​Squash is a fun, exciting, and challenging game; with millions of players around the world. It was even ranked by Forbes Magazine as the world’s healthiest sport, and can be played year-round by players of any skill level. Take our quiz below to test your knowledge!
 
1. What is the oldest professional squash tournament, held each year since 1930?
 
a) Tournament of Champions
b) British Open
c) World Championships
d) World Tour Finals
 
2. What is the greatest number of World Squash Championship titles won by any player – achieved by legendary players Jansher Khan and Nicol David?
 
a) 10
b) 6
c) 9
d) 8
 
3. Where was the game of squash played for the first time?
 
a) Pennsylvania, USA
b) London, England
c) Paris, France
d) New York, USA
 
4. What are the standard dimensions of a squash court?
 
a) 9.75m long by 7.15m wide
b) 9.50m long by 6.50m wide
c) 10.00m long by 6.40m wide
d) 9.75m long by 6.40m wide
 
5. What are the two variations of squash?
 
a) Fastball and Slowball
b) Hardball and Softball
c) Highball and Lowball
d) There is only one variation of squash
 
6. What is the official warm-up time before the start of a professional squash match?
 
a) The time taken to warm the ball up
b) The players determine the warm-up time
c) 5 minutes
d) 4 minutes
 
7. How long is the interval between games in professional squash?
 
a) 2 minutes
b) 5 minutes
c) 90 seconds
d) 60 seconds
 
8. Which country has the greatest number of squash courts?
 
a) Egypt
b) England
c) USA
d) Australia
 
9. As of 2021, what is the most successful squash nation in Commonwealth Games history with 11 gold medals?
 
a) Australia
b) England
c) New Zealand
d) Malaysia
 
10. What is the current world record for the longest squash marathon achieved by Len Granger and Jamie Barnett in the UK in September 2015?
 
a) 55 hours 24 minutes 16 seconds
b) 26 hours 9 minutes 32 seconds
c) 32 hours 12 minutes 4 seconds
d) 38 hours 0 minutes 27 seconds
 
Answers: 1A 2D 3B 4D 5B 6D 7C 8B 9A 10D
 
For more fun facts about our great sport of squash check out our blog post here, and see our squash statistics infographic.

​The City Tattersalls Australian National Championships 2021 concluded on Sunday, with Australian Commonwealth Games representatives Tamika Hunt and Rex Hedrick taking out the national titles in the afternoon. The tournament was a great success with 150 entries, and it was a fantastic opportunity for players of all levels to compete and watch and learn from Australia’s leading squash players. Those that attended the Championship Dinner on Saturday night were also lucky enough to hear from squash greats and Australian National Coaches Jenny Duncalf and Stewart Boswell, and Michelle Martin.
 
It was great to see many of the East Coast Squash Academy’s members participating, and there were some promising results from junior and senior players placing in their respective grades!
 
Read all about the PSA event here, and to replay the action click here.
 
View full tournament results here.

With the upcoming Australian National Championships starting this week, those playing in the tournament will be wanting to prepare well and compete at their best. And one major factor influencing performance on the squash court is sleep. An article looking at the impact of sleep on athletic performance found 5 key areas in which sleep has the greatest influence on a player’s performance.

1. Injury rates increase with sleep deprivation and the accompanying fatigue. A study on sleep and immune function also found that reduced sleep was associated with increased susceptibility to illness.
2. Accuracy and speed notably decreases in athletes with poor sleep habits, whilst increased sleep significantly improves athletic performance.
3. Reaction times decrease with lack of sleep, with the effect of even low levels of fatigue in poorly rested athletes comparable to intoxication by alcohol – according to Harvard Medical School’s Division of Sleep Medicine.
4. Decision making and judgement skills are significantly impaired as a result of fatigue following sleep loss. Concentration, motivation, memory and learning are also reduced.
5. Playing careers of amateur and professional athletes can be shortened by consistent lack of sleep and fatigue. A study of Major League Baseball players found an almost linear relationship between fatigue and career longevity.

