Any Squash anyone?

What does that mean?

As I make the move across to the “dark side” from my own game of Squash to the American Hardball Doubles game, life and the word ‘Squash’ now have new meaning!

To clarify…….
‘Squash’ as I know it, you call ‘Softball’.
‘Squash’ as you know it, I call 'Hardball' (whether it’s the Doubles or singles game).
‘Softball’ as I know it is a game likened to baseball but the ball is bigger and you ‘pitch’ under arm.

Chris Walker on the Singles Court (photo © 2004 Fritz Borchert)

So when somebody here in America asks me if I want to join in a game of ‘Squash’ I still find myself asking whether that would be Hardball or Softball! Well, from now on I am going to speak your language in this article. Ok!

Any Squash anyone?

Having played Softball singles all my life and a little Softball Doubles it was always going to be a challenge (especially as a Brit) to welcome and convert to the American Doubles game. “ But”, I thought, “in the twilight of one career, why couldn’t I prepare for another? The two games both have rackets, balls and walls. Surely it’s not that difficult to translate 30 years of Softball experience to the Hardball game! Just a couple of games would do it; and I’d only have to stand on the left wall of the court hitting forehands for the next 10 years!”

Softball Doubles - the 2002 Commonwealth Games (photo © 2004 Fritz Borchert)

I was excited about playing the game because it would give me a chance to continue to play at the top level of a professional sport and help wean myself away from the Softball circuit that I loved. Having said that, I didn’t really know what to expect.

Under the watchful eye of my current Doubles partner, David Kay (formerly of the Union Club, NYC), I made a commitment to learn the game and compete on the ISDA (International Squash Doubles) tour where suddenly I was one of the younger players on the circuit! In Softball the average age of a top player is probably about 27 (at the age of 36 I have been the oldest touring Softball pro for several years). The ISDA was definitely different…… I think the players’ average age is nearer 35!

That was 2 years ago, time enough to reflect on the two racket sports and have a considered opinion on both. In our first season Kay and I reached a team ranking of 4, so that proved my Softball experience was useful in enabling me to compete at the highest level. It was also encouraging for me - my career expectancy as a Softball player was already way past its sell by date!

The games are different.

Hardball Doubles in action (photo © 2004 SquashTalk archives)

The swing is shorter and quicker on a Doubles court because the ball is faster off the wall and through the air. With players like Damian Mudge around, pace is also a big way of winning points – you would rarely see a Softball pro being out-gunned by sheer power on the ball. Something that Mudge always has the capability of doing should you leave him with the opportunity.

A fun element in the Doubles game, which is not part of the Softball singles game, is the value and necessity of Teamwork. Building an understanding between you and your partner is crucial to any kind of success. The introduction of strategies such as focusing your attack on one of your opponents to expose a weakness, or forcing an error because of relentless pressure, adds an extra dimension. There is also an evolution of skills and understanding between Doubles’ partners that noticeably improve through regular matches.

It’s interesting also that winning shots, or potential winners, play a different role in each of the racket sports. In Doubles there are many opportunities during a match for someone to play an outright winner using the angles of the court and the speed of the ball. In Softball you have to move your opponent around the court and wait a lot longer for a dividend from playing great shots. This may come about because you have worked your opponent so hard that they cannot physically live at the pace of your game anymore. They are too tired to continue effectively because they have been patiently and relentlessly moved around the court until they just can’t anymore!
The instant gratification is there in the Doubles game but in Softball you get the pleasure of seeing more of your opponents leaving the court in a pool of sweat, blood and tears that have been brought about by the slow painful attritional side to the game. It’s definitely more sadistic! Jonah Barrington (ex-world Champion and British Open Champion) wrote a book called ‘Murder in the Squash court, the only way to win’…. And he isn’t far wrong!!

ANTICIPATION AS A FUNDAMENTAL
A fundamental mind set and key element in the Doubles game is to try to always anticipate what the opponents potential winning shot is going to be, and then sprint rapidly off the mark to go and cover it – if any other shot is played then usually one of the team is able to cover it. (With Softball more shots can be retrieved at the top level because the ball is so much slower and the court smaller). With the Doubles players covering one side of the court each a majority of the time, the most obvious difference in the two sports is highlighted – you don’t need to be as fit ‘endurance wise’ to play Doubles because on the Softball court you are on your own, there’s no partner to carry you for a point or two if you need to get your breath back. Having said that I would say that the explosive element (being quick off the mark) of Doubles is crucial to success at the top level and a bit of extra upper-body strength undoubtedly helps performance especially as a match progresses in to the second hour.

I try to translate my experience from Softball competition to the Doubles game ALL the time. The mental approach, the psychology of winning and the ‘head’ games on and around the Doubles court are pretty much the same.
Whatever way you look at it (whether it is Squash, Doubles, Singles, Hardball or Softball) the desire to compete, to pit our wits against another man, to play the perfect game, to execute the perfect shot and have the chance to ‘express ourselves through the game’ is the motivation. That’s what draws us all back to the little white room, wielding an adaptation of a caveman’s club to chase around and swing at a tiny piece of bouncing rubber for an hour or two!

Oh and one last thing that comes to mind….. a characteristic that does stick out as elementary to both racket sports is that ‘lobs’ buy time and get you back in to the rally! Never underestimate the value of a good lob!

Happy Squashing!