By STACEY MULLEN

A WORLD squash champion passed on his top sporting tips to students in Glasgow's East End.

The Glasgow Kelvin College met world squash champion Greg Lobban who dropped into a coaching clinic at a community centre in Easterhouse.

Young students studying on the Personal Achievement Awards programme at Glasgow Kelvin College are using the Phoenix Centre in Easterhouse on a weekly basis to learn various new sports.

Included in the centre are two brand new squash courts, the only squash facilities in Easterhouse, and world doubles champion Lobban was delighted to pass on some tips when he visited the centre.

He said: “When I heard about the new courts, I was only too happy to come and meet some of the students, have a chat and pass on some knowledge.

“Scottish Squash are making a strong effort to ensure the sport is available to all people from all backgrounds and having courts in Easterhouse is a real positive.”

Six years in the making, the Phoenix Centre on Shandwick Street opened its doors last summer and has been transformed from a disused library into a hub of sports, music, art and learning.

Richard McShane, the mastermind behind the new community centre, and his wife Caroline, each enrolled on a Squash Leader Award course, run by Scottish Squash and Racketball, which allows them to facilitate fun and safe group squash sessions at the centre.

The plan is to also enrol on to the course a number of more senior Glasgow Kelvin College students to help grow the sport.

David Fallon, Regional Development Manager (West) for Scottish Squash and Racketball, said: “It’s fantastic to see the youngsters playing squash with a smile on their face.

“We aim to make these sessions a weekly event and get some 'student leaders' from Glasgow Kelvin College involved in making this a reality.

“We want the Phoenix Centre to be home to Easterhouse’s very first squash club for players of all ages, abilities and backgrounds.”