 
Sleep plays a huge role in athletic performance, and for those players looking to play at their best, consistently getting enough sleep (around 7-10 hours depending on the individual) is essential.  Though the importance of sleep cannot be understated, prioritising other factors such as physical and mental conditioning, appropriate nutrition and hydration, and good preparation e.g. using the right equipment, will all enable a player to give their best whether for training or competition. For squash players, and athletes in general, maintaining good sleep habits long term may give them the competitive advantage and be the crucial difference between winning and losing a match.

“At a very young age I learned how important sleep was. I really can’t say it enough. I don’t think people really pay enough attention to how important sleep is.” – Michael Phelps
 
Further reading linking sleep and athletic performance:

• Sleep & Elite Athletic Performance
• Effects of training and competition on the sleep of elite athletes: a systematic review and meta-analysis
• Sleep deprivation: how does it affect performance?
• The Importance of Sleep for the Student-Athlete​

​Sydney, Australia, June 8th 2021: - The East Coast Squash Academy is proud to have been nominated for a 2021 Best of Business Telstra Award in the Outstanding Growth category.
 
We have been hard at work growing the sport of squash exponentially regardless of COVID and against the downward trend that has plagued the sport in the last decade or so. We hope to be a beacon of hope for a sport with so many benefits that can help people’s mental and physical wellbeing as we compete in the Outstanding Growth category.
 
Wish us luck!

​About the Telstra Best of Business Awards:
 
The Telstra Best of Business Awards were created to give small to medium-sized businesses a platform to celebrate achievements and stories with their peers, and opportunities to learn from Australia's best business minds.
 
The reimagined Telstra Best of Business Awards honour the 28-year legacy of both the Telstra Business Awards and Telstra Business Women's Awards helping put Australia's best small and medium businesses where they deserve to be – in the spotlight.

​There are several different types of balls used in squash to ensure that players of all levels are able to maintain rallies and enjoy their time on court. Experienced players will be able to hit the ball often and hard enough to keep it warm and bouncy, but beginners will not yet have this ability so they should play with a ball that will bounce sufficiently without the need to warm it up.
 
A ball with more bounce, and hang time, allows more time to play the ball, and a bigger ball is easier to see. Players may also opt for a bouncier ball in cold weather conditions as the ball will not stay as warm and will bounce less.

​Dunlop squash balls are the most commonly used. There are four types of balls for adults and three for children. The different types of balls vary in size and bounce.
 
The double yellow dot Pro squash ball is the official ball of the WSF and PSA and is used in professional international competitions. The Pro has the least bounce out of the four types of balls and is most suited to professional, tournament, and experienced club players.
 
The single yellow dot is the Competition ball. The Competition ball is the same size as the Pro, but with 10% more bounce. This ball may be used by advanced players in training, or by beginner to club level players in gameplay.
 
Next is the red dot Progress ball which is 6% bigger than the Pro and bounces 20% more. And lastly there is the blue dot Intro ball which is 12% bigger than the Pro with 40% more bounce. Both the Progress and Intro balls are designed for recreational players or beginners looking to develop their technique and skills.

​The three types of Dunlop squash balls for younger players include the red Fun ball, the orange Play ball, and the green Compete ball.  The oversized Fun ball is designed for children from 5-7 years old; the medium-sized Play ball is for children from 7-10 years old; and the standard-sized Compete ball is for children 10 years and over. The longer hang time and higher bounce of these three balls is ideal for helping children to develop their skills.
 
Watch the video below for a good explanation on how to choose the correct type of squash ball and ensure you have the right equipment to have fun on court.

​Entries are now open for the City Tattersalls Australian National Championships 2021. The tournament is open to male and female players of all standards with PSA and graded (Premier, A, B, C, D) events, and will take place from the 17th to 20th June in the Sydney CBD and at Sydney University.
 
