Creativity vs. Discipline

I know it's been awhile since my last post, but it's been a busy time of year. I have a few interesting topics on the horizon, as I believe this one will be. I can't believe that today is my 200th post! I'm going to talk about the importance and challenges of both discipline and creativity in squash. In squash we have players that are very basic, but extremely effective. There are others that look as though they are creating poetry with their creativity and flare and are some of the most enjoyable people to watch. As a coach the challenge is knowing how much creativity to allow and foster in the development of an athlete. For some coaches it may be cut and dry, but I'm somewhere in the middle. You'll hear why shortly.

When it comes down to it, almost every player would perform better and will improve their chances of winning if they play disciplined and basic. Most kids like to play tricky shots, but are unable to play the basic and more effective shot, which makes their tricky shot even less effective! This is why that when I'm working with kids I like to ask them if they want to be Globetrotter or a professional NBA player? I don't know the stats, but I doubt there are many or any Globetrotters that would be able to make the NBA, but I'm certain they all would like to if they could. This is an analogy that I like to use because many kids like to play flashy and normally ineffective shots. But not the other side of this argument if we look at the NBA there are plenty of basketball players that are creative and do things that are beyond the basics of basketball. These moves were practiced more than likely on the street rather than in a team practice structure and have learned how to play them effectively at the highest level; so tricky and fancy shots can work. So how should you practice your squash game? Basic and disciplined or creative and fancy?

Although from the previous paragraph it may sound like the answer is quite simple, that discipline and hard work is the way to go, it isn't quite that straightforward to me. Both a basic disciplined player and a creative one can be equally effective and have a passion for squash. I believe the main issues with this have to do with individual differences. Although I feel that most kids likely need more discipline to become a top level competitive squash player. It takes a lot of time on court and repetition to be able to hit your targets consistently.

Also learned while working on your shot repetition and disciplined practice is the training of your concentration. Every squash player knows the importance yet challenge of maintaining their focus for the entirety of a match. I believe that players that have been well disciplined will be better able to maintain their focus during practices and matches. Being in the zone is something that any level of athlete can attain, but takes time to be able to learn how get into it quickly and stay in it for the duration of a match. Simply put, concentration and the zone are skills that have to be developed and I believe they are better learned through a disciplined practice structure.

So back to creativity. I think some kids are more engaged when they are allowed to be creative as they initiate more areas of the brain. If these same kids were forced to practice a basic repetitive drill it does not engage them as deeply and I find many will just go through the motions because they find this boring. Finding a balance of both is the key here. Nowadays with so many distractions and stimulation around us (video games, computers, tvs and cell phones) people crave constant stimuli. So I believe the key is to give the kids challenging goals/targets when they practice blocked drills to try and keep them engaged. At a certain skill level most kids will learn to enjoy the simple challenge of hitting 1 shot over and over again as they finely calibrate their swing. Also crucial is setting up practices which foster creativity. Even for the basic disciplined player, some extra thinking within a practice can help them practice out of their comfort zone; which can happen in competition.

As a coach I don't like to say 'don't do this or that.' I believe there is a time and place for any shot to be played. But I also realize that making the same mistakes over and over is Einstein's version of insanity! I like a balance of these two. Is the shot something that could become a weapon when it's executed better? Or is the shot just an extremely low percentage and the wrong play? It can be difficult to play creative and potentially risky shots in competition until they are very well rehearsed. Players like Jonathon Power and Ramy Ashour are some of the most iconic and exciting players to watch of all time; they were able to play creative squash, but also did the basics extremely well. What would have happened to Jonathon or Ramy if they had never been allowed to explore their creative sides of their squash game? I think player like Jonathon and Ramy had an understanding of the basics and also knew there was a part of squash that had not been explored before. If I had to guess I would say that they both liked creating a new style all their own as much as they did winning!

I think the best way for kids to explore new swings or shots is while they are solo hitting. This doesn't impact anyone else and will not upset the coach. Also, the athlete can attempt a certain shot as many times as they like trying to perfect it. Similar to a skateboarder trying to do a certain trick for the first time and failing over and over. Once the skateboarder gets it they spend hours, days, weeks, months or even years learning how to perfect it. It's one thing to be able to do something in practice and another to be able to do it in competition.

