Wee Wern Low Interviewed By Serious Squash

Last June for part of my holidays I went to Malaysia and watched the Penang Junior Open. One of the things that amazed me at this event was that Wee Wern Low was there helping out for the entire event. Unlike most 3 day tournaments here in North America, the Penang Junior Open runs for the whole week! It was really cool to see a top professional player spend an entire week helping to run a local junior event with hundreds of kids.

'I strongly believe that kids should play a variety of sports' 

Almost a year later I had an idea that if Wee Wern Low was so generous with her time to help out for an entire week at the Penang tournament maybe she would be willing to be interviewed by me. When she agreed I was excited and surprised, but after reading her responses and getting to know her better I see why I shouldn't have been. As you'll find out she is very loyal to her coach and it's refreshing to see someone pave their own way to success.

'The sport is so competitive and everyone wants to do well and the ones to beat are the Egyptians'

In the interview we talk about Penang, the rivalry between Malaysia and Egypt, young kids specializing in squash, college squash vs. professional squash, her new company and website plus her favourite drills and updates on the healthy of her knee. 

'I personally believe it is who you work with, not where you are that is vital. I came back and chose to work with Aaron again, at a very high risk that I may lose my funding for choosing to work with a local unknown coach. It was a risk we both took, and we both worked very hard to show everyone that it is possible, all we needed was a chance to do it'

It's easy to root for a good hearted, humble person that has overcome obstacles and is chasing their dreams. If you need any further reasons for jumping on the WWL bandwagon this interview should do the trick. She is playing in the qualifications at the HKFC International next week and by the sounds of it she is almost back to 100%. We can expect to see her climb back up the rankings shortly! Enjoy the interview.

           

Did you play any other sports as a kid?

I played many sports as a kid and even in school. I actually represented my school in athletics, table tennis, badminton and even floorball. I was very active and I love sports. But squash was the only sport I took lessons.

How old were you when you started playing and how did you get into squash?

I started squash at the age of 8, as a hobby/weekend activity. As a kid, I was pretty active and didn’t like to sit still so my mum gave me an option of picking up squash or tennis, I picked squash and never looked back since… It was then that my parents were divorced and she encouraged me to get into sports.

Do you think young kids should play multiple sports or be allowed to specialize in one sport such as squash?

I strongly believe that kids should play a variety of sports. It will help them develop many skills set and keep their interest alive. With that in mind, they will be able to pick out which sport is best for them and grow from there.


A question about the juniors coming up in Malaysia, do you believe their goals are mainly to follow in our footsteps and play professionally or get into an American university?

I think we have a mix of both here in Malaysia. There are some who are very passionate about the sport and trying to make it in the professional world and there are some who wants to use squash as a ticket to the US, which is not a bad thing. More players are leaving to the US recently and that gives hope to players who aren’t exactly at the top a very good incentive to keep training and get to renowned university instead.


How old were you when you decided you wanted to play professionally?

I completed my O Levels education back in 2007. Prior to that, I was already receiving calls and emails from top universities in the US inquiring if I would like to represent the University on scholarship. Nevertheless it was a hard decision to pick squash over a degree… I decided to take the plunge after winning the British Junior Open Under 19 at the age of 18. No Malaysian has won the Under 19 title since Nicol back in the 90’s and no one has won since I did. The British is the most prestigious junior tournament in the World and winning that meant that I was among the top players in the World at my age. It was the same year that I won my third Asian Junior Title, again a feat no one has achieved except Nicol.


What was your first international junior tournament, what did you learn and how did you do?

I think it was the Australian Tri Series at that point in time and I think I managed to win a couple of those. But I took my first beating at the British Juniors Under 11, losing to a much stronger Egyptian and I was a scrawny 11 year old. I have a long history at the British, making the semis or finals without fail since 12 but I never quite manage to win it until I was 18!


Do you have any tips for young girls dreaming of following in your footsteps?

