Galway man named as performance lead and coach with Squash Ireland
Dave Noone from Menlo has been involved with international teams for more than a decade
A Galway man has been appointed to the newly created Squash Ireland performance lead and coach role.
David Noone from Menlo in Galway City is an experienced coach who has been involved with Irish teams at senior and junior levels for over a decade, with recent highlights including supporting the Ireland men’s and women’s teams to double gold at the European Division 2 Championships in Amsterdam last May.
The appointment is supported through Sport Ireland’s professional coach programme and will see Squash Ireland and Sport Ireland deepen their high-performance coaching collaboration.
Following a restructuring of Squash Ireland’s high-performance unit in late 2024, Noone - who is a member of Galway Lawn Tennis Club on Threadneedle Road in Salthill - served as junior performance coach in a part-time capacity, particularly supporting the U17 and U19 players up to European and World Championship levels.
As well as on-court experience, Noone brings an in-depth understanding of the role of performance lead and coach and the complex stakeholder environment that a designated high-performance sport operates within.
“I am delighted that David has accepted the role of high performance lead and coach," said Squash Ireland CEO Scott Graham.
"With a couple of major events on the horizon, including the European Games 2027 and the LA Olympic Games in 2028, and the need to develop a strong pipeline of athletes who progress onto the PSA World Tour, it is good timing to have David in place.
“As well as on-court coaching experience, David has an excellent understanding of the high-performance system that we operate within in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, and he has a clear vision for our high-performance programme," he said.
Noone said he was delighted to accept the role of performance lead and coach, adding that it was a real honour and something he has aspired to throughout his years in coaching.
“I hope to provide as much support as possible to our leading players and to help Squash Ireland continue to develop and progress at the rate it has under Scott Graham’s guidance.
“The creation of this role is a testament to the growth of the sport, and I will work hard to match the standards that have been set and deliver a professional service to all involved.
“It is an exciting time for squash in Ireland. I believe we have the players, coaches and people to achieve great things, and I will give everything I can to help us reach our potential," he said