Squash is more than just serves, volleys, lengths, boasts and drops. Finding the balance of the basics and the creative ways you can make your own game unique is what makes squash so fun to play and to watch. If we all played the same and only played shot x from position y squash could get pretty boring! Even though shot x might be the right shot almost all of the time, knowing when to play shot z is what makes squash so dynamic and unpredictable. When I went to watch some international tournaments (Penang Junior Open and the Canadian Junior Open) I see a lot of similarities among the kids. Most of the top kids are fast and hit the ball hard, but I see very little variation of pace or deception and a general lack of volleying. I get that pace and speed are two of the biggest weapons in squash, but I'd still like to see more variety from different players. This makes me feel like most kids are being taught and trained the same way these days, but certainly this will only favour some players and not others.

I've always been one that's enjoyed finding alternative ways to do things. I also now understand that if your basics aren't top notch it won't matter how creative you can be because you will never have the time to express yourself. At least for people like me, I believe there is a balance between the two. As a coach it is our job to teach the fundamentals, but I believe it is also our job to give some slack and encourage our players to try new things while learning how to play the game. So are you practicing to become a squash Globetrotter or an NBA player?? Don't forget that a Globetrotter still has to be able to sink a free throw :)

Women's World Team Championships

Today I'm am going to discuss the Women's World Team Championships. I am very late getting around to this topic, especially seeing they are being held here in Canada! The are playing at White Oaks in Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ontario. I am heading to that club next week for the Canadian Junior Open, but that's another post. I have to say the glass court looks great and the club is steaming matches on 3 courts in total. You can tell they got a good deal of government funding to run the event.

You can watch the matches here http://www.sportscanada.tv/index.php/upcoming/444-2014-women-s-world-team-squash-championship or on SquashTV on HD here www.womensworldteams.com/squashtv. I'm unsure if SquashTV will be showing all of the matches, or just the semifinals and finals now.  SquashTV is trying a new 2.0 HD stream and it does look really good. It's also been fun listening to Jonathan Power commentate.

I've only been able to watch a few matches with the time difference and my work schedule. As usual, I have a few comments though. Why do they play the 3rd match in the knock out round? If a team wins the first 2 matches they are through, but they still play the best of 3 for the last one. I saw some of these scores and times and they were only about 10 minutes in length. What's the point? That's not helping the event or women's squash. They shouldn't have to play, or they can play their alternates if they want to get a match in for the audience. I really can't understand this one. I get it earlier in the box format where every match counts, but in the knock out rounds this match is meaningless and nobody is going to put in a great deal of effort because they have a match the next day.

My next comment is about having 3 players per team. Do 3 players really represent which country has the best squash talent? At the varsity level in the States the top 9 positions count. In Ontario it's the top 6.  In Toronto squash league it's 5 per team. I would love to see more people on each team. I think this would make the tournament a lot more interesting and would provide more validation for the top country for women's squash! Not just who has the top 2 players! I know this brings the cost up dramatically. Hopefully if squash gets in the Olympics all the countries will get more funding and we can improve events like this.

My next comment has to do with the well documented absence of India's top player, Dipika Pallikal. How could India's top female squash player not know that the Women's World Team Championships was being hosted at this time. I read a few articles documenting this. From what I read, Dipika was emailed and asked to respond by a certain date and didn't. And when the national coach followed up and told her that her funding was dependant on it she declined to play. Saying she didn't know about the event. I don't know exactly how it went down, but this is good Canada! As we beat India today mainly because of Dipika's absence. Thanks Dipika! I know there is no money on the line and there isn't much money to be made on the WSA tour, so who is really to blame here? All of the other top women are here. Is it because they need the funding? Most probably love this event I bet. It's not very often you get to represent your country. It's what most kids dream about. The good thing about squash is that we are a small sport and I don't expect our top players will ever all decide not to participate; like what often happens at the World Basketball Championships. After playing a long NBA season, not all of the players want to risk injury and do more travelling. They want to enjoy some time sleeping in their own bed; I can't blame them for that and the can certainly afford to take the time off!

While I'm on the topic of the WSA, what do you think about the merging PSA and WSA in 2015? Will this help professional squash? Will it make any difference? When I mentioned this to the kids I coach, some asked if they were combining the rankings and if they would have to play one another!! Who knows, maybe one day. But I do think that it will help with the calendar of events. Hopefully they will align more of their competitions. I think the men would like having the women around. They want to impress the women with their squash ability, the very few women that would be impressed by someone's squash game. I know it sounds silly. But I do think this would improve the vibe at events and the camaraderie between the players. I have only ever played 1 PSA event and watched a few others, so I know there are people that are much better qualified to give their opinion on this topic. I'd be interested to hear what the men and women think. Do they prefer the events where they have both, is it a bit distracting, or do they not care either way?

