As you may have discovered, squash is not exactly a cheap sport to take up. While the balls won’t set you back much, everything else can cost you major money, from a racquet and court shoes to goggles and apparel (and of course, there’s the cost of membership at a gym that has squash courts). But if you’d like to get outfitted for this fun sport for less, there are ways to find everything you’ll need at discount prices. Here are just a few options that you can look into.

1. Sporting goods stores (or racquet sport pro shops). In general, this is one of the pricier places to look for equipment, but you really can’t beat the selection you’ll find in a shop devoted to sporting goods (for not only equipment but apparel, as well). Plus, those that want top-of-the-line gear that is brand new will find what they’re looking for. The trick is to maximize your savings by waiting for sales, using coupons, and checking with their online store to find out if they have any special deals on the pieces you want (or if they offer promo codes that aren’t available in stores). You might still pay more than some other options, but this is a good way to get the high-end equipment you crave without paying top dollar.
2. Online sports outlets. There are all kinds of ways to save when shopping online, and you can look for outlets aimed at both sports enthusiasts in general and squash players in particular. It’s easy enough to find deals on the gear you’re looking for by simply doing a search for “discount squash equipment”. You’ll find plenty of websites devoted to offering the racquets, balls, and apparel you’re seeking for less than retail. Or if you’re not particular about anything but the racquet, for instance, you can find apparel (sweats, shoes, etc.) for a lot less at any number of clothing outlets.
3. Used sporting goods store. If you have a “play-it-again” type sports store in your area, it could be a good option for finding gently used squash equipment for less. These shops tend to carry an assortment of second-hand equipment for all manner of sports and while you may end up with items that are slightly worn, the bargain price could make a little wear and tear worthwhile.
4. Craigslist. The problem with this classified site is that it can be truly overwhelming, so when you search you’d better have something specific in mind. That said, you can find some amazing deals on everything you’ll need to get squash-court ready, and in most cases you can get it very close to home and at a fraction of the cost of new.
5. Yard sales. Whether you live in Little Rock or Long Beach garage sales may be just the ticket for fantastically priced sports gear of all types. Sure it may not be in pristine condition, but on the whole it will cost you significantly less to purchase and repair it (add some new tape to a racquet grip, for example) than it will to buy brand new equipment.

For some people, going to the gym and spending an hour on the treadmill constitutes exercise, while others like to add in some weight training.  But for some, staring at a TV while engaging in repetitive motion simply won’t cut it.  And while there are plenty of aerobic classes offered by gyms, these too can be somewhat boring.  Sports can offer a much more satisfying workout in this respect, but joining a local team can mean a schedule of practices and games that are difficult to fit into your already busy lifestyle (not to mention the rigors of getting a whole group together).  So if you’re looking for an activity that is dynamic and requires your mind and body to work together, but still fits into your timetable, perhaps squash is just the sport you’ve been seeking.  And here are just a few essential items you’ll need to get started.

1. Racquet.  If you can only afford one item for this sport, it has to be a squash racquet.  And they can get pretty pricy (up to a couple hundred dollars, in some cases).  But you can find suitable options for less.  If you’re just starting out with squash you should probably get yourself a low-end (read: cheap) racquet to start with, just so you can get a feel for the game.  Then, if you end up liking it, you can invest in one that is lightweight, strong, and well suited to your body.  You’ll be surprised at how much your game can improve when you have the right tools at your disposal, but until you’ve been playing a little while you probably won’t be able to tell the difference.
2. Gym bag.  Okay, so it isn’t exactly essential to get a “squash bag”, per se.  Pretty much any gym bag will suffice to tote your gear between home and gym.  But if you do get serious about the sport, you’ll find that a squash bag is specially designed with compartments to hold your racquet (with less chance of damage), balls, and other equipment.  If you play a lot, this type of bag will prove very handy.
3. Shoes.  While you can pretty much get away with any type of indoor gym shoe or sneaker, you’ll find that court shoes are preferable because they provide for better grip on the waxed wooden floors that tend to dominate squash courts.  However, you don’t necessarily need to spend crazy money on squash-specific shoes.  Any type of indoor sneaker will do (basketball sneakers, for example) as long as they’re made for use on a court.
4. Safety gear.  You probably don’t need to spring for pads as you would with other sports; although you may take a tumble on the court, you’re not likely to hurt yourself too badly in this manner.  However, it’s not uncommon to get a ball to the fact, so you’ll definitely want to wear protective goggles or glasses.  You should also replace the grip on your racquet every so often; if it slips from your hand it can seriously injure your partner (or you).
5. Sportswear.  Nearly any type of sportswear can be worn to play racquetball, from tees and loose shorts to sweat suits or jogging pants.  But you should probably opt for sportswear that allows for ease of movement, and you may want to select wick-away fabrics since you can quickly heat up.  If you’re really into it you can even make personalised t shirts or track jackets for you and your practice partners.  But one thing you’ll definitely want is a good pair of sport socks that wicks away moisture and provides plenty of cushion for your feet.