The entry cost for the tournament is $60, which includes a casual drinks function. A Championship Dinner will conclude the tournament. There is a $20,000 prize pool, with over $3000 of that in graded events. Entries close Monday 7 June.
 
For further information and entry click here, or contact George Deubler (0478 472 898,  deubleg@cba.com.au) or Jordan Till (0421 156 681, jtill@squash.org.au).

UTS Squash Club conducted a very successful Open Day earlier this week, resulting in 32 new sign-ups to the club. The inflatable squash court which was located in the UTS Student Learning Hub certainly attracted the attention of many students and staff, with 110 people giving squash a go on the blow-up squash court!
 
The East Coast Squash Academy is excited to have partnered with UTS to launch the UTS Squash Club. The club is open to all UTS students and staff, and welcomes players of all levels. Training squads are currently being run several times a week in the CBD.
 
For more information on training and membership click here or email: ​utssquashclubcbd@gmail.com

​We are pleased to announce that the CHSRA will be running the 69th Annual City Houses Competition, proudly sponsored by City Tattersalls. The competition commences in early May to September, and includes mixed and Ladies grades. It is a team event, so players are welcome to enter with a group of friends or as an individual and be assigned to a team. Players of all levels are welcome to join.
 
Details about the competition:

1. The mixed event commences on Monday 10th May.
2. The Ladies Competition begins on 13th May and runs on Thursday nights. 
3. There will be a grading/coaching night (for the Ladies Competition) on Thursday 6th May.
4. The entry cost for the competition is $135.
5. Included in the entry cost is the opening cocktail night (includes – rules explanations, introduction to the players etc.) and there will also be a presentation night at the end of the competition.
6. The commitment is at most 1 night per week from 5.30 to 8pm in the CBD.
7. 4 players from each team will play each week, with 6 players in a team in the case a reserve is needed.
8. The draw will be available the week before the competition starts.

 
Click below for further information and entry into the City Houses Competition:

• A Grade event
• Main draw (mixed)
• Ladies Competition

 
Please note the following concessions on entry into the Ladies Competition:

• If you are a Junior/University Student – entry cost is $70.
• If you are entering into the main draw (mixed) – entry into the Ladies Competition is free.

 
A coach from the East Coast Squash Academy will be present for the duration of the Ladies Competition; it’s a fantastic opportunity for female players of ALL levels to compete in a social and fun environment. Our team at the Academy is grateful that City Tattersalls has provided sponsorship to help grow female participation in squash. We are really pleased with how the Ladies competition has grown over the last 2 years and hope to see last year’s players return, along with some new faces!
 
If you have any questions, please contact George Deubler directly: deubleg@cba.com.au

We hope you enjoyed our post about a new squash racket for right-handed players. But in the spirit of April 1st it's all a bit too good to be true!

Thanks to Marc Dussault for the laugh.

The East Coast Squash Academy is offering free squash lessons to female players. The 4-week program starts on 12th April and will run every Monday to Friday at the Sydney University Sports and Aquatic Centre.

Week 1

• Monday 12/4, Thursday 15/4, Friday 16/4: 12.30pm to 2.30pm
• Tuesday 13/4, Wednesday 14/4: 10am to 12pm

Weeks 2-4

• Monday 19/4, 26/4, 3/5, Thursday 22/4, 29/4, 6/5, Friday 23/4, 30/4, 7/5: 12.30pm to 1.30pm
• Tuesday 20/4, 27/4, 4/5, Wednesday 21/4, 28/4, 5/5: 10.15am to 11.15am

 
The free program will introduce women to the sport of squash in a fun and supportive environment, developing skills and overall fitness. Classes will cater to all levels, with players of different standards on different courts. No experience is required and equipment will be provided.

​Limited spots available. Sign up today!
 
For further information please email ursula@eastcoastsquashacademy.com.au

A HUGE thank you to Sydney CBD Squash Club and City Houses Squash Racquets Association for sponsoring the Squash Girls Can program. A big thank you to Sydney University Sports and Aquatic Centre for supporting the East Coast Squash Academy with our program. Without all parties' support, this offer would not be possible. We thank you all for assisting us in growing women's squash in the Greater Sydney area.