I don't know how else the PSA and WSA will change the professional tour. Time will tell. I'm assuming that this will ensure the women will have a world championships ever year now! And hopefully they will get more coverage on SquashTV. I know some previous events they've showed the women but didn't have any commenting. They just basically left the cameras rolling. I've also said before that some of the women are less experienced on the glass court so sometimes the matches are lopsided and the rallies are quite short. This will continue to improve with more exposure. I think most amateurs appreciate good squash, man or woman, it doesn't matter. We can all appreciate good shots, retrieving and a good taxi!

The merger could pave the way for more young female junior squash players. They need role models to look up to, someone to aspire to become. For a long time the men have had all the spotlight, which yes is the highest level of squash in the world, but we all want to see more women and in particular young girls play. This may be a step in this direction. I know things have changed already since Nicol David, but I haven't heard of any young girls watching WSA matches online, or having their idol's poster in their bedroom. It's much different for boys. We have Jonathan Power Harrow or Shabana Dunlop racquet, or a Palmer BK frame. We have posters or got an autograph at some point. I know I'd like the young girls I coach to have role models to look up to and aspire to be. The women's game is also slightly different tactically and watching the top women play will help them lean and then this means the future of the women's game will continue improving year after year. I feel that SquashTV has dramatically improved the quality of the men's game and I'm sure it will do the same for the women's.

Last point. Does anyone else find it strange that Squash Canada is introducing 3 of their men into the hall of fame at this event? Shouldn't this event be focused around women's squash? We've had some great female squash players and coaches. Maybe one of them could be inducted instead..just a thought. But maybe since the PSA and WSA are about to merge it's not too big of a deal.

Alright, that's enough. I hope you're enjoying the Women's World Team Championships! Go Canada Go!!

Conventional vs. Unconventional Squash

Fresh off of the World Championships I thought it would be fitting to discuss conventional vs. unconventional squash players. I have to warn you right off the bat that this is a lengthy post, maybe my longest of all time. I hope you enjoy nonetheless. I've spent a lot of time thinking about squash and have had a lot of healthy debates about the strategies and tactics for playing winning squash. I could write a bunch of posts on this single topic and I would love to hear people's opinions and talk it through with all of you, but we'll see where it goes. Since most people that have gotten instruction on how to play likely play structured and conventional squash, maybe this won't be as interesting to you as it is for me.

We've all had trouble moving up through the ladder, especially in the Men's C division in particular against a few hackers. The ones that spray the ball out, don't clear properly, are wild and hit it hard. For kids, these are the toughest opponents to beat. You feel as though you're such a better squash player, yet somehow you lose. Well this is just one example of an unorthodox or unconventional squash player. Clearly this type of opponent just lacks skill and ball control. Even thought they can be tricky to play against, today's post is not about how to beat a hacker or play like one!

As I talked about in a previous post, I used to play very attacking as a young kid and did it well. I put up a link to me playing when I was 11 and 12 at the junior nationals. Although I mentioned in that post that it would have been nice to have a bit of structure to my game and some coaching. Possibly I would have been more successful, but if I did have that extra coaching maybe I would have felt limited and wouldn't have enjoyed the game as much as I did as I was creative and would 'think outside of the box.' I always enjoyed the challenge of trying to prove people wrong, that I could attack from anywhere and still win. Can this style work at the highest level of the squash world? Let's find out.

As most of you could probably guess, Ramy is certainly an unconventional player. This just means he doesn't play like the other pros do. This is why Ramy is so fun to watch; he doesn't just hit length after length; he has a purpose behind all of his shots and is fearless going for a winner at any time. Ramy will play shots that most coaches consider low percentage to the rest of the planet, but to Ramy he has practiced these shots over and over and they have become high percentage for him. Ramy also gets away with this because he reads his opponent so well. Clearly Elshorbagy wore down during the finals as it is hard to replicate the type of movements, the twisting and turning and the stoping and starting you are forced to do when you play Ramy. I think Elshorbagy is the fittest and strongest player on the tour, but even he wore down. So clearly there is something to Ramy's unconventional brand of squash. Of course this doesn't mean this style suits everyone (or anyone?). Let's look into this in greater detail.

Conventional and unconventional can mean how someone swings, their grip, which foot they hit off or simply their shot selection. Today I'm going to talk mostly about shot selection, varying the pace, being unpredictable, using deception, anticipation and open vs. closed type of squash. Open squash to me means using angles while closed squash means trying to keep the ball straight and attacking off of your opponent's angles. Some people just play the game and don't pay much attention to it, but everyone has a style of play that they prefer. If you can dictate the style you will probably come out on top.

