Top ten things I have learned since taking up the game of Squash

1. The rules are pretty straight forward.

The object of the game is for players to take turns hitting the ball back and forth against the front wall, above the tin and below the out line (top red line). The ball can hit the side or back walls at any time as long as it hits below the outline. After the ball hits the back wall it is allowed to bounce once on the floor before being returned by the player. Each game is to 11 points and must win by two points. Either player can score points, it doesn’t matter whose serve. Serve must be above the serve line and bounce in the opposite square of the server.

2. Court shoes are really important.

I thought I could just wear my usual Runners but after a few games, I blew holes in the pinky toe area. Recently, I invested in some court shoes and it really improved my game! They are designed for lateral movement compared to runners that are designed for forward motion. One can never have too many shoes! 😊 Baby Blue is nice too.

3. The right grip matters.

Playing for 4 days in a row (because I wanted to kick my husbands’ butt) made my wrist super sore. Make sure you have a neutral grip that allows you to use your forehand and backhand without too much adjusting. (or so the experts say)

4. Use the corners!

My son thinks he is the master of the corners. He is pretty good at getting the short balls but if I can return it I can usually catch him with deep placement of the next shot.

5. Bring a change of clothes.

Squash burns 1,000 calories an hour. It was voted the healthiest sport to play by Forbes Magazine with calories burned and cardiorespiratory endurance being key factors. I’ve been playing for about a month and have noticed better toning in my legs!

6. Getting hit by the ball really, really hurts.

The fastest record that someone hit that little rubber sucker is 176MPH. That’s 283.2 KMH!?!

7. Marathon

A Squash game doesn’t typically last more than an hour or even 45 minutes for that matter. But, the Guiness World Record that is held by Len Grander and Jamie Barnett was played a total of 38 hours, 0 minutes and 27 seconds.

8. The Titanic had a squash court.

What?! Ya, I didn’t believe it when I was doing research either. First class passengers could pay two shillings and tuppence – what would equate to 52.76 dollars CDN  for a game in todays dollars.

9. It doesn’t break the bank!

Squash is really inexpensive to play. A good racket might set you back 50-100 dollars (rackets are supplied at the Leisure Centre but I would suggest getting your own), balls are supplied at the Leisure Centre and as I said before, you need a good pair of shoes. (My shoes were $64.99, a Facility Pass for an adult is $55.00/month. If you played twice a week that would work out to $6.87 a game).

10. Playing different players improves your game.

I am a comfort person. I like my group of people and typically don’t venture too far away from that group. BUT the Squash Box League has introduced me to new people that have a different sense of play and have taught me some pretty great skills. For information on the Squash Box League contact Ryan or Kelly at kmartin@ridgeback.com or ryan.deleeuw@cnrl.com