More on goggles!

I should have just put this photo of myself up last week as a warning to wear your goggles. Much more effective imagery and less grief:) Kinda dramatic eh? With the lighting and all?

I remember exactly when this happened. I was having a post-match pint at the Denman Fitness in August of 2004 (!) when I happened to see a couple of new players chasing a cold ball around the court. I thought I would go down and show them some drills so that they could make the most of their 45 minutes and I could pass on what had been taught to me. Suffice to say I neglected to take my goggles onto the court: "I'm only going to show them some drills." The drill was practicing drives and length so I was very surprised when one of the guys tried to impress me with his cross court and ended up with his racquet meeting my face. "I'll get the ice!", he screamed as he ran off court.

I probably should have gotten stitches that night but the Canucks were on TV and I hadn't finished my pint. I really didn't want to sit in Emerg for three hours. If I had gone to see a professional I would definitely not have had to pull out a sliver of bumper guard two weeks later. Yep. That grossed the wife out for sure:)

This is the logo I designed as a result of my brush with disaster and, yes, I forgive you C:)

Do I need to mention that it's trademarked? Didn't think so.

Who needs goggles anyway?

If you haven't been hit in the face with a ball YET then you probably think you're going to be fine. Wrong. It's only a matter of time and let me tell you, you'll change your mind about the minor irritation of wearing goggles when you're recovering from the major irritation of swelling and stitches.

There are so many styles of goggles these days that you really have no excuse for not wearing them. I know a guy who wears a Ken Dryden mask! Dood is safe in that thing:) And you've probable seen those groovy wraparound shields that put RoboCop to shame. Well, in the spirit of summer cross-training, I've looked into what other sports are using to protect their peeps and this is the winner!

Ain't nothing getting through this cage. Not the ball or the racquet and not your mama neither. They come in pretty colours too!

You should know that the fellow in the photo above (Hi Owen!) wasn't wearing his goggles! He did want to mention that his opponent was drunk. Oh.

Anyway, first one to leave a comment telling me the sport these cage goggles came from wins a prize. Yay! (*Ed note: Greg, you've won. Now send us an email so we can get you your prize:)

Next up: The physics of squash. Sweet.

We'll post soon.

It's the summer.

We're outside. Cut us some slack. Jeez.

Hey ref! What's the call?

By Guest Blogger Runa Reta!

Have you ever been in a group conversation and had no idea what they were talking about? Do you mitigate the chances of looking like a complete idiot by creating some “go-to” phrases that will get you out of a tough jam, like “oh, that is SO pedantic!” or (when speaking of philosophy or other such obscure fields) “well, that is an existential question that I dare not enter into”….If you are reading this right now as a squash player and shaking your head as if you’ve never done such a thing….you’re probably lying to yourself.

Here is the proof: if you have ever refereed a squash match, or assumed yourself to be a connoisseur of the sport, you have likely witnessed a player being hit by their opponent’s racquet while trying to strike the ball. When confusion arises as to what the call should be (ie. stroke, let, no let), it seems that the classic “go-to” phrase, the one that demonstrates a sophisticated knowledge of the game, is “was the player hit on the back-swing?” Everyone: the ref, the players, the spectators all turn to one another with this question. But does anyone REALLY know what this assessment means for the call? Or is this like that episode of Seinfeld where Kramer keeps insisting that the postal company will “write off” the mailing damages, without actually knowing what a write-off is?!

What’s the call if you are hit on the back-swing, versus being hit on the follow-through? Is there a difference?

According to the WSF rules, there isn’t. In fact, from what I can tell, there is really only one clause that addresses the problem of hitting an opponent with the racquet, which states that a stroke will be awarded if a player’s “reasonable swing” was impeded from making a “good return” (12.8.2) ….which certainly clears everything up! [Yes, insert sarcasm here] I think, in layman terms, this means that if you hit your opponent at any point of your “not showing off/imitation Jonathan Power” swing, while going for any shot, other than a dodgy reverse boast off the frame, (or some other return that only you find to be ingenious), a stroke will be awarded.