A new squash racket has been designed specifically to improve performance in right-handed players! 

Read more about the ground-breaking new racket here. 

​If you’re looking for activities for your kids during the school term and trying to keep it within budget, the following link provides some fantastic offers that will help cover the cost for extracurricular activities.
 
https://www.kidspot.com.au/news/nsw-parents-can-claim-200-for-their-kids-extra-curricular-activities/news-story/07e29bf2e0850e369fc40934ecbdd18f
 
You can use the rebate for squash coaching for your child.
 
So hurry; don’t miss out on these rebates!

A squash revolution is happening in Sydney
 
The East Coast Squash Academy and Sydney University Sports & Fitness joined forces throughout December and January offering squash as part of the multi-sport program to over 250 juniors.

The Academy is determined to build the squash foundations in Australia once again, to ensure children are staying active and healthy and form a pathway from primary school right through to University clubs and representation. Along the way we are looking to identify those talented individuals who could be the next Australian representative at the commonwealth games.

The juniors who took part in the holiday camps were playing squash for the very first time and our objective is to ensure opportunities are created for them to continue playing.

During 2021 term time The Academy will be operating a number of junior training squads at Sydney University Aquatic centre and other venues across Sydney:

• SUSF Aquatic Centre: Mondays 4.30pm to 5.30pm
• SUSF Aquatic Centre: Saturdays 9am to 10am
• Other venues and times are available at Norths in Cammeray, CBD Squash club on Castlereagh Street, and North Manly Squash Club

Squash is rated as the healthiest sport in the world and we are starting a revolution to get as many children playing this wonderful game.

Our next holiday camp sessions will take place on the 12th, 13th and 14th of April from 1pm to 3pm at Sydney University Aquatic Centre.

​To enrol in these sessions please email ursula@eastcoastsquashacademy.com.au

For further information on all of our junior programs contact: mike@eastcoastsquashacademy.com.au

This is a great hack from Dr Marc Dussault to prevent your squash racket grip becoming slippery.

The East Coast Squash Academy’s Inaugural Squash tournament took place on 27th September at the North Manly Squash club at the Warringah Recreation Centre.
Balgowlah School Boys, currently part of The Academy junior squad programme, filled the draw and Head of English and keen squash enthusiast, Miss Jan, was onsite to encourage the boys and even challenge them to some games after the competition.
The timed round robin format ensured all the boys had plenty of matches and there were some extended and entertaining rallies on show.
The Academy’s new International coach, Mike Dickens, was pleased to see all the effort the boys have been putting into the training sessions is paying off, especially with the early start following the completion of their exams!!
Eventual winner was Jack Pilkinghome taking the trophy and the bragging rights amongst his friends, until next time!!
The Academy is rapidly growing its junior program and will continue to run the mini tournament series across the 5 locations, filtering our junior squad members into competition.  

The Junior Squads run on the following days during school term:

North Manly Squash Club:                        Monday 4.15pm to 5pm                 (5-9 years)
                                                                       Mondays 5pm to 6pm                    (10-18 years)
Norths Fitness Club in Cammeray:          Tuesdays 5.15pm to 6pm               (10 – 18 years)
Norths Fitness Club in Cammeray:          Thursday 4pm to 4.45pm               (5 -9 years)

For more information please contact mike@eastcoastsquashacademy.com.au
​
Stay tuned for a BIG Sponsorship announcement that is coming soon for the Academy….

The East Coast Squash Academy continues to further educate its coaches, to ensure during this ever changing landscape of regulated access and delivery, they are Covid certified and ultimately deliver a Covid Safe squash lesson/class. Our players’ safety is our major priority.
​
The Academy continues to follow all of the latest rules associated with squash play in New South Wales. As well as communicating with all of our venues on a regular basis to ensure club specific guidelines are met.

