All About Squash, by Nate Johnson
December 12, 2012 - 6:48pm
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“Who knew squash was so great?” said Poly alumna Nicole Vanchieri ’09 when she made a visit to her old high school’s squash courts to watch a match.
This kind of a revelation is not uncommon when it comes to squash. There just seems to be something intrinsically appealing about the electrifying slap of the little rubber ball against the front, side, or back wall, the balletic grace with which squash players of the highest level move around the court, and the intensely personal conversations that appear to occur in between games after the players have emerged from their glass cages, purple with exertion.
Tim Lasusa ’12, now a co-captain of Poly’s Varsity Squash team, said that the minute he was introduced to the sport he fell in love with it. Tim first played as a four-year-old when his father, Peter Lasusa, Jr., Board Chair of U.S. Squash, decided to show him the sport. Ever since, Tim’s passion for squash has grown steadily.
Lasusa '12 likes squash because of its natural appeal, as exhibited by Vanchieri, but also because of the opportunities it has provided him. Lasusa '12 says, “Squash has taken me all over the world and I have met so many great people because of it.”
Traveling abroad and making new friends in the squash world are not the only opportunities presented by playing squash. For example, squash can play a role when it comes to college applications. Because of the small number of players in the world, it is very possible to be recruited by any number of schools that have squash programs. However, despite colleges’ attraction towards squash players, Peter Lasusa stresses, “What we want is for kids to love squash, first and foremost.” This is not a problem for most players, who are eager to participate in local tournaments in addition to school play because they love the sport so much.
No two squash players like the sport for the same reason. Another co-captain of the Boys’ Varsity team, Ben Rosenblum '12, says his favorite part about squash is the camaraderie that develops amongst members of a team. Rosenblum says, “The team trains together and plays together, developing the strong bond between teammates that characterizes Poly’s athletics.”
How Do You Play Squash?
Squash is the culmination of many different recreational games, stemming primarily from tennis. To play squash, one needs: a racquet, a small rubber ball, protective eyewear, and non-marking squash shoes.
Like tennis, it is a racquet sport played between two opponents or sometimes four. However, there are no nets. Rather, it is played in a court made of four walls, one of which is glass, allowing spectators to see the action. The players whack the ball using any number of different shots, against all the walls. Each match consists of up to five games. The winner is the first player to reach 11 points, winning by two.
Interesting Squash Facts
With all of its intense movement, lunging in particular, squash is considered to be a constant sprint rather than a slow burn. The sport is one of strategy, mind games, pain, and suffering. And vomit. In fact, if you vomit on the court, you are automatically defaulted. Also, if you bleed on the court twice, you are defaulted.
Lasusa '12 attests to squash’s unmerciful system of rules when he says, “It is A LOT harder than it looks.” However, Meredith Quick, Coach of the Poly Girls’ Varsity Squash Team and currently a professional doubles player, sites this as her own favorite part about the sport. She says, “Competing in squash has helped me to push past my comfort level and become stronger in many ways.”
Squash Strategy
In a game as grueling as squash, fitness plays an all-important role. Varsity Boys’ Coach Ben Oliner, who was new to Poly last year, believes fitness can win matches. One of his goals is to make the team the most fit in the league.
Skill and shot-making matter, too. When it comes to making shots in squash, there are an array of choices. You may chose to go with the finessed, delicate drop shot, forcing your opponent to lunge to the front of the court, taking them out of position. Or, you may be the one going to the front of the court in which case you should attempt the looping lob, which allows you more time to return to the crucial “T” (the center of the court) and prepare yourself for your opponent’s next shot. There is also the rail, a shot in which the ball hugs one of the sidewalls and pushes your opponent to a back corner–giving you the advantage of a free frontcourt.
Poly Squash: Reaching For National Recognition
Poly’s squash program, headed by Coach Quick and Coach Oliner, is committed to gaining national recognition in the future, starting with (hopefully) a strong showing at the High School Squash Nationals next month. Coach Quick says, “We have a strong base of players within the school and we hope to recruit more talented players from around the city within the next few years.”
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