Let's look at Ramy, if any of the top players try and emulate Ramy's style they will inevitably lose the match..nobody can play his game better than him. The only hope of beating Ramy is to get him into more structured rallies and bore him and slowly wear him down and hope that he forces the play and makes mistakes. This happens so infrequently as he reads the court so well you would have to be pin point accurate on every shot. Although in the quarter Bojra Golan had a lot of success just counter dropping Ramy every time he went short. I didn't think Ramy was himself in those first few games though. I should also mention here that the one downside to Ramy's style is that even though the rallies are short they are hard on his body. They are using all 4 corners and he plays at a high intensity. So not only is his opponent doing a lot of tough movements and twists, but this also exposes Ramy to some of these physically punishing movements as well.

I should mention that I'm not encouraging everyone to go out and try to play like Ramy. Just that there is something to be learned from this thinking and style of squash. Playing to win instead of playing not to lose. When I'm working with kids I try and avoid using the term 'don't hit that shot.' Because I truly believe there is a time and place for every shot. If we coach by saying you should always hit shot x from position y, even if they do this well they will become predictable and are not thinking while they play.

If we look at other players like Nick Matthew or James Wilstrop, they play better when there is more rhythm to the rallies. They wait patiently for an opening or counter attack off their opponent. While Ramy can create his own angles to attack and he can also counter you dare open up the court against him. This is an example of open vs. closed squash. Some people play very well in straight games and length games and others prefer opening up the court to expose their opponents weaknesses and to apply pressure. Which type of squash do you play? Which style do you enjoy watching?

Conventional is more basic tactical decisions, not forcing anything when it's not on. When it is on they attack straight. Nothing spectacular, few unforced errors and they try and grind you down and beat you on their accuracy. Unconventional players can have all different types of styles. Basically they don't allow you to get into a rhythm, they play shots that go against the grain. For example, they may hit a lot of crosscourts, change the pace a lot, attack from the back, hold and delay their shots and so on. Some unconventional players hit the ball loose as well, some on purpose others not. This makes it uncomfortable trying to control the rallies and play volleys from areas that are normally practiced. This is what Elshorbagy did quite brilliant in the semifinal against Matthew. Matthew looked quite uncomfortable trying to control the ball and keep it tight.

I like to think of unconventional squash as creative and often unpredictable. When we watch someone win a point in an unimaginable way that we can only sit in awe because we know we would never think to play that shot yet alone execute it with such accuracy. We admire the zone they are in and the poetry in motion. Yet even the most attacking and unconventional players such as Ramy will play the smart/higher percentage tactical shots at times. Ramy has a great lob and can get out pressure like no other. If he tried to attack all of the time he wouldn't be as good. He knows when he can force it and when he needs to back off and wait for at least 1 more shot. I think Ramy exposes the lack of creativity we see at the front of the court from all of the top players.

Jonathan Power was so dangerous at the front when you gave him time. Shabana is as well, but isn't as quick to the ball these days. If Ramy doesn't hit a flat out winner, he isn't worried about leaving his opponent at the front as he constantly traps his opponent up there. You can imagine the type of pressure you must feel when you're at the front of the court with Ramy waiting to bounce right behind you reading you like a book. None of the players have enough variety and are not deceptive enough. This is why I chose to write my masters project on decision-making from the front of the court. There is a lot of room for improvement in this area of the game.

So how can you become more creative? Well I think the big thing is to play condition games and drills with options. When you practice repetitive drills over and over such as boast drive or rotating drives you may get more accurate, but there is no decision making involved. There is a place and time for these drills, but you will not become a creative, play an open style successfully if you routinely practice in this way. I like running condition games that allow people to try new shots or take away shots they regularly play. This is how people can add to their repertoire.

Conventional squash works up to the highest level and there is nothing wrong with it. It suits some people and if they tried to play attacking and open squash they would do poorly. The trait likely has a lot to do with how a player as coached, the players they watched and idolized when they were young. Even though I enjoy watching and playing open and attacking squash, I know there has to be a balance and the fundamentals come first. It doesn't matter how creative you are on the volley or at the front of the court if you're always under pressure. I also feel it's important to cater to the individual. I wouldn't try and make someone play outside of their comfort zone if they didn't enjoy it or want to.