We often have scenarios in squash where we are slightly unsure as to when a player calls for a let what the correct decision is. There are many examples on the internet of decisions in the professional game (PSA) but very few at the amateur level where play is generally not as structured and accurate as the top professionals in the game.

In this video we can see a range of scenarios at an amateur level:

Decision 1: STROKE - There is no direct access to the ball and the striker has made no attempt to move away from the shot. The opponent would have comfortably made it to the ball and has the racket up ready to hit.

Decision 2: LET – The striker attempts to move out of the path of the ball and the ball is deeper into the back of the court. The opponent is impeded on his path to the ball.

Decision 3: STROKE – This is a dangerous situation, the striker has played the ball and moves to the right but is still very close to the path of the ball. The opponent should have stopped play and asked for a let and would be given a stroke. The opponent continues to play on and hits the other players racket, this is a stroke, but she is also given a warning for dangerous play.

Decision 4: STROKE – The striker plays the ball and moves into its path so the opponent has no direct site to the ball.

Decision 5: STROKE: - The striker makes a minor attempt to move away from the ball but directly in the line of the ball he hit at himself. The opponent is there ready to play a shot.

Decision 6: A WARNING: This is a warning for dangerous play as the player has no idea where his opponent is as he is facing backwards and attempts a very dangerous shot between his legs. CRAZY...

Scenario 7: The lady mid court should have asked for a let and not hit the backhand volley drop. She would have been given a stroke decision as her opponent was directly in front of her and should have access to hit to the front wall.

Scenario 8: Let + Warning: The player returning the serve did an air swing at the ball and then turned 180 degrees and played a dangerous shot with his backhand. In this scenario when you turn, stop and ask for a let. If you do continue play depending on the position of your opponent, you may be given a warning for dangerous play. If you hit the opponent with the ball after turning, it is a stroke to your opponent + warning.

Decision 9: WARNING – never ever throw your racket on court, it has feelings! You will also receive a warning for racket abuse.

Decision 10: NO LET. The player in yellow is in no way ready to play a shot, let alone a winning shot. It is an afterthought to ask for a let as the ball goes past him.

*Remember if you feel it is a dangerous situation stop and ask for a let, SAFETY COMES FIRST!
​

As restrictions lift many players are returning to sport after long term isolation and will have to manage a range of psychological and physical demands that have been lost during enforced lockdowns.

With Small Group Classes, Training Squads and Play to Win Feedback sessions back up and running with the East Coast Squash Academy, returning players will have to adapt to new guidelines and in some instances adapt to new environments to train in.
​
Lori Dithurbide (@DrLoriD) Assistant Professor in the School of Health and Human Performance at Dalhousie University, noted that there are 3 phases to returning to sport.
​
Below we have shown how these phases relate to squash.

Phase 1: Managing emotions

Players will have to manage their emotions from the excitement, in our instance, of getting back on the court and training with peers as well as controlling the anxiety of de-training and if they have fallen behind other players.

Handling the expectation of performance when returning, the player must understand it needs to be taken in simple steps and progression made over time.

Phase 2: Making sense of the situation

Assessing what level, the opponent is at physically and mentally as a player will return to sport at different levels than pre-isolation.

A number of players kept up with at-home exercises and conditioning completing their own exercises or participating in Squash in the Park sessions. These players will not be as far behind as the players that were not able to continue any exercise.

Players who spent time working on other aspects of their performance (e.g. strategy performance) through VSA sessions, will find themselves ahead of the game when they return, having a better awareness of what they’ll need to do or adjust when under pressure.  

Training should be gradual to avoid injury and overtraining, and both players and coaches must remain adaptable as they navigate changing restrictions and renew goals.
 
Phase 3: Mobilizing energy and efforts

It is clear that players will have a sense of “I am too far behind” or “how will I achieve my original goals”. Short term goals need to be reset and managed continually to build confidence in an ever changing environment.
 