Surround yourself with a good team because they are the people that will be by your side throughout your career. A good team does not necessarily mean a well-known coach with track record or so on, a good team consists of people that are willing to spend countless hours with you, make sacrifices alongside you to help you achieve your goals…but NEVER forget your team when you have made it, they have earned it just as much! This may sound cliché, but nothing comes easy, hard work does pay off.

What do you think of the PSA lowering the tin for the women's game? And has this changed how you practice and play in matches?

I think it is quite interesting to see how everyone is dealing with it in their own way and how they change their approach to the game. Unfortunately I have not played much on it as I have been out injured but I look forward to playing more on the lower tin.

You've had a tough setback with your knee injury. How are you feeling? And do you feel like you are ready to make a big push back up the rankings?

It has been nothing short of a challenge… This is by far the worst injury I have sustained, my first and hopefully last surgery ever! Its been tough, not being able to do what I love doing. I was on a wheelchair for days, followed by learning to move about on crutches, walking on my own to running and finally stepping back on court. It’s been a long process to say the least! I am still not 100% pain free but I am getting there. I just can’t wait to be able to play my best again. The first half of 2016 was for me to test my knee and keep fixing it because there will be complications along the way. I will make my big push in the second half of 2016.

When you play a match do you have a specific tactic for each opponent or do you focus on playing your game?

I would say a mix of both. Of course I will try and implement my game as much as possible because that is what I am good at but there are always exceptions to the rule depending who I am up against.

It's no secret that your goal is to be world #1. What quality do you posses that will allow you to achieve you goal?

I am a very consistent player and I never give up. Since breaking into the Top 10, I have not lost my ranking up until my injury. As for not giving up, I have played matches to the point of cramping on court, was even hospitalized once for full body cramp because I refuse to give up.


What is the strength of your game and what is your favourite shot?

I have a very strong basic game that I can always fall back on if nothing else works! Of course I am adding new elements to my game but that does not always work..yet! I am also a pretty good mover on court which enables me to cover most of the court quite well. My favorite shot would be backhand counter drop 

When I was in Penang last year for the Penang Junior Open it seemed like the Egyptians and Malaysians have a big rivalry at the junior level at the movement. Is this a new trend or was it like this when you were a kid?

This has been going on for me personally since I was 11! There are so many Egyptians and they are all good! But I think the rivalry has grown over the years… The sport is so competitive and everyone wants to do well and the ones to beat are the Egyptians.


Was it a difficult decision to stay in Penang to train for your professional career? And did you ever consider moving anywhere else?

I was actually based overseas when I was 18 for a year. Again, it comes back to the team I mentioned earlier. Many, actually most didn’t believe I could make it to the top 10 in the World if I didn’t leave Penang to work with a ‘better’ coach and sparring partners. Aaron Soyza has coached me since I was 12, groomed me to winning almost every junior title but still no one was willing to give him a chance to take me to the top 10 in the World and I was asked to leave the country to find a better base, so I did for a year. I personally believe it is who you work with, not where you are that is vital. I came back and chose to work with Aaron again, at a very high risk that I may lose my funding for choosing to work with a local unknown coach. It was a risk we both took, and we both worked very hard to show everyone that it is possible, all we needed was a chance to do it.


What is the funding like in Malaysia for professional squash players?

We are fortunate to have our government providing us with funding to compete overseas, taking care of our flights/hotels/food etc. It was Beng Hee, Nicol and Azlan who paved the way for the younger generation as they were the ones who excelled in the sport and made it one of the core sports in Malaysia.


Now that you are healthy, is there anything specifically that you're currently focusing on in your game

I have missed out on so much, I don’t really know where to start to be honest. Match fitness is key and that comes with playing tournaments, my reaction time, all the reflexes and split second decisions, reading the game… I have not used all those for a year now! It takes a bit more time but it is all coming back to me.


Who do you train with?

