About Squash // Defination // Rules of Challenge Matches  // Competition // Concentration

About Squash

Squash rackets is the newest of all racket sports. It is said the game was invented at Harrow School in England by boys who kept knocking the ball on the wall awaiting their turn to play a game of rackets.

It is played in an enclosed rectangular space 32 ft long by 21ft wide. The object is to hit a small ball made of synthetic rubber out of reach of the opponent with a racket similar to but smaller than a tennis or badminton racket.

The player winning the toss serves the ball onto the front wall of the court from either of two service boxes square (5 ft. 3 in.) halfway down each side of the court. The ball must rebound into the other half of the court where the opponent hits it so that after hitting the front ball and before bouncing on the floor twice but cannot be returned by the server.

The rally continues until one player is unable to reach the ball and hits it before it has bounced twice or the ball has been hit outside the lines denoting the boundaries of the playing area. If the player winning the rally is the server he wins a point. And if he is not he then becomes the server. A game consists of  9 or 15 points in the American scoring. If the score reaches eight, the first who reaches ten points wins. If the player does not exercise the right for extra points, the game goes to the first player scoring nine.

Initially, one could only earn a point when serving but now that has changed.

The main strokes of the sport are a drive to length ( making the ball 'die' in the back corner of the court ), the drop in which the ball is hit softly so that it keeps close to the front wall and the lob in which the ball is lifted off the front wall over the head of the opponent forcing him to the back of the court to play the return. Finally, there is the boast or the side wall shot, the ball being hit on the side wall before it reaches the front wall the object being to wrong foot the opponent.

The ball is hollow and soft and can be squeezed in one's palms making it 'squashy'. In cold climates a faster ball is used and in tropical climates a  slower one.

The flooring is usually wooden. Recent changes include an all glass court and raising the tin from 18 to 19 inches.

There are also doubles matches on larger courts ( 25 ft wide and 45 ft long ) and the ball the hard, American type, necessitating stronger rackets.

If you have any questions regarding Squash, do contact us. We will  answer your questions as soon as possible.

 The Definition of Squash

1. to press or squeeze or to be pressed or squeezed in or down so as to crush, distort, or pulp.

2. to suppress or overcome.

3. to humiliate or crush (a person) with a disconcerting retort.

4. to make a sucking, splashing or squelching sound.

5. to enter or insert in a confined space.

6. a still drink made from fruit juice or fruit syrup diluted with water.

7. a crush of people especially in a confined space.

8. something that is squashed.

9. the act or sound of squashing or the state of being squashed.

10. any of various marrow-like cucurbitaceous plants that produce fruit eaten as a vegetable.

11. a game for two or four players played in an enclosed court with a small rubber ball and light long handled rackets. The ball may be hit against any of the walls but must hit the facing wall at a point above a horizontal line.

There are probably more definitions but this will do for the moment. I particularly like No. 5.

Rules of Challenge Matches  

• The Master may choose any one of the soft balls for the match.
• The Ladder master recommends the International Scoring scheme.
• A match shall be 3 games. The Master starts the serve in the first game, challenger in the second game, and master in the third game. The Master may choose to take a half-hour-break after the second game.
• A game is 9 points, but shall continue until the winner has a 2-point lead.
• Its preferable to arrange for a referee during the match. If you can't, email the Ladder master for possible help.
• Please inform the Ladder master and Webmaster of match-results via email.

Preparing For Competition

• Do not try anything new over the week prior to the Squash Competition.  Rehearse your preparation routine during training sessions and at minor events. Find out what works for you.

• Evidence does not suggest that greatly raised glycogen stores will improve performance in every sport, but it does appear that low glycogen stores are always a disadvantage.  Make sure you start your competition as well prepared as possible, which means at least normal glycogen stores.  This can be achieved by both tapering your training and raising your carbohydrate in take. 

• Over the final week before competition gradually taper you training programme and eat your normal diet (which should contain high-carbohydrate foods). Avoid any last-minute training sessions. 

• Avoid gorging at meal times, take smaller, more frequent high-carbohydrate meals, as they are easier on the stomach. 

• Increase your fluid intake over the week to ensure you are fully hydrated prior to competition.

• Avoid alcohol and unusual foods over the period leading up to competition. Save the celebrations until afterwards!

• You should always eat something on the morning of competition, as the Liver glycogen stores will be depleted, even in a well-nourished, glycogen-laden individual. Anyone attempting to perform prolonged exercise with low liver glycogen stores will be less able to maintain a constant supply of glucose and so will be at a distinct disadvantage.

• The best time to eat before competition varies between individuals. Two to Three hours would be a good general rule. You should always allow yourself several hours to digest your food fully before competing, even if this means rising slightly earlier than usual. If the event is later in the day, eat normally until 3-4 hrs prior to competition and then eat a light carbohydrate-rich meal.

