Squash
The equipments required in squash sport are rackets and a hollow rubber ball. It is played in a four-walled court. Traditionally the racquets were made of laminated timber with a small strung area using natural 'gut' strings. After mid 1980s, the rackets are made of composite materials or metals (graphite, kevlar, titanium, and/or boron) with synthetic strings.
| Arjuna Award | Dronacharya Award |
| Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award | Dhyan Chand Award |
| Padma Shri Award |
The recognised colours and 'speeds' are as given below:
* Double Yellow - Extra Super slow
* Yellow - Super slow
* Green or White - slow
* Red - Medium
* Blue - Fast
HISTORY OF SQUASH
* Formerly squash was known as "Squash rackets."
* The game originated in the 19th century at Harrow School, in London, England.
* It was a derivative of the game of Rackets.
* The first recorded construction of squash courts was at Harrow in the 1860s.
* Earlier courts of this sport were created at Harrow by sub-dividing a rackets court.
* USA became the first nation to form a dedicated association and codify its game in 1907.
SQUASH COURT
The 'International' size court was codified in the 1920s.
* 32 feet (9750 mm) long.
* 21 feet (6400 mm) wide.
* Front wall 'out' line 15 feet (4570 mm) above the floor.
* Back wall 7 feet (2130 mm) above the floor.
* Front wall 'service' line 6 feet (1830 mm) above the floor.
* Tin' (the equivalent of a net) 17 inches (430 mm) high surmounted by a 'board' a further 2 inches (50 mm) high.
SQUASH TIPS
* The basic strategy of the sport is to hit the ball straight up the side walls to the back corners referred to as a straight drive, wall, or "length."
* Attacking with soft or "short" shots to the front corners, also known as 'drop shots,' causes the opponent to cover more of the court and may result in an outright winner.
* 'Angle' shots are used for deception and again to cause the opponent to cover more of the court.
* A too much skilled players sometimes attempt to finish rallies by hitting the ball at an angle onto the front wall and into an area known as the 'nick' i.e. the junction between the side wall and floor, which if done properly will cause the ball to roll out along the floor and be unreturnable.
* The ability to change the direction of the ball at the last moment is also important to off-balance the opponent.
SQUASH CHAMPIONSHIPS
* World Open
* British Open Squash Championships
* World Doubles Squash Championships
* World Team Squash Championships
How to Play Squash - A Beginners Guide
A beginner's guide on playing squash, the tactics, the technique , the rules and how to play squash safely
* Squash is played between two individuals (singles) or two teams of two (doubles) on a Squash Court.
* One player serves to start a rally which proceeds until one player hits the ball out or down or fails to hit the ball before it has bounced twice.
* Squash can be played using a couple of scoring options, traditional (International) scoring and point a rally scoring (PARS).
* Squash Players having a social game can modify the rules to their own requirements.
Squash Doubles Rules can be found at this link.
More detail on how to play Squash can be found at Strokes and Movementand Squash Tactics.
Squash Safety and Fitness
* If your fitness is poor or you haven’t played Squash for some time, don’t overdo it.
* Remember, Squash is a fast game. If you have a rally which requires a lot of short sharp movement, it may take your body a moment or two before it realises that a lot of oxygen is needed for recovery.
* This can result in a sudden increase in heart rate.
* This is not a good thing for those who lack fitness.
* More about Squash Player Safety
Where it is played
Squash is played in an enclosed court which is a rectangular box with four vertical
walls of varying height.
How it is played
If the receiver wins a rally he/she wins the service and the opportunity to score. A match is usually the best of five games and the player who reaches nine points first with a margin of two wins the game. If both players are on 8 points,the receiver can choose to set the game to 9 or 10 points.
A game for life
Healthy and Saftey
Approved eyeguards are strongly recommended. In tournaments held under the auspices of Irish Squash, it is compulsory for juniour players to wear approved eyeguards.
How much does a game cost
You genarally book a court for 45 minutes and the cost will vary depending on the location of the squash courts i.e. whether it is in a hotel, private club, leisure complex etc. Costs usually range from as little as €1 for 45 mins to €10 for 45 minutes.