We all know that physically time needs to be taken when returning to the court to reduce the chance of injury but it is also essential to remember the psychological aspects and fatigue may set in due to the change from normal training.
​
If this can be understood early and clear in the short-term goals achieved, this will maintain motivation, focus and reduce that chance of injury.

It is important to have the right kit in your squash bag. Many situations can occur prior, during or after a squash match that need attention, and a medical kit can undoubtedly come to the rescue.

For example, a player can graze a knee when stretching into a shot, and if this draws blood, the player must be able to deal with that situation and clean up the wound and stop the bleeding as quickly as possible (WSF Rule 14.4).

When playing several matches in a short space of time a player can get blisters on their toes, feet and ankles. To have some light pain relief and essential band-aids and bandages can be the difference between being able to continue or having to withdraw.
​
CHECKLIST: Medical Kit Contents

• Gauze pads
• Scissors
• Knuckle bandages
• Athletic tape (Strapping Tape)
• Voltaren tablets
• Paracetamol tablets
• Butterfly bandages
• Elastic wrap
• Band-Aids
• Fingertip bandages
• Hand sanitizer
• Tiger Balm
• Black Permanent Marker to colour in a bandage to stop blood appearing.                                         ​
• Knee Brace
• Cotton wool
• Sharpe Pin
• Antiseptic liquid
• Small Scissors
• Pumice stone
• Aloe Vera cream
• Anti-inflammatory cream - can reduce swelling quicker than tablets.
• Ice pack to reduce inflammation (it can be a small plastic pouch for local application and not too heavy for travel).
• Knee patella and/or tennis elbow strap (if this is a previous issue)

 

Being prepared for any situation will ensure you are calm and collected throughout practice matches, league games (pennant) and tournaments. Nobody wants to be that player that has to wear cold sweaty kit for a second match!

What should be in your bag:

4 racquets with the same grips, string and string tension (strings may break during matches, so it is best to have back-ups. Beginner - 2 racquets, Intermediate - 3 racquets, Advanced - 4 racquets.
A spare racquet with the same string and grip is essential as we have seen many times a player break their favourite racquet and have to borrow another players racquet that is totally different and quickly lose because of the frustration that the equipment isn’t the same.

• Squash Shoes (spare squash shoes that have been worn, brand new shoes will be stiff on first wear)
• A wrist band for each match (spare wrist band if the conditions are very warm)
• Head band for each match
• 2 towels
• 2 + Extra grips
• T-shirts for each match (plus a spare shirt for each match especially in hot conditions)
• Sport socks for each match (plus 3 spare pairs)
• Shorts for each match (plus 1 spare pair)
• 2 sets of string (some events have restringing on-site, but it is unusual you are able to get a restring done straight away)
• Skipping rope                                           (warm-up)
• Therma band for stretching                  (cooling down)
• Muscle mate/tennis ball /hockey ball  (recovery)
• Squash balls
• Drink bottle / Sports Drink (Powder) / Banana / Protein Energy Bar (during performance & recovery)
• Music / Headphones / A good book (mental performance)
• Rules Booklet
• Practice Etiquette Document - By East Coast Squash Academy 
• Toilet Bag
• Medical Kit – check out our next blog for the medical kit content.

 
Not only is it important to have spare kit but also essential to have plenty of drinks and food for fuel. Whilst waiting for matches it is an idea to keep your mind occupied with music, a book or puzzles.
 
Some kit examples can be seen below:
​

Competitive squash players have played in a match when there is uncertainty of when the ball was broken, was it the previous rally or was it during the serve of the new rally? So what is the right decision?

When a ball breaks, if either player identifies the issue after a rally then a let is granted, and the point is replayed. A player may stop mid-rally if they think the ball is broken; however, that players’ risks forfeiting the point if it is determined that the ball is not yet fully broken.

A ball is only considered broken if there is a hole fully through a section of the seam.