I train with Aaron Soyza every morning and in the evenings I will do drills, condition stuff with the other state and national players in Penang. We have a good group of juniors who train daily and we also have foreigners who is based here in Penang every now and then. Again, I am very fortunate to have Aaron working with me since I was 12…he goes to the gym with me, runs with me even up to today.


What is your favourite drill or condition game?

I like open drills and condition games because it is more match related rather than knowing exactly where the ball is going every time. For feeding with my coach, we tend to do straight drive or volley, and he can boast or cross at anytime and I have to be ready. Condition games, second bounce behind the line but anything on the volley option.


Besides visiting the Nicol David International Squash Centre and eating at the night markets what else is a must do for travellers visiting Penang?

It depends what the person’s interest are. We do have a nice heritage area with small cafes, street/mural paintings for those who like art. We also have a nightlife area for those who like that. But for me personally I like spending my time on the beach, having coffee with friends watching the sunset.


It was really warm in the Squash Centre when I visited. Is it challenging when you go to a tournament and play on colder courts? How do you adjust?

I normally go to tournaments at least 3 days prior to my first match to get used to the conditions but coming from Penang, playing in colder places are actually less taxing on the physical side. I think it is harder for those who train in the cold and having to play in the heat. Of course there will be some adjustments such as how high and how hard to hit the ball but that all can be adjusted in a number of days.


It was pretty scary being a taxi in Penang yet somehow I didn't witness a single accident! I have to ask. Do you own a scooter?

No I do not own a scooter and I don’t have a bike license either. I only have a driving license. My coach owns a scooter and he uses it pretty frequently because traffic can get quite heavy especially during the holiday season.


Do you have any idea what you want to do after your squash career?

Since I was out injured, I used that time to set up my own company and website www.weewernlow.com. It is a website that aims to solve a problem of disconnect between my fans and sponsors. On top of that I want to challenge and change the current sports endorsements legacy system. This website is for me to lead by example and educate sponsors of my value worth and why they should endorse me. The typical events appearance, face on billboards and print ads, always seem to be lacking because I could never justify to them my value. Now with this website I could show them why it is worth in endorsing me and mainly help them justify their ROI in me. Not to mention as I grow my fans, imagine the potential value I could create to my sponsors! And for my fans, a reward system that gives back to them for every share or post they make is something I could never do before. There’s also an extension of an online shop where my fans can purchase items/goods that I endorse at a special rate using the points they earn. This is a proven return on investment and a win-win situation between sponsors and fans. Eventually I will want to help other athletes secure endorsements under my very own management company.

Thanks so much to Wee Wern Low for agreeing to this interview and giving such insightful answers. She's an amazing role model for so many of us players, fans and coaches. From reading her responses you can truly feel the passion she has for squash and for becoming the very best she can be. It's also refreshing to hear her tell the story of choosing what was right for her and finding her own unique path for success. She gives a lot of credit to her team and it must be a pleasure to work with such a wonderful human being. Go Wee Wern Low!

Report From The 2016 Canadian Junior Nationals

I know it's been awhile since my last post, but I've been busy working with the kids leading up to Junior Nationals and doing some skill challenges. You can find them on my Youtube channel at cchsquashpro or on Instagram at serioussquash. Okay, so today I'm going to discuss the level of play I saw at the Canadian Junior Nationals this year. I did a recap last year you can find here: http://www.serioussquash.com/2015/04/2015-canadian-junior-nationals.html

The challenge with the Junior Nationals this year is the venue. The NSA in Toronto was scheduled to host the event, but has since closed their doors. So the Mayfair Parkway stepped up and did a good job with little time to prepare. Since the last time I was at the Parkway they have take down 2 or 3 courts and put in a mini basketball gym. So unfortunately this meant that this event now needed a 2nd facility which was closely at the Mayfair East club. The challenge with the East club was that there was often nobody at that club to organize anything and the courts were much different. At the East club the courts were panel and quite warm and bound. The kids had to adapt their tactics, be patient and fit if they were going to do well on these courts.