Putting aside the fact that the WSF squash rules are more porous than a US-Mexico border crossing, I think the more disconcerting issue is that we have been using the wrong terminology all along! Nowhere in the rules is there talk about “back-swings”, which could be the source of this continued confusion. It’s actually all about the “reasonable swing”! So the next time the referee is searching for the right call, we should all be turning confidently to one another with the new and improved “go-to” phrase: “reasonable swing?!?” We still won’t know what that means for the call, but at least we’ll be able to nod our heads and wink at each other, secure in the knowledge that we are all completely clueless and lost in this wonderful sport together.

The Squash BC Logo Poll: Results

The keypunch voting machine has been referenced, the ballot box has been emptied and the Chads are all clean: The official results of the Squash BC Logo Poll are in.

We go now to our own Squash Situation Room for the breakdown.
Forty-three (43) total votes were cast and you should know that we didn't vote. Not even twice. (Ed Note: We at the Squash Republic don't like the logo. Surprised?)

Of those 43 votes only seven "Loved" the existing logo. Hmmm. How many people are on Squash BC's executive? Six you say? (I keed. I keed with you.) On the other side of the spectrum, ten people "Hated" the logo. Ouch. That's almost a quarter of the votes!

Three voters didn't even know that Squash BC had a logo. (Or they're being sarcastic which we appreciate:)

The largest group of votes fell into the "Yawn, I guess it's okay" group: 53% of the voters or 23 votes. If I was running for office and the majority of polled voters said that I was "okay" I wouldn't call my Mom to report the results.

So what now? The Squash BC AGM is just around the corner - this Saturday as a matter of fact - and I wonder if our little poll will be mentioned. We know that the current and past presidents of Squash BC both know about it but will they listen to the people? I hope that they decide to canvass their membership* and look at updating their brand. If they do, we can help:)

Next week we hope to have some feedback from those in the know. We'll get back to you and maybe share with you the logo we submitted for their approval over two years ago. Peace.

(Ed. Note: Our poll was mentioned, and a link supplied to our blog for easy voting, in Squash BC's email newsletter to members.)

Next week: Guest blogger Runa Reta on "Racquet Interference."

The Squash Ball Warmer!

Squash toys you never knew you needed! Part 1: The Squash Ball Warmer

You're in tough: It's 8-6 and you're serving for the match against someone you've never beaten before. You know you shouldn't be thinking about it but you can almost taste the ranking points that are waiting for you in change room. You see yourself drying your mom's tears of joy and being toasted by admiring fans, don't you?

"Focus!" you whisper to yourself as you serve a beautiful lob serve - the kind you have been working on with your coach - and you watch as they return it straight into the tin. The match is yours!

But wait, they're pretty sure that the ball is broken and they tell the ref. The ref checks and, by gosh, it is broken! "Here's a new ball," the refs says as he throws down a frozen lump of rubber that you two are now expecting to warm up to "game heat". You try to stay focussed as you drive the ball to warm it up but you can feel it slipping away: The match was yours! You should be off the court bitching about having to ref so soon after a monster match while everyone congratulates you for winning. Finally the new ball is warm and you serve for the match again. You serve it out, don't you? Of course you do. And your opponent then goes on a tear, scores four straight and wins 10-8. ALL BECAUSE OF A BROKEN BALL!

Well, I'm here to tell you that those days are over amigo! Karakal has produced a dandy little appliance that solves all those nasty issues: A squash ball warmer. Nice.

What are you waiting for? The box promises it all!

• Your technique will improve!

• Diminish the risk of muscular injury!
• Keep your concentration on the match!

I quote from the back of the groovy package:
"With Hot Ball, (© 1996-1999 AETOS), your ball will bounce appropriately upon first hit. All your concentration is now at your disposal to execute your shots and no longer for warming up your ball!" - "With Hot Ball there is no need to hit like a brute to warm up the ball. You will thus reduce the heroic achievements needed to fight the cold and welcome the odour caused by excessive heat!"

(Ed. Note: I translated this from the French on the package and it's been a while since I spoke French:) I'm pretty sure it said that or something close:)

Next week: Logo Poll Results

Squash BC logo poll extended

We have been asked to extend the time limit on our most recent poll. The new deadline is May 15, 2008.

