Squash is an international racquet sport played off the front wall in an enclosed four-wall court. The ball is somewhat dead, allowing it to die in all 4 corners, requiring maximum movement by the players, and creating shot options not available in any other racquet sport.
As a result, squash is a fun and challenging contest of agility, strategy, talent, and mental and physical strength. It is an incredibly beneficial game for health and fitness. It has been voted the number one healthiest sport by Forbes Magazine. Along with its health benefits, squash can be played year-round by players of any skill level. There are over 3,500 squash courts in the United States and more than one million active players. In 2028, it will become an Olympic sport.
In the United States, the United States Squash Racquet Association (US Squash), ussquash.org, is the national organizing authority. The World Squash Federation (WSF), worldsquash.org, is the international organization coordinating all of the national squash sports authorities. Squash is played as Singles between two payers or as Doubles between two 2-person teams on a larger court. The court at YMCA South is a Singles court.
How is Squash Played?
Here’s a short video explaining the game which will help you follow the discussion below. www.youtube.com/watch?v=9V8vN1bw730 (Our apologies for the ad.)
In squash, each player has a racquet used to strike a hollow rubber ball against the front wall. The players take turns hitting the ball. They need to move around each other to retrieve the ball after it strikes the front wall and before it bounces on the floor twice. This continuous sequence of the players taking turns hitting the ball to the front wall is called a “rally.” The server, on winning a rally, scores a point and retains the service; the receiver, on winning a rally, scores a point and becomes the server.
One advantage of play off the front wall in an enclosed court is it is possible to practice by yourself. When a training partner is not available, a productive period with solo drills is still possible. A further advantage is you never have to chase the ball out of the court.