As I wrote in a previous article about Egyptian Squash http://www.serioussquash.com/2014/09/why-egyptians-are-ruling-squash-court.html, this is why I think they dominating the squash world. This creative style of squash is an art form and encouraged in Egypt. They want to make shots that most coaches would never teach their athlete. Does that mean other nationalities can't play, coach and encourage unconventional, attacking and an open brand of squash? Of course not. It just goes against current coaching curriculum. Everyone just thinks, well Ramy is a unique one off example and exceptional. Yes this is true but that doesn't mean we shouldn't rethink our coaching strategies and the tactics we teach to our youth. Because Ramy has played so open squash he has had more opportunities to learn how to read players from the front of the court and has no fear of attacking short at any time. I don't feel that someone can completely change their style once they've become an accomplished player. If Nick tried to play like Ramy he wouldn't be successful; but really who would?

There are an unlimited number of ways to win a squash rally. If you're still unsure if you're a conventional or unconventional squash player, do you win most of yours the same way or do they vary greatly? Do you build rallies? Do you have structure? Most good players need and want this, but some that are daring to be different and not follow conventional methods have been very successful.

Ramy is an obvious selection, but there are some other Egyptians that play unconventional or at least play some unconventional shots and do it extremely we'll. To name a few: Mohamed El Shorbagy, Karim Abdel Gawad, Mohamed Abouleghar, Nour El Sherbini and Raneem El Welily. The thing is when someone like Abouleghar doesn't hit good enough length to put the top guys under pressure he cannot play his creative and free flowing squash. Players like Ramy, Raneem and Sherbini have the basics down so they create openings quite quickly and can move their opponent around the court. And who remembers Peter Marshall? Somehow with a 2-handed forehand and backhand he made it to #1 in the world! Peter is an even more extreme version of unconventional, but this is more about his technique than his shot selection. I also find it interesting that Marwin Elshorbagy plays a much more traditional style of squash than his brother. Will he get as good as his older brother? He did pretty well in juniors and he's still climbing the ranks. Time will tell. Even if does, who do you enjoy watching more? Who promotes our sport better? Who will attract new fans and hopefully help sell squash as an Olympic sport?

Last but not least..so you want to know if you can play a more attacking and an unpredictable type of squash? What do you need to be able to do? Well for starters you need to use trial and error when you play and stay positive regardless of how it goes. I actually made a chart to count how many shots I have from each position of the court under various amounts of pressure. This is easy to do. How many do you have? You may realize how you only use part of the court from certain areas. Some other keys to playing more attacking, open or unconventional is to be a good volleyer, vary your pace, have soft hands, be able to attack short and in various ways from anywhere on the court, have a quick and strong wrist, be deceptive and anticipate well.

The challenge with coaching juniors is how much time do you spend on working on the more creative types of shots and decision making versus the fundamentals? It takes a significant amount of time to become effective at either skill set. Personally, I like to work on more than just straight drives within a lesson. With kids I normally work on variations of swings, swing paths, varying the pace and height as well as spin. I think working on more variety of shots and swingpaths improves a persons touch and feel with their racquet. Of course you need to have a grooved and consistent swing for your drives. But if you focus just on your length you'll slowly improve this area of the game, but you won't be able to do much else with the ball. One day you'll probably come up against someone that exposes you're lack of attacking shots and creativity. I don't think I've ever lost to someone that I hit better length than, but I also have an effective attacking game and am dangerous on the volley and deceptive from the front of the court. If I wasn't, I probably wouldn't be able to make such a statement.

Odds are most people would benefit from a mixture of both styles. If you play pretty conventional and than just sparingly throw in a random shot you will probably catch your opponent flat footed. If you want to be the next Ramy Ashour you better solo hit every day, or even twice a day to change your racquet into a magicians wand and even more importantly you have to believe in yourself and the long term product. When I see someone try some of Ramy's shots they usually don't go over well, it has to be learned from the start and practiced over and over. We're lucky that we get to see people like Ramy play and succeed so we know that it's possible. Perhaps we can't teach someone to play like Ramy, but we can certainly encourage and foster someone that shows potential to play different or unusual brands of squash.

My last point here is that to do well at playing unconventional squash at a high level you have to make a lot of mistakes in both shot execution and decision making. Try to envision how you (or your pupil) wants to play as they develop and get older. As a coach we shouldn't tell them to play the way we want them to play. We can offer suggestions and our philosophies, but in the end it's up to them. If they want to play creatively and attacking squash don't get upset at them for forcing some shots and hitting a few unforced errors; this comes with the territory.

