The ABC's of Squash

By Kim Tunney, Squash Pro, Lake Forest Squash

Accuracy, Balance and Control, the ABC's of squash, should be the cornerstone of your developing squash game.

Accuracy means being able to place the ball exactly on court where you want to when you want to. Components of accuracy include playing error-free, applying the proper stroke technique to produce the shot needed at any given moment in a rally and selecting, then executing the correct shot.

It is better to hit with accuracy than with power. Concentrate first on improving your accuracy; then add power. For the beginning player, an inverse relationship exists between hitting the ball harder and shot accuracy. As you improve, this discrepancy becomes less. To compete both with precision and power is a lethal combination and allows you to effectively close down the court on your opponent.

Try this solo drill to see how much accuracy you hit with:

Mark a point on the front wall just below the cut line. Stand behind the short line and drive the ball to that point first softly and then with increasing power on the forehand side and on the backhand side. As you hit the ball softly you will need to move forward into the court and back down the length of the court as you hit the ball harder.

What happened to your accuracy? How many times were you able to hit the mark consecutively? Top-level players are able to hit that point consistently. Not doing so costs points.

Take a look at this opening point in the 2000 Tournament of Champions final match. After a series of backhand deep shots, Martin Heath, in the white shirt, hits a loose backhand into the middle. Jonathon Power maintains the T, holds the delivery of his shot, ups the pace and slams a cross court deep to the forehand side to win the point. Heath stands behind Power (allowing Power to conceal his shot preparation) with his weight on his heels. The combination of Power's tactics and his quick reaction to the mis-hit catches Heath off balance.

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Jonathon's backhand length is so tight that he forces Martin to hit the sidewall with his backhand reply causing his ball to land in the middle of the court. Jonathon capitalizes on Martin's accuracy error and executes the winning shot.

Balance, often overlooked as a component of good stroke production, is the ability to maintain equilibrium as you ready to strike the ball and recover to the "T" afterward.

Think of all the physical actions you need to complete, before the ball bounces twice, while maintaining your balance: Sight the ball. Calculate the distance required from you to the ball. Un-weight your body mass to move to the ball. Stride to the ball. Determine which foot, if either, will be forward. Calculate the optimum strike point of the ball required between your feet, knees and waist. Rotate your hips and/or shoulders to the sidewall. Drop your shoulder and turn it to the degree required to direct the shot. Move your racquet back with the racquet head above your wrist. Twist your wrist to allow your racquet face to be open or tilted to the necessary degree. Apply pressure to your grip to keep it firm. Decide if there is an opportunity to add deception, hold your opponent at the "T" or delay striking the ball. Transfer your weight and release all these movements with a follow-through that helps you recover to the "T".

Then, do it all again! Ultimately you'll want to link these motions as you shift your body mass efficiently and smoothly into and out of the stroke, to and from the "T" in a continuous, rhythmic, flowing motion.

Siting the ball is a critical factor in arriving to it in a balanced position. Your eyes continually stream balancing data to your central nervous system. Like 'Robo-Cop', this data allows you to lock onto the ball to hit the optimum shot. The challenge is to watch the ball with your eyes without bobbing your head as a still head aids in balance. Hunt the ball with your eyes and keep your head still.

Watch how Jonathon and Martin work to maintain their balance in this next rally. They make it look so easy. Their athleticism belies all the motor skills exerted as they move fluidly around the "T" until the final shot when Jonathon looses his balance and actually falls.

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Jonathon is anticipating that the ball, partially hidden by Martin's body, as he is in front of him, will come out to the left of Martin as a backhand length. Rewind the clip and watch Jonathon's eyes. He misreads Heath's winning shot, which finds him with his weight back on his heels. As he lunges forward to maintain equilibrium, he falls.

Although you may feel that good balance is an inherit trait, it can be improved. Work with a trainer at your club and have her suggest exercises to improve your balance. These exercises may include work with balance boards, wobble and rocker boards, balance mats or balance beam walking. Your trainer may also suggest plyometric exercises, agility work and speed training to round out your routine.

Simple outdoor exercises include walking or running on uneven terrain, curb walking, fence walking, dry stream running or rock hopping to improve lateral balance. General strength training improves aggregate muscle systems, which continually support good balance as well as aid in recovery from imbalance. So work to improve your strength and balance off-court to compete better on-court.

Control in squash permeates many aspects of the game. Physically, it means having the aerobic capacity and fitness required to maintain steady breathing throughout the course of a long rally to permit smooth movement from shot to shot. Our bodies function better when the requisite oxygen is efficiently delivered to our muscles.

Mentally, it defines our ability to center the mind and stay focused on the task at hand. A centered mind allows you to not become easily thrown by an unforced error or bad referee's call, contains your nerves and keeps fears of losing at bay. Stay positive, and like the little engine that could, if you think you can win, you will!

We also seek to control our opponent by playing our game and not theirs. Demeanor and attitude help determine how our opponent perceives us on court. Can you recall an opponent who had strong court presence and controlled the match?

Developing strong racquet skills is the final aspect of control. Having confidence that your shots will be there for you in a pressure situation improves your mental control. Focus on the ball and visualize the shot you want to produce. Practice pressure drills and the shot you visualize will be the one that you hit despite the rapid pace.

While viewing this final Heath vs. Power clip of an amazingly fast paced, sixty shot rally, notice the astonishing level of concentration each maintains. Both players focus on the ball. They also watch each other's shoulder movements, foot placements, racquet finish, (especially from the elbow down through the hand) and even the sound of the ball in hopes of correctly anticipating the next shot. About half way through the rally, Heath makes an incredible forehand volley save that stuns the crowd.

Click the triangle in the bottom left to start the movie.

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Control of the ball with strong racquet skills, and control of your mind and body, through concentration and physical fitness, should be ongoing goals. Developing good ball control begins with meaningful solo practice, quality drill sessions with a training partner and instruction with your club pro. Improving your fitness can be achieved in a variety of ways through off court exercises or on court ghosting drills and court sprints.

Becoming mentally tough happens by mastering the pressures of match play. So enter your local SRA league or sign up for tournaments. Don't be afraid to lose. In fact, lose more often to win sooner! Develop a routine between rallies that allows you to center your mind and refocus after a losing rally or bad call. Create a pre-match and post-match warm-up and cool down routine that works for you. Stay flexible. Don't be thrown if your opponent repeatedly bounces the ball or stops between points to tie her shoes. Be prepared. Some facilities don't offer towels, foodservice or any of the things you're accustom to at your home club. Bring what you need with you to ensure your success.

Certainly both Jonathon Power and Martin Heath have mastered the A, B, C's of squash! Will we ever be able to play like them? Well, at least we can have fun trying!

Rewind each rally and see what you can learn in addition to these ideas. Share your views with fellow players or your squash pro. Feel free to contact me at kstunney@yahoo.com with your thoughts. Enjoy your time on court and don't forget your ABC's!

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