The beauty of playing any sport in college is that it allows you to make connections with new people, keep yourself fit, discover a new passion you never knew that you had, and help you improve your grades by reducing your stress and teaching you to understand time management.  Squash, not to be confused with the vegetable that also bears its name, is a racquet-based sport that makes an excellent activity to pursue while you’re attending a university.  Here are a few reasons why this is the sport for you, college student:

Calorie burner. While squash is often (and unfairly) compared to other, more popular racquet sports like badminton or tennis, the squash court is bigger than the others, which requires that you actually run more than you would while playing badminton.  Fans of the sport claim that you can burn from eight hundred to a thousand calories during a game or while practicing.

Your body’s health. Playing squash requires that you make quick stops and change your direction all the time as you face off against an opponent who is competing with you for the front wall, which is the same target for both of you.  If you are going to engage in this practice, you will need to stretch properly before you play as well as purchase the proper equipment.  Understand how your body works so that you can make the kind of quick movements the game requires without tearing your cartilage or muscles.

Racquet types. The variety of racquet types available to squash players (heavier for beginners since they produce more force, while a lighter racquet helps old-hands increase their maneuverability) means that a wider variety of people can play, including those with arm or wrist injuries who may find that a tennis racquet is too heavy for their comfort.

Endurance. You can build your body’s endurance as you increase the difficulty of the game.  You can play rallies that last six seconds and then continue to expand them.  “Forbes” magazine recently listed squash as the healthiest sport you can play, considering such factors as cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength, injury risk, and flexibility.

Good for everyone! From beginners to experts, men and women, squash is an excellent sport for anyone to play.  Strength and size don’t play as important a role as they do in, say, football, so if you have a high level of endurance, are speedy, and demonstrate an incredible amount of agility, then squash is the sport for you.  Even if you’re nearing the end of your college days, squash is a sport you can consider as a way to relieve the stress you probably feel as the intensity of your classes has increased – it will keep you healthy mentally as well as physically!

If you’re an incoming freshman, prepare to work on your squash game while you pursue the top colleges for business administration. It’s also a great way to stay in shape if you take classes from one of the top colleges online.

Whether you are a professional or a novice, you may require a few tips to improve your squash game.

When training:

Find yourself a good coach to give you lessons (preferably someone who has played for at least five years), someone you trust and with whom you work well.

Warm-up before you begin to play.  You can do this by jogging and stretching, anything to warm up your muscles and increase your heart rate.  Also make sure to visualize yourself playing a game while working out.

Always wear squash shoes.  There are special shoes designed specifically for squash players that provide you with durability, grip, and added stability to provides you the traction you need while on the court.

Choose your racquet with care and consideration.  The proper shoes and appropriate racquet are the two most important tools for playing the game.

Spend some time watching videos of professional squash games.  Pay particular attention to the moves and techniques the pros use.  You will also find yourself motivated by watching stars in the field.

Practice!  This means giving yourself the opportunity to be on the court at least three times a week.  You can train with a friend, take lessons, or actually play a real game.