Back to the host club, the Parkway. For anyone that has been there knows the challenge of trying to coach on any court besides the 2 show courts. I brought 9 kids to nationals but only had 2 of the kids ever play on the show courts, so I watched a lot of the matches through a tiny 1 foot window at the backdoor of the courts. Less than ideal for watching, but the only other option was to go upstairs and then come down between games (which wasn't very close). So this was a challenge for us as coaches. Another problem with the viewing is that this means I didn't get to watch much of the other matches. But today I'm going to write about the bit that I did see.

 I watched many of the finals on Sunday. There was some contrast of styles between attacking players and retrievers. I felt that the caliber and depth was reasonably high for the boys and in the lower divisions for the girls. Watching the boys play it always amazes me how they can cover the court and hit with such a consistent high pace. There are some good athletes on the boys side. It's funny how players develop as either retrievers if they're fast or attacking players if they don't move quite as well; it's quite rare to be highly skilled in both areas. What I didn't see from most of these top boys was changing the pace and angles of their length. They all liked to hit the ball so low and hard and it just wasn't putting pressure because it wasn't tight or deep enough. A few of the boys had good shots and were very attacking, while some of the other ones showed an amazing amount of patience and just kept the ball in play trying to extend points and wait for mistakes.

There are definitely some kids that have loads of potential here in Canada, but are still quite unpolished when it comes to tactics, attacking and their mental game. There was still too many discussions between the refs for my liking. I just felt like the top boys in some of the top squash countries around the world would be more polished, more clinical with their attacking shots, more focused mentally and would be better able to adjust their tactics within a match. I feel like most of the top boys have the ability and desire, have good swings, are physically fit and hit with good pace, but there is a lot more to squash than this. I really believe that the mental game and advanced tactics are crucial for continuing to improve your game. We have some great coaches in Canada, but maybe it's the lack of competition the top boys are getting. It will be interesting to see how they do when they go to the worlds this summer. They will probably be underrated, but I do feel they have good potential yet still a long ways to go!

One bright spot for me was seeing how many great young 10 and 11 year old boys were playing. I still don't get why Squash Canada doesn't have an under 11 division. I bet some of the 11 and 12 year olds wish the younger kids had their own age group. The depth of talent at this age is way stronger than when I was that age, but it's the next few years that will shape their squash careers. Are they dreaming of becoming world champions or will those dreams be pushed aside by those closest to them and will they settle for making a strong varsity squash team? I think these young kids need to get some exposure internationally. When I was in Penang last year the size of the under 11 draws were huge and their skills were generally amazing for their size and experience. I feel like the Long Term Athlete Development program may work for keeping more kids in the game, but not for producing professional word class level players. I wonder if Canada will ever see another Jonathon Power?

On the girls side I was again quite impressed with most divisions. I feel like there was less depth in the under 19 than in previous years, but that is likely because some girls are away at university at 18 and can't make it back to compete. One of the girls from the school I coach at came 2nd (pictured above) and is probably mentally the toughest most focused junior player I've ever seen. She had been sick and not able to prepare properly, but still made the finals and for awhile I thought was going to win it!

The younger age groups showed great promise and the best depth I've ever seen for the girls game. Even some of the under 13 girls could really crack the ball, made good decisions and were quite accurate. Each age group up the girls began hitting the ball with more pace and they all seemed quite strong mentally. I felt like they handled adversity well and stayed pretty positive even when the pressure was on. There were many extremely tight semis and finals on the girls side. I just wish there was a step for them after juniors. That's really the biggest challenge. College squash works for some, but I don't see many of them going through that and then trying to compete professional. Maybe many of them are only focused on making it to a good college program.

I'm sure like there are some Canadian kids dreaming of pro squash, but much less than other countries. I imagine thousands of kids in Egypt wanting to grow up and be the next Ramy Ashour or Nour Elsherbini. I know Nