Tin Tin Triumph as Shropshire Summer League Celebrates Record Participation
Shropshire Squash Club’s 2026 Summer League came to a fitting conclusion on Friday 11 September, as Tin Tin claimed victory on Finals Night and the competition celebrated a major milestone: 101 different players taking part across the summer.
Beginning in June and running for 13 weeks, this year marked the seventh edition of the timed squash competition, which was first introduced at the club in 2018.
The format was changed for 2026 to make the competition even more accessible. Last year saw 16 teams of three players competing each week, while this summer featured 10 teams of five, opening up more opportunities for players throughout the club.
That proved particularly successful for beginner and developing players, several of whom experienced competitive team squash for the first time.
Tin Tin take the title
The final saw two Shropshire Squash Club teams, Tin Tin and the Tin Ticklers, battle it out for the Summer League trophy.
The opening match featured Savvas Hiou against Laura Rivello. Faced with a substantial 40-point handicap deficit, Savvas produced an impressive comeback to chase down the advantage and give the Tin Ticklers a 1–0 lead.
Next on court was Tin Tin’s Rich Green against promising youngster Ben Cawthorne. Ben quickly made inroads into Rich’s 10-point starting advantage and, by the end of the first third, had wiped out most of the deficit.
Rich, however, grew into the contest. Some aggressive reverse boasts helped turn the momentum his way and he secured an unexpected victory to level the final.
The third match brought Cameron Parry up against Ian Dinwiddy. Cameron had 30 points to chase down but did so with fast, aggressive squash, demonstrating why he is considered one of the county’s leading players and putting Tin Tin ahead.
Sam Witney then faced the vastly experienced Don Wallington. This time, youth triumphed over experience as Sam secured the result that gave Tin Tin an unassailable 3–1 lead and confirmed them as 2026 Summer League champions.
There was still one match to play, with Benton Bair facing Shropshire Squash Club captain Max Lloyd-Ball, who stepped in as a substitute for the Tin Ticklers.
Max was tasked with overcoming Benton’s 16-point start and gradually chased down the deficit. The contest remained in the balance until the final few minutes, but Benton held his nerve to take the match by just four points and round off an entertaining Finals Night.
Curry, trophies and the story behind the Summer League
With the squash completed, players and guests enjoyed a curry prepared by Shropshire Squash Club committee members Graham Walkley and Grant Thomas, before Max Lloyd-Ball conducted the end-of-season presentation.
Max spoke about the history of the Summer League and its origins in his own family.
The format was originally created by his father, Steve Ball, at Haltemprice Squash Club in East Yorkshire during the 1990s. Steve was heavily involved in organising squash, running the Mini Leagues, Hull & District League and Summer League at Haltemprice.
That commitment to organising competitions and using them to encourage participation has clearly continued into the next generation.
Remarkably, the Summer League in Hull continues to run today, around 20 years after Steve moved on from the club — a legacy that Max highlighted when talking about the future of Shropshire’s own competition. He suggested that, even if circumstances meant he was unable to organise the league in 2027, there was no reason why other players could not pick up the baton and ensure the competition continues.
101 players — a Summer League milestone
Perhaps the biggest achievement of the summer was the sheer number of people who got onto court.
Ahead of Finals Night, 99 different players had competed during the 13 weeks of the Summer League. Two additional players made their first appearances in the final, taking the overall total to an impressive 101 different participants.
At a time when emerging racket sports such as padel and pickleball are growing rapidly and competing for the attention of local players, attracting more than 100 people to take part in a squash competition across one summer represents a fantastic achievement for the club.
More importantly, the revised team format helped bring players of different standards together, giving beginners their first taste of team squash while allowing them to compete alongside more experienced club and county players.
Summer League award winners
The presentation also provided an opportunity to recognise some of the characters, performances and achievements that made the 2026 competition memorable.
Special congratulations went to Ian Pitchford and Tom Stockings, who both welcomed new babies with their partners during the summer.
The end-of-season awards were:
Nick Billington — Patron of the First Order (Propping Up the Bar) Award
For his unwavering support of one particularly important area of the club.
Adam Slater — Squash Tart Award
For demonstrating exceptional flexibility by turning out for numerous different teams during the competition.
Pete Cawood — Young Player of the Tournament
Recognising an excellent summer from one of the competition’s younger players.
Fred Schur — Most Improved Player
For the progress demonstrated throughout the Summer League.
Benton Bair — Golden Ball
Awarded for recording the most wins during the competition.
Julian Harrison — Player of the Tournament
The top individual honour of the 2026 Summer League.
From the first matches in June to a closely contested Finals Night in September, this year’s Summer League demonstrated exactly what the competition was designed to achieve: getting people on court, bringing players of different standards together and creating a fun, competitive team environment.
Seven editions on from its introduction to Shropshire in 2018 — and with its roots stretching back to East Yorkshire in the 1990s — the Summer League continues to evolve.
With 101 players, 13 weeks of squash, new players experiencing team competition and Tin Tin crowned champions, the 2026 edition provided plenty to celebrate — and a strong foundation for the competition to continue for many summers to come.