Please feel free to give your opinion on the Squash BC logo (pictured below) by voting in our poll on the right. Your responses will assist the association in their decision on whether or not to replace, or redo, their logo. Thanks for your input! We will publish the responses on Monday, May 19th.

How to be a Squash Ambassador

Last week the squash community of Vancouver was given the opportunity to watch an exhibition match between the world’s number one women’s player, Nicol David, and five-time world champion Sarah Fitz-Gerald. The match was competitive and highly entertaining, with Nicol winning 3-1*, but there was something else going on that night at Hollyburn and it had more to do with the promotion of the game of squash than it did with entertaining the masses. As I watched Sarah and Nicol do their post-game thankyou’s and their Q&A’s, it occurred to me that I was witnessing more than just two players at the pinnacle of their game, I was watching squash ambassadors in action. (* Ed note: Sarah won their next match, the following week in Victoria, 3-2.)

The dictionary defines the word “ambassador” as “a diplomatic official accredited to a foreign sovereign or government . . . to serve as the official representative or his or her own country”. What we had that night, in Nicol and Sarah, were two highly decorated officials representing the game of squash. As all true ambassadors they have a mission and theirs is to promote the game we love.

What the hizzy is a Squash Ambassador?
A Squash Ambassador is simply someone with a passion for the game who is consciously promoting the game in their own way. No, you don't get to wear a red fanny pack or cute red hat if you decide to become a squash ambassador:)

Why do we need them?
Squash is at the cusp of something big: It’s played by around 15 million enthusiasts on all five continents and has been seriously considered for inclusion in the Olympics. In fact, squash has just recently been shortlisted (again) for the 2016 Olympics. The problem is that the sport still needs to increase it’s profile on a global level (thanks Mr. Delierre for finding a way to film it properly) and on a local level too.

How can I become a Squash Ambassador?
I know what you’re thinking: “It’s easy to be an ambassador of the game when you’re a elite player travelling the world but I’m only a local club player.”

What can you do?

Here’s a simple checklist that I’ve come up with that could help you on the road to becoming a Squash Ambassador. It’s by no means exhaustive but it’s a start. Got more? Send us your comments.

1. Learn the rules. This may seem obvious but it’s the first the step to a strong foundation. Check with your local squash associations and take a refereeing clinic or actually read the complete rules not just the abbreviated ones.

2. Teach the rules. Now that you know the rules it’s important to share the information that you have collected. As you move up the ranks it’s easy to forget that you once played the whole game without knowing when to call a let. Educate your amigos.

3. Become a coach. I’m not suggesting that you need to become a full time coach but why not offer some of your insight to players that are ranked below you? Take an introductory coaching clinic and teach someone new to the game how to play! You're a coach if you help a friend between games - helping someone with their game plan makes you concentrate on the game more.

4. Take lessons. A good player never stops learning or trying to improve their game and a great secondary benefit of this is that you will be supporting your local pro. It might be a good ide to fit in some drill time, with a partner, between matches too.

5. Be a good sport. Oh, this one sounds preachy but it can’t be over emphasized. Whenever you step on court to play chances are that someone (other than your mom) is watching and taking note. They might be considering taking up the game and your behaviour could colour the way they view the game. If you respect your opponent, and your referee, the game can’t lose. (Told you it was preachy:)

6. Support the game. Opportunities like the Nicol/Fitz-Gerald exhibition don’t come around much and if you don’t support them they will become less and less frequent. Go and watch! (To be honest, I was a bit disappointed at the turnout. Vancouver, you can do better.) Enter tournaments and join your city league while you’re at it.

7. Stay informed. It’s up to you to stay on top of what’s going on in your community but the resources are there if you know where to look. In British Columbia:
www.squashbc.com > Our provincial association’s official website. Lots of info on upcoming clinics and a complete tournament schedule.
www.scrusquash.com > Vancouver’s original website for the squash fanatic and home of the best squashcentric t-shirts in the galaxy and a resource for info on local events. Check out their huge photo gallery too!

Next week: “Squash toys you never knew you needed.”