• Once you have eaten, try to relax-don’t rush around as this will slow down digestion.  And don’t eat any last minute snacks. Remember anxiety will tend to slow the rate at which food moves out of the stomach  so, while allowing 2-3 hours may have been adequate in minor events, the stress of a major competition may retard emptying.

• If you cannot tolerate food, try using some of the liquid meals like juices, coconut water & health drinks.  However, while drinks may be a useful alternative or addition to the pre-event meal, they should not be taken just prior, as the principal aim is to start competing with normal blood glucose concentrations.

• If competing throughout the day in heats, try to take in fluids and some carbohydrate between matches of competition. The fluid will help prevent dehydration and the carbohydrate will aid in maintaining your glycogen levels throughout the day. Sandwiches with a low-fat filling (such as small amounts of honey or jam) bananas, are a good idea.

• If competing over several days, increasing your glycogen stores prior to the first day may help to keep you going. But refueling between competitions is vital and this can only be achieved by eating plenty of carbohydrate preferably starchy carbohydrate. Don’t wait until several hours after competition before eating – start the refueling process immediately. And don’t rely on the organizers of the event to provide the necessary foods: take responsibility and pack your own food from home. 

Concentration

The thing we find most difficult to master about squash, apart from actually winning, is concentration.  Yes Concentration.

The top professionals swear by it. Good players really work at it.  They do, in fact, spend a large part of their lives thinking of nothing but a tiny black ball. In a world so full of opportunities for fit young men, isn't that a silly thing to do?

It seems that life is a trifle short to spend more time than absolutely necessary contemplating a lump of rubber which costs Rupees 90 is likely to burst at any moment and has an unpleasant tendency to clout its owner behind the knee just when he least expects it. "But That," says  Peter Nicol & Jonathan Power  "is the only way to win."

Right players, you have got the message? From now on, we concentrate on CONCENTRATION. We have been studying some of the more common mannerisms practiced by grass roots players. We will list them, so you can avoid them at all costs.

THE OVER-CONFIDENT SERVER: This is a bad technique for anyone who seriously intends to win. The player picks up the ball and walks to the service box. As his foot enters the box he casually swings his racket at the ball, with no idea of where he intends it to finish up, and sets the new rally in progress. The serve is usually accompanied by a reference to the fact that his opponent will never return the ball -- not that this matters very much because five times out of ten the ball sails happily out of court.

THE OVER-CONFIDENT RECEIVER: He prides himself in being able to kill any service dead and his constant failure does nothing to dull his optimism. He looks up at the gallery before the rally starts and treat anyone watching to a touch of the raised eyebrows and smile. We have already mentioned that the service only has a 50% chance of going in. If it does, the over-confident receiver probably has a 50% chance of getting it back. Rallies between two such players tend to be on the short side.

THE MASOCHIST: There are many squash players at given time and they often end up losing. The masochist blames himself for every mistake made on court -- his own, his opponent's, even errors of discretion committed in the gallery. When he's not blaming himself he is hitting his legs with the racket handle, or kicking the wall or the tin. Any concentration he has is channeled into making life as uncomfortable for him as possible.

THE SYCOPHANT: Most of these type of squash players are easily identified by his recurrent cry of: "My fault, your point, too good for me." When the point is clearly his because the other player has charged into him, handled the ball AND talked in the middle of a rally, he will plead for a let to be played. His concentration is devoted entirely to the other man's welfare. Occasionally he wins and is depressed for weeks, hardly knowing where to show his face.

THE CUSSER: These type of squash players want to win by hook of crook, but is heavily handicapped by the fact that most of his energies are wasted on cursing the side-walls, front-walls, tin, door, gallery, spectators, racket, ball, or anything that appears to be an excuse for his mediocre play. He is unable to concentrate on the game at all. Often he will swear at the ball before it has reached him. Many cussers have just finished a hard day at the office and feel much better after they have won.

THE DREAMER: It is a very pleasant category but it rarely produces winners. The dreamer hypnotises himself into a neutral state in which he allows a multitude of lovely thoughts to float through his mind. In advanced cases, dreamers have been known to congratulate their opponent on the match when he has merely won the first game. Dreamers don't lose concentration. They never have it.

SPITFIRES: The essence of the spitfire's game is speed. He never stops running, particularly between points. If the ball has rolled to the front of the court he will sprint to pick it up, even if he is not serving. Hurried, nervous, frenetic ... the spitfire does not give himself enough time to think.

THE COCKY: He pretends it's all very easy.  He will not go off court or between the games to towel down because he wants to show he is not tired.  The worst part of such squash players are they always loose. 

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