Beyond the Court: How Liz Irving is Using Pivot Sports to grow Squash across Australia

Few individuals embody the spirit of Australian squash quite like Liz Irving. Her journey from the pinnacle of international competition to the forefront of digital innovation illustrates a lifelong dedication to Australian squash. 

As a former world No. 2, four-time world team champion, and Hall of Fame member, Irving’s legacy was first forged on the court, where she contributed to Australia’s dominance on the court throughout the 1990s.

Following her illustrious playing career, Irving transitioned seamlessly into coaching, becoming one of the sport's most respected mentors during her time. Her strategic insight was most notably demonstrated during her tenure with Malaysia’s Nicol David, whom she guided to a historic nine-year reign as world No. 1. This chapter abroad also provided her with invaluable experience in sport management and business, where she owned multiple F45 studios and worked with one of the world's most efficiently run squash centres, Squash City.

However, upon returning to Australia after a 25 year absence, Irving encountered a disappointing decline in the sport. Despite the progress of technology and its role in society today, the grassroots experience of finding and playing squash remained frustratingly complex. With new and current players facing hurdles to find facilities to play the game they love.

This gap between the sport's potential and its participant experience drove Irving to channel her firsthand understanding of the sport’s ecosystem into creating Pivot Sports, a purpose-built digital platform designed to remove these barriers. The system directly addresses the pain points for both players and venues, offering an easy-to-use interface for discovering squash clubs, booking courts and managing memberships.

The platform’s credibility and reach have been significantly bolstered by a partnership with Squash Australia, integrating with existing systems like RevSport to ensure a smooth transition for clubs while maintaining their operational independence. This collaborative approach is central to Pivot Sports’ strategy for building a stronger, more connected squash community.

At its heart, Pivot Sports is the culmination of Liz Irving’s unique journey. A Squash Australia Half of Farmer, who spent her childhood growing up in squash centres, her experiences as a player, coach and business woman has brought her back home to where it all started. To foster the growth of squash by ensuring it is a modern, accessible and inclusive sport for everyone to enjoy.