A further note: If a player returning serve appeals that a ball is broken before attempting to make the return of serve and it is determined the ball is broken, a let is allowed for the previous rally if the referee is uncertain when the ball broke.

If a player discovers the ball is broken upon returning to court after a break between games, the ball is replaced but the final point of the previous game is not replayed – the new game begins with no change in outcome of the previous game.

“WHATS THE CALL REF?”

It is essential in the game of squash to have the right equipment. Everyone is unique and we all certainly have different shaped feet, so it is crucial to have a squash shoe that suits you!
The more a player wears a worn out shoe for squash the higher the chance of injury due to a reduction in grip, stability and support. This will ultimately lead to unnecessary stress and pressure in your knees, hips, calf, around the foot (Achilles) and ankle. There are some clear signs of when to change your shoes and how to pick the right ones:

1. If you frequently slip or skid when lunging into the ball due to the rubber being worn.
2. Clear tares and rips to the upper material will reduce foot support.
3. Following a squash session your feet are regularly sore in the heel, the arch or the toes and you have regular blisters, this proves the shoe is not fit for purpose anymore.
4. The sole becomes visibly worn and you can’t see the rubber tram-lines of the grip.
5. If you leave your shoes out in the sun too long the sole & sides of the shoe will go shiny and no longer grip on court.  Scuffing them on concrete can bring back some grip but if this doesn’t work it’s time for a new pair of shoes.

Selecting the right shoe:
​
Squash shoes are specifically designed for Squash! The sole of the shoe is designed to grip the floor and built to support the foot and ankle in a different way to a standard running shoe.
It is important the shoe is the perfect fit, too tight and this will be painful as the foot swells during play, too big and the foot will move when lunging into the ball causing the player to be unbalanced. This will increase the chance of injury and give you blisters.
It must be very comfortable and light on your feet so you can feel the court under your foot whilst playing.
Here are some important considerations that you must ensure to follow when you aim to get the perfect squash shoe:

1. Do you have narrow feet, wide feet, flat feet? Make sure the shoe fits the shape of your foot. The shoe must not be too thick or heavy.
2. Always try on both shoes, walk around in them even do some lunges in them as they need to be right before purchasing.
3. It will need lateral reinforcement to ensure optimal stability.
4. Look at the materials as they should be absorbent as the foot sweats during play.
5. The sole of the shoe must be made of non-marking rubber to create a firm grip on the court.
6. Push down on the heel of the shoe and if it caves in you know it doesn’t have the heel support you are looking for.
7. Twist the show from the front and back and if there is no restriction and lots of range of movement this shoe doesn’t have the support you are looking for. 
8. Bend the shoe front to back and test the range in the movement, it shouldn’t be easy to do this with the shoe.
9. Regularity on changing your shoe is dependent on how often you play but if you follow the signs above you will know when to make that purchase.

 
Below you can see an example of a new squash shoe against an old worn shoe.

​Whenever you notice that the squash ball is skidding/sliding along the floor, this useful tip will take care of it quickly and easily.

Rub the ball along the side of your racket where you hit the least amount of balls.

Once you’ve removed all the shine, the ball will bounce like new within just 5-10 practice shots to warm it up and get rid of the excess dirt you’ve just scraped off.

#EasyPeasy

This is something players take for granted but when that time comes to put on a new squash grip, we are faced with several questions.

“What am I supposed to do when taking off the old grip?”
“Why is the old grip sticking to the handle?”
“How do I remove the little sticky bits stuck on the handle?”
“What do I do with the plastic on the new grip?”
“Do I pull the plastic off or keep it on when gripping the racquet?”
“Do I start at the top of the handle and work down?”
“How much do I overlap the grip?”
“Do I use all the grip no matter how long it is?”
“How do I finish the grip off?”
“Do I need any equipment other than the racquet and the grip to change the grip?”
“I am scared what if I make a mistake?”

Below is a video demonstrating an easy step by step guide to re-gripping your squash racquet and the equipment required. Watch, learn and give it a go!