. I feel there’s a lot of connection there and that’s very important to me.

“The challenge is to connect the governing body and the programs around the country and to try and strengthen that, but at the same time build a world class programme at the Spencer Center itself, from grassroots to greatness, so that it becomes a true hub in this country.

“Whether they’re juniors, college athletes, or pros, I want the centre to feel like it’s their home base.”

Taylor recognises that much of the US squash scene has historically revolved around the college pathway, where many young players see college squash as the end goal. To shift this mindset, he aims to strengthen the transition from college to professional play, ensuring the US has a steady pipeline of talent moving into the top tiers of world squash.

Taylor’s approach to bridging grassroots efforts with elite performance is central to his vision for US Squash. He intends to build on the momentum created by US players like Amanda Sobhy and Olivia Weaver, who have already established themselves among the world’s best.

For Taylor, these players are not just assets but role models who can inspire the next generation of American squash talent.

“There is a great generation of talent already playing here and that is something to nurture – and if we can convert more of the College talent onto the professional circuit, that will only be beneficial for US Squash in the long run,” he said.

“But my role is to come in and compliment the systems that are already in place. There are great coaches that are currently working with our top players and I’m not replacing them. It’s about supporting them as much as the players themselves and trying to foster an environment that encourages and develops success at all levels.”

While the elite game will demand much of Taylor’s attention, he is also keen on promoting Squash57, an offshoot of squash that Taylor had successfully championed in Jersey. At the Specter Center, he envisions Squash57 as a tool for engaging new players, especially those unfamiliar with the sport.

“In Jersey, Squash57 turned things around for us,” Taylor said. “We need to make the sport accessible and appealing to everyone, from players returning to the sport through to introducing people with no racket/ball experience and to retirees.

“It’s about creating an environment where the love for squash can grow at every level. I know Squash57’s value. I know what it does. It retains and it brings people back. Squash is very, very challenging, especially for beginners. Squash57 can act as a great bridge and bring people in, who may then progress into adult squash.”

As US Squash prepares for the biggest stage it has ever seen, Taylor is aware that the spotlight of the LA 2028 Olympics presents both a massive opportunity and a daunting challenge where squash will be showcased to a global audience.

“The Olympics are a dream come true for our sport. It’s a chance to show the world what squash is all about,” he said.

“But we need to do more than just show up. We need to make sure we’re competing for medals and proving that squash belongs in the Olympics for years to come.

“This is about building a legacy,” Taylor emphasised. “It’s not just about the 2028 team. It’s about setting up a system that continues to produce world-class players long after I’m gone.

“The US has the resources, the coaches, the facilities, and the talent pool. We just need to put it all together, and that’s what I’m here to do.”

For Nick Taylor, the leap from local hero to national head coach is more than just a career transition; it’s a testament to the power of grassroots development and the belief that anything is possible with enough vision and hard work.

For more information about the US Squash Player Development Pathway and the National Squash Academy, visit the Player Development Pathway page or the National Squash Academy Page.

For the latest World Squash news, follow World Squash on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, TikTok, LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter) or subscribe to the World Squash Newsletter.