If you read this entire post I'm guessing you must be a hardcore squasher. Hope you enjoyed it! Feel free to share your thoughts on conventional vs. unconventional styles and just squash tactics in general.

Ramy's Back!

I know they're already into the round of 16 at the World Championships so I'm a little late getting around to it. I was away during the weekend and didn't have a chance to watch any of the games until last night. Of course I had to pick Ramy's 2nd round match against Adrian Grant. Ramy is the most exciting player in the game and it's glad to see him back on court. Is he 100% healthy? I don't know, but I sure hope so.

Ramy has been out for 6 months and before that he had to pull out of a few events because of his hamstring. They said last night that it had something to do with weak glutes. The way that Ramy plays is tough on the body, even though makes it look so effortless clearly it isn't. Ramy is never out of a rally and plays more back wall boast than anyone on tour. He reads his opponent so early and can run over top players very quickly. I think Ramy has the best finishing shots of all time. Even after missing 6 months of competitive play he hit a number of roll out straight volley drop nicks against Adrian. Nobody else plays this short with such precision. Ramy hits his drop just millimeters above the tin and hits his minuscule target consistently.

Will Ramy will the tournament? I don't think so (but I hope so!) just because I don't believe he's 100% fit and healthy. When he's healthy I would never bet against him. Sorry Shorbagy, I know you're technically #1 in the world, but not until you beat a healthy Ramy!

Even Ramy not at his best, I still give Ramy a shot just because of his incredible racquet skill. I would guess that Ramy has spent considerably more time solo hitting than any other pro on tour. His drops are inch perfect, his length is as good as anyones, he has great touch on his lob, he looks to volley everything, he has an unlimited number of shots he can play plus he has the most deception and pace from such a short backswing. It's almost like Ramy doesn't have a backswing on his forehand from the front corner. Ramy also has the mental game and confidence to go with his exceptional skill set. He can make an error at a crucial stage of the game and has no hesitation about going for a nick of the next serve..of course the difference with most other players is that he'll make the next shot.

What can we learn from watching Ramy? I think the biggest thing is the importance of learning to play attacking squash at an early age. I don't see many or any of the top players change their style of play once they are already established professionals. Nick Matthew as done this somewhat but is not nearly as attacking of a player as Ramy, but who is? Ramy didn't be able to hit all of these shots without making a bunch of mistakes. I'm sure it was trial and error and watching other top players that got him to where he is now. I don't know many kids that spend enough time solo hitting to develop the touch, accuracy and strength that Ramy has. He has such a quick wrist and sends top players the wrong way and guessing all of the time. The way he plays makes senses to me and I feel it's like watching a master at work.

We may think now that there will be no other Ramy, but someone will come around again at some point and change the game and dominate it. There is always room for improvement. Clearly one way to improve upon Ramy's game is by being physically healthy and taking the proper steps to ensure he is fit and his body holds up. I also like to think how would Ramy do against himself? What would his strategy be? Can someone do what he does better? Not at the moment, but at some point someone will.

I believe in having a vision for the athletes I work with. I try and have a clear image of who they will become and what type of squash will suit their body type, style and personality. So I wouldn't try and coach everyone to play like Ramy or most kids wouldn't have any success or rallies. But if someone showed exceptional hands, was creative and had the speed to cover attacking shots than this is a player I may begin to shape and shift into someone like Ramy. This type of strategy is almost easier to coach and play. It's a go strategy. You attack from the first point at every opening. You don't let mistakes shy you away and you accuracy will improve with time. As a coach we spend most of our time working on the fundamentals. Does this mean that Ramy has spent less time working on length than the rest of the top pros? Possibly, but his control is so pin point that he can hit his targets regardless of the shot. So instead of hitting drive after drive I would have them practice more volleys and drops where the accuracy has to be even more exact than a length.

I always believe that if someone wanted to play professional squash from a  young age should they not grow up and play on a 4 wall glass court with a lowered tin? Of course if they have the opportunity to do so. Wouldn't that be a bug advantage when they become a pro and play on these courts? Surely there would be some benefits to doing this. Even just getting a glass court once per week from a young age would be helpful for a future pro.

So where does the game go from here? What will the next top player be like? Will they be fitter, faster, stronger, more or less attacking? Will they be a lefty version of Ramy? I can't wait to find out. We have players like Jonathan Power and Ramy Ashour to thank for making the game so exciting. That's what I love about the game. Now let's hope that Ramy stays healthy now for a number of years. Ramy is the most entertaining player in the history of the game and when he's in a draw he makes every tournament more exciting. Let's go Ramy!!