Explaining the high-speed world of squash
Annelise Vintila
Contributor
What do you get when you cross tennis with a small, restricted room? An underrated sport called squash. “Rackets”, as it was initially named, began in 19th century England, when prison inmates decided to amuse themselves with minimal items. It was formally given the name “squash” in 1893 and was easily introduced to the North American territory. The first squash court was established in Québec City in the late 1890s. Today 400,000 Canadians are among the 15 million professional squash players worldwide. Some Canadian luminaries are Jonathan Power (ranked number one player in the world) and Heather Wallace, who won multiple gold medals at the 1995 Pan Am games.
With increasing obesity rates
in Canada, squash is a fun alternative to the everyday routine of hitting the gym. York has a lively intramural program, including a full-term Squash Ladder running from October 18, to February 18, 2012. Any York student can sign up and enjoy the benefits. As vp athletics of Winters College, Gabe Scardicchio can attest: “You can go with your friends, hit the ball and get a good workout. I highly recommend it because you meet new people and it is a nice balance between work and fun.”
It is a great opportunity to learn something new and meet different people from various backgrounds. So why don’t you try squash the next time you want a more exciting alternative?
The concept is simple: two
players are confined in a small room, 19-feet high, and have to outplay their opponent. The winner of the coin toss decides which side they would like to serve from. The ball has to hit the opposing wall inside regulation lines, and your partner needs to hit it in the same manner until either of you gets the point.
If your opponent’s ball bounces twice before they reach it, if it hits outside the boundaries, or there is an interference with your opponent’s play, you get a point. Each game goes up to 11 points, but a player can only achieve a point if they have served the ball. Each player then switches sides with every point that is won. Do not underestimate this game; the regulations state you need to wear protective glasses for safety.
The game takes curiosity to
start but skill to continue, as it can become very competitive. Charlie Wein, a second-year health management student at Stong College, and an avid squash player for three years, confesses: “Yeah, I started in grade 11 because my school had a field trip to a squash court and I got really into it. It’s addicting once you play it, you always try to find new ways to trick your opponent and every move is becomes strategic.”
Not only is squash good for your physical health, consistently working out all of your muscles, but it is also an amusing route to messing with your adversary.
Squash is a fun outlet for the player who wants more out of their sport. It has the workout of tennis with an added strategic element to satisfy your cravings.