Fitness:

Keep yourself aerobically fit.  You can improve your condition by swimming, cycling, or running.

Use specific exercises like leg squats and lunges to strengthen your hips and upper legs.  You will also want to focus on keeping your stomach, torso, and back strong.  Focus on the bench press to strengthen your arms, shoulders, and back; the leg press to strength your quads and hamstrings; the military press to strengthen your arms and shoulders; and perform incline crunches to strength your abdominal muscles.  You can also include sit-ups, pull-ups, and push-ups in your regular training regime.

Keep active by playing other sports as well.  Basketball and soccer are good options.

Stay flexible.  Great squash players are able to use their own flexibility to cover the squash court in large distances with a single stride.

Avoid smoking and drinking.

You may also want to consider weight loss supplements such as fiber-based products to control food urges and make you feel full.

You will also want to stay mentally fit.  Squash requires an intense amount of concentration.  Practicing yoga will provide you with the required flexibility and muscle tone you need while acting physically on the court, but it also aids in concentration.  You can help your mental fortitude by making sure to get plenty of rest.  Listen to your body.  If you’re feeling aches and pains, treat them to avoid injuries that will prevent you from continuing to play the game.  Above all stay positive during the game.  Don’t focus on the negative aspects or wrong calls made by a referee.  Even if you are a squash novice, believe in yourself.  With all your preparation, both mental and physical, and your continued practice, you will undoubtedly love the challenge that squash provides.  Go team you!

Sarah Danielson writes for www.getprograde.com where you can find great products and advice to help you lose weight.

There is no doubt that the game of basketball, baseball and American football are the most popular sports in the United States. Even the game of football is still struggling in the country but is already gaining popularity. One of the less popular sports in the country is the game of squash which has a small group of traditional yet loyal advocates. While it is true that you can find occasionally squash courts in YMCA or community centers and even public universities, majority of the squash courts in the country are located in private universities and popular athletic clubs. Examples of these include Yale which has 25; Connecticut has over 154 squash courts, while the University of Connecticut has 8 squash courts. Other preparatory high schools also have their squash courts. For example, Phillips Exeter Academy located in New Hampshire has 12 courts, while the entire state of Iowa has 14 squash courts in all. Frankly speaking, squash is popular only in some states particularly in the Northeast.

It is still not enough though to say that the game of squash is a popular sport in the United States, but nevertheless this should not be a reason to conclude that American squash players are not world-class professionals. The Northeast specifically, New England, is no doubt the center of squash in the entire country.

Origin and Diffusion

The beginning of the game of squash in the country began in the private school for boys in New England. This can be clearly seen in the number of courts present in the area. Although squash in the other parts of the world used soft balls, this was not suited in the courts of New Hampshire. This was the reason why the harder ball was used in the game which was more suited to a much narrower court.

Squash Court Dimension

Later on, the hardball squash court was standardized. The standard size was set to 18.5 ft. wide with a 17 in. tin which is an out-of-play strip of metal located at the front. This contrasts to the English standard for squash court measuring 21.5 ft in width and 19 in. tin at the front. There are standard courts used all over the country although most facilities have both courts. However, American courts still outnumber the international standard in the United States. There are many soft ball squash players who come to the United States to play hard ball with relative success. Doubles court which are relatively larger are even less common.

By the year 1930, the game called squash racquets but later on was called squash eventually spread not only in the United States but also in Canada and even India. Today it is played internationally in many countries in the world.

Regions

The softness of the squash balls varies from one state to another sports venue. This is because other factors outside court play have also been considered such as temperature and atmospheric pressure. Generally hard ball squash is the one played more in the United States although soft ball squash is still played in many tournaments.

A squash court in New England

Based on the origin of the game, it is quite understandable that the density of the game is focused near the Northeast specifically the New England area. This has by far considered the highest penetration in terms of the number of squash courts. New Hampshire though still leads in the number of squash courts compared to the number of people in the area. This is interesting because squash began in this area and yet they still are able to maintain this record. This is also because of the presence of secondary schools in the area who have built many squash courts in their area.

Squash distribution in the US

We could not base the distribution on the map alone. Although there are many squash courts in the area, this doesn’t mean that everyone is able to access these courts. Usually the control of these courts are on the organization that owns or made the squash court. Often the access to the courts is exclusive only for member and their guests. There are few public squash courts but usually are accessible only after paying for a minimum fee. One of the current trends today that are offered by clubs are access to the court as long they can afford to pay a certain amount of money called the membership fee. In building a squash court, this can become a source of income to some health clubs but it does not offer a big amount because only two players are dividing the total amount. Also when constructing the court, it has to be accurate and has the proper bounce. As more and more courts are constructed in the various health clubs and spas, there will come a time that squash will bloom and will become popular.

The racquet is the most important sports equipment used in many racquet games. Although each racquet has many design specific for a certain racquet game, more or less they have the same origins, but evolved to the form that we now see today. Racquets for tennis, squash, badminton and even racquetball all have evolved countless times along with many designs and improvements.  We now look at the history of the racquet specifically the squash racquet.

History of the Squash Racquet

A squash racquet

As what history dictates, the direct predecessor of the game of squash is the game tennis which was first played by many French monks between the eleventh and twelfth century. The racquets then were made out of human flesh! This wasn’t meant to be a gore statement but rather as a truth. The very first form of squash uses the players hand as a form of racquet. Players hit a ball by hitting it against a certain wall.  Later on this was changed to hitting over a simple net. Although not brutal, when a player hits the ball for some time, the hands become too uncomfortable. The players then started wearing gloves. Later on they added a form of webbing between the fingers but later on began using a light and solid paddle made of wood.

By the start of the 14^th century, players of the game were already starting to use what we can already call a racquet because they were using a wooden frame which has strings bound that are made of gut. Italians were the ones credited in the making of this invention. By the start of 1500, racquets have become popular sports equipment. Squash racquets at this time can be described as having a long handle along with an oval-shaped head. Because of it oval-shaped head, the racquets at this time would closely look like the modern version. Even the game itself was already like the squash as we know today. They usually are played indoors where they hit a ball using the racquets. However, unlike squash today, the ball was hit across a net instead of hitting it against the wall.

The Wooden Racket Era

Major Walter C. Wingfield provided a modification of the racquet. He registered a patent for new equipment as well as the rules of a game similar to the outdoor lawn tennis in London on the year 1874. The game he registered was considered by many as the first version of lawn tennis. After the registration, the equipment that he introduced became popular and was even recommended for use in many countries in Canada, Russia, India and China. The racquet differs slightly because this has a larger head compared to the previous designs. Instead of the oval shaped, the racquet this time has a round head widened and flattened as it approaches the top. These racquets were the basis of the modern tennis racquet.

Racquets never saw a drastic change between the years 1874 up until the 1974. 1974 was year when the use of the wooden racquet was stopped. This marked over 100 years of the wooden racquet era. There were many improvements to the wooden racquet during its era. New technologies were discovered and were utilized to improve the racquet. First, wooden racquets was modified to use laminating technologies where pieces of wood were glued together. Strings became heavy often using 13-14 ounces in terms of weight. Racquet heads became smaller yet when compared to the racquets of today, they are usually cumbersome and most of the time lacked power.

Rise of the Metal Frames

Old Metal Racquet

Racquet manufactured with a metal head already existed as early as the year 1889, but this never become popular compared to other racquet designs. The use of wood in making the head was not changed until 1967. This was the time when Wilson Sporting Goods produced a popular metal racquet, called the T2000. Because it was stronger and lighter compared to the wooden racquet, it suddenly became a top selling racquet. Jimmy Connors became famous by using the T2000, often seen playing at many professional tennis games during the 1970′s. He put to good use the racquet which has long throat and steel frame.

In the year 1976, Howard Head introduced an oversized racquet while working in the Prince Company. This racquet design also gained widespread popularity often called the Prince Classic. Weed USA claimed that they made and released oversized racquet in the year 1975. The Weed racquets though never became top sellers compared to the Prince Classic and the more expensive version called the Prince Pro. Both racquets used aluminum frames with a string area which is 50 percent larger than the 65 square inch string area of the wood racquet.

Graphite – The Revolutionary Racquet Material

The aluminum racquets which were very light weight greatly increased the power of these racquets. This made the game of tennis popular even to the beginners. However, this posed several disadvantages to advanced and powerful tennis players. The flexibility of the frame along with the power caused the shots to become very unpredictable. Power was there but there was no control especially when hitting powerful off-center shots. When this happens the frame gets distorted, string of the racket changing direction as well, often causing the ball to hit a direction which was not the original and intended direction.

Advanced players looked for a harder frame material. This was solved by combing carbon fibers and using plastic resin to bind them. This new material was called graphite even though this doesn’t have the same properties as the real graphite used in pencils. Racquets were modified again using graphite as the frame. By the end of the 1980s, racquets were classified according to the materials used; affordable racquets that were made with aluminum frame and the more expensive racquets with graphite construction. Wooden racquets eventually became phased out except of course for its antique and collector’s item value.

Racquet at the Peak of its Development

The two most important properties of a racquet are stiffness and light weight. Graphite has become the most common choice for strong racquets however the technology in adding stiffness to the racquet without adding additional weight has yet to improve. Many will say that the most famous of the new graphite racquets was the racquet called Dunlop Max 200G. This racquet was used by both Steffi Graf and John McEnroe. In 1980, this racquet weighs about 12.5 ounces. 20 years from that one, the average weights for racquets have been greatly lowered to around only 10.5 ounces; even some racquets today weigh as light as an outstanding 7 ounces. New materials have been added to greatly reduce weight and this includes fiberglass, titanium, Twaron, ceramics, boron and even Kevlar. These materials however are still mixed with graphite to produce desired effects.

A Dunlop Graphite 500 racquet

In the year 1987, Wilson solved the problem on the stiffness without looking for a new material. Instead he came up with an idea and introduced a thicker frame which was then called the “widebody”. It still remains a mystery why many didn’t think that to solve the stiffness problem; you just increase the width of the racket frame that will resist the impact of the ball. Using this idea, Wilson produced racquets but this were big racquets because the frame measured 39 mm wide making its width more than twice the original wooden racquet’s width. Near the end of the year 1990s, the popularity of the “widebody” greatly decreased however the “widebody” concept was to remain in the subsequent racquet models produced and later on became a standard in the racquet production. Although not as wide as Wilson intended, racquets of today are wider compared to the original wooden frame racquets.

The squash racquet making companies though didn’t make much money anymore because of the innovations that they introduced. Graphite rackets are very durable and can last for many years without replacement unlike the wooden predecessor which later on cracked and loses its effectiveness after several years. This means that when buying a graphite racket, the owner need not buy a new one because of its durability even lasting for several years. The racquet making companies have to continually introduce various innovations including reduced weight, wider frames, and even oversized weight. New materials combined with graphite were marketed to produce new effects such as more control in the spin and direction of the ball.

With these advancements in the technology, the squash racquet has long improved starting from its original predecessors. With continuous research to improve the quality and the durability of the squash racket, it would surely make it far from what it was originally intended for. In the years to come, we can expect new technologies to be discovered and incorporated in the racquets of today. Time can only tell how much will the racquet improve and what technologies were included and involved in the future squash racquets. You just can help but be amazed at the single equipment improvement over the years.

To compare these two greatest squash players would be like Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain. There would be an endless debate of which of them is the greatest because each player has become the best in their own right. Let’s look at their accomplishments first before comparing them head-to-head.

The Era of a Champion

Jahangir Khan

Jahangir Khan is a former World No. 1 professional squash player whose time of dominance was between 1981 and 1986. He was born in Karachi, Pakistan and is considered by many to be the greatest squash player of all time. During his illustrious career, he was able to win the British Open a record ten times while winning the World Open six times. Between 1981 and 1986, which is the time he dominated the sport, he won 555 professional matches without defeat for a period of five and a half years and is one of the longest winning streaks in the history of sports.

Birth of a New Champion

Jansher Khan

Jansher Khan is another Pakistani professional who rose to prominence at the end of 1986. He is also a former World No. 1 and boasts winnings in the World Open a record eight times. Not only this, he won the British Open six times making him also one of the greatest squash players of all time. By the time Jahangir was waning on his form, Jansher came to the picture. Jansher became known when he won the World Junior Squash Championship and later on became a professional.

Rivalry Kindled

The Jansher-Jahangir rivalry, one of the most exciting rivalries in squash, rose to dominance between late 1986 up until early 1993. Since their styles of play clearly differ, their tournament encounters sometimes become the most-watched even surpassing the actual championship match. They met a total 37 times in tournament matches not including exhibition and league matches. Out of these 37 encounters, Jansher won 19 matches and Jahangir 18 matches. Later when Jahangir retired in 1993, Jansher become the sole dominant squash player until his retirement in 2001.

Doing battle at the 1988 Spanish Open (Photo Stephen Line)

Based on these data, it is really hard to tell which really of the two is the greatest. Many fanatics would say that Jansher became dominant only because by the time he was still starting Jahangir was already on his twilight years. Nevertheless, as fans, we just have to be grateful that the game of squash was endowed with these two great players. One thing is certain though and that is probably we have yet to see someone who’ll be at par with what these two athletes have accomplished so far.

Professional Squash Association(PSA) is the governing body of professional men squash players while Woman’s International Squash Players Association (WISPA) is the equivalent body for women players. PSA and WISPA are independent from each other but both have more or less similar purpose and that is to enable more players to have a professional squash career by developing a world tour for squash players, promote the game of squash and its players and to produce and publish world rankings for professional squash players. Being relatively new sports bodies, many still don’t know how PSA and WISPA rankings are determined. Again it should be emphasized that PSA and WISPA have different rankings issued because PSA gives world rankings only for men while WISPA issues rankings only for women. We now look at how PSA and WISPA rankings are being computed.

WISPA World Ranking

WISPA is officially the governing body that releases world rankings for professional women squash player. The world ranking is used to rate the accomplishments of a professional woman squash player. The world ranking is based on merits earned by a player and is used to determine is a player can enter and then seeded in women’s squash tournaments. These rankings are usually produced once a month to keep it current.

Players who are competing in Woman’s International Squash Players Association sanctioned tournaments receive ranking points according to how far a female squash player usually get in a certain tournament. The maximum points that are available usually depend on the tournament’s prize money and the draw size. The monthly rankings which are issued on the first of the month are used in selecting entries to tournaments and in determining the seeding of players.

The total number of points a professional squash player earns in a year, usually computed as fifty two weeks, is divided by the number of tournaments played. Squash players must however join a minimum of eight tournaments in the year to give a ranking average. Only the highest scores are included and not the low ones when a player was able to play in more than eight tournaments in one year.

For example, a player who has competed in eighteen events will have selected her best thirteen scores. The other five scores will be ignored. The total scores accumulated will then be divided by thirteen. Players that compete in the WISPA World Tour Events earn ranking points based on the prize money classification of the event, and also the final position in the draw that player will reach is also taken consideration.

PSA World Ranking

The Professional Squash Association or PSA is the only governing body that releases the official world ranking for men’s squash. Just like WISPA’s ranking for women, these rankings are used to rate the performance level of male professional squash player as well compare their performance against other squash players in the world. It is also a merit-based system used to determine entry and positioning in men’s PSA-sanctioned squash tournaments. The rankings are also produced monthly just like the women’s ranking to keep the rankings as latest as possible.

Professional squash players that compete in Professional Squash Association sanctioned tournaments usually earn ranking points depending on their performance and how far they get in the draw. The maximum points that a player can have totally depend on the tournament’s prize money as well as the draw size. The monthly rankings that are issued most of the time on the first of the month are used by PSA in selecting entries to tournaments and in determining the seeds of the players for that specific tournament.

The total number of points that a player accumulates in one year and that is fifty two weeks is divided by the number of tournaments that he played and joined to determine his PSA world ranking. There should be a minimum of eight tournaments that the male squash player has join so he can be eligible to have a ranking average. When a professional male squash player has played more than eight tournaments in a single year the best scores will be selected while the lowest scores are not included. This rule is based according to the Averaging Formula used by PSA.

Let’s say a player was able to compete in fifteen PSA sanctioned events. To rank him, PSA will be selecting his best eleven scores, which will be accumulated and divided by eleven.

Divisors Used

Both PSA and WISPA use the same divisors to determine the rankings for a one year period. If a player joins a total of eight or nine tournaments, then the divisor is 8. When a player joins ten tournaments, the divisor used to determine the ranking would be 8.5. If the player joins twenty tournaments and above, the divisor that will be used to determine the player’s ranking will be 15. More or less this is the process to determine the rankings. The divisors that are used are summarized in the following table:

This summarizes how Professional Squash Association (PSA) and Woman’s International Squash Players Association (WISPA) determine the rankings that they release every first of the month.

Squash is a worldwide popular racquet sport that is similar to tennis. It is played also by two players but instead of a flat court, players play against each other in a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball. Before, this game was originally called squash rackets, but the word rackets was dropped to give its modern name today. Before we dig deeper into the game it is best to know the history of squash and how it was named “squash” as we know today.

squash scotstoun photo courtesy of jornalundergound

IT STARTED WITH TENNIS

The predecessor of squash is an ancient form of tennis where children played different games and leisure exercises along the narrow streets of France. This was during the twelfth century where boys and girls alike slapped balls into designated targets such doors and windows. Eventually this recreation spread even reaching the monasteries. A fish net was made to stand in a field that will serve as goal where they patted the ball to and fro using their hands. Because there are no balls at that time, a piece of leather sewn together using hair after placing cloth and soil inside the leather. Later on, they made tree branches and sticks and used it to strike the ball. Later on the 15th century the sticks were formally made into racquets by the Dutch.

The sport became popular and was named tennis and eventually became national sports of several European countries. Tennis became popular that several tennis courts were built all over Europe including in royal residences. After tennis became a popular sport in the streets, a similar but slight different version was gaining popularity.  The game was called rackets and to play this game you smack a ball unto one and sometimes two walls. This became popular because this game doesn’t need a tennis court to play yet you get the same feel and excitement. Fives also become popular during this time. Fives was named after the number of fingers in the hands and is basically rackets using the hands and can sometimes be without rackets at all. Fives and rackets were the direct influence of squash.

FIVES AND THEN SQUASH

The creation of the formal game of squash as we know today is credited by many to Harrow School located outside of London. Although not so smooth and not as clean as the modern squash, they have more or less similar way of playing the game. The very reason why squash was invented was because of the brilliance of many Harrow students. Before leather ball was used, but the students used a circular rubber ball or squash ball. Since the rackets were heavy during this time, they cut off and shortened the handle of their rackets to make it lighter and easier to control. Because of the new idea, where the game can be played without demanding too much physical prowess, the game called squash eventually become a popular sport in Europe.

TO THE WORLD AND BEYOND

squash racket photo courtesy of Michael David Pedersen

Because of the ease to play even for beginners, squash soon not only spread in Europe but around the globe and beyond. In 1883, an alumnus of Harrow School named Vernon Harcourt was credited as the first person to have a private squash court built in his home in Oxford. The court measured 38 feet by 20 feet, with a tin of thirty inches. Afterwards, several squash courts were built in several locations in London but no court standard existed yet. One of the popular courts was called the “Long Court” and was built in the year 1905 and measures 35 by 18 feet.

In 1920, the first squash tournament was organized by Lord Desborough and the Bath Club established in the city of London. The tournament was called as Bath Club Cup and helped squash become one of the most popular sport even to those who haven’t heard about the squash game. There were no attempts after to make the game standards such as rules and court sizes which were totally understandable since the game was still new. This was changed when squash reached Great Britain.

Tennis, Rackets and Fives Association later on was established in April 1907 under the Queen where a subcommittee for squash was created. The subcommittee then released a set of standards and rules for squash in the year 1912. The subcommittee deemed that the court size would be determined by the locality where the court was built. They set a standard for the balls as well but they suggested two balls. The first ball should be fastball but should not bounce too high or fly without control. The next ball is a tiny and hard ball that has no hole. They released other standards as well later after that the committee didn’t release any new updates.

It was until January 1923 where the official size of the squash court as decided. Several members of the the prestigious Royal Automobile Club decided and voted that the Bath Club court would be the standard size of English squash court. The standard size of English squash is 32 by 21 feet. The ball was also decided which would become the standard material, the correct size and weight which is equally important. Several revisions have been made for the squash ball to make the ball slower and slower up until they have similar ball to what we have today.

SQUASH IN THE UNITED STATES

When squash was slowly setting its standards in Europe, it was also a great timing to watch squash in the United States. Just like in UK, United States didn’t have the standards as well to play squash. In St. Paul’s School located in New Hampshire in the year 1884, the first squash in the entire North America was created. In 1900s, a  popular player named Alfred Ellis, placed a new squash court in his club. This court was made of wood and measured 31 by 17 1/2 feet. After these, many clubs began to build their own squash courts at their own homes. There are even members of a club where every member built a squash court in their own personal home. But there is still one problem, aside for the popularity of squash in the country, United States still didn’t have a set of standards that will be used in constructing a squash court.

In 1904, after a successful interclub tournament, leaders of different squash clubs met and formed the then US Squash Racquets Association (USSRA), also the first known national squash body in the US and in the world. USSRA now known as US Squash, as a governing body, then set a standard weight of the official squash court to 31 1/2 feet by 6 feet 3 inches, with a twenty-four inch tin. Other standards were agreed upon as well like the best of three, side-out form of scoring. USSRA began organizing squash tournaments in North America and helped boost the popularity of squash. In 1920, USSRA set the standard for squash court to 32 feet and 18 1/2 feet.

SQUASH AS A PROFESSIONAL SPORT

Because of the overwhelming support of squash enthusiasts, adding the different committees and many governing bodies’ represent squash has really gone a long way as a sport. Its players are no longer school boys but rather athletes that have trained hard and long to be a good squash player all over the world. A significant rise in the popularity of squash happened right after the World War 2. In January of 1967, many representatives from 7 countries (Australia, Egypt, Great Britain, South Africa, Pakistan, New Zealand and India) gathered in the city of London and established ISRF also known as International Squash Rackets Federation. In the year 1969, the countries Canada and the United State were added as members and joined the tournament held by ISRF. In 1980, the ISRF allowed professionals all over the world to participate in their tournaments. In 1980, the first of the world junior championships were hosted by Sweden. In 1985, however, the organizing body for women, Women’s International Squash Federation (WISF) was founded in the year 1976 and had previously sanctioned 4 world championships way back, was merged and joined the ISRF. By the year 1992, ISRF modified its name to what we call now as World Squash Federation.

It was in 1930 that the British Open was started and provided a venue to have professional squash players to compete and excel in the game of squash. In 1970, Jonah Barrington, a six-time British Open champion, organized a tour in Asia which eventually created the International Squash Players Association (ISPA). In 1973, this became the viable pro tour for squash professional players.

SQUASH TODAY

The major tournaments that a professional squash player usually joins include the British Open and the World Championships. The game of squash has really gone a long way from a simple ball tapping to becoming professional sports in the modern times. Nevertheless, there is still so much in store for squash as an event and while squash enthusiasts continue to strive hard and contribute to make squash a top sporting event, the future can only tell. So far squash is not yet an official Olympics event but probably in the near future it can already be included. The sport has already produced big names and accomplishments that are at par with other sports in the world. As they say “In not quite one hundred and forty years squash has started from a simple street game to the most exciting, exhausting and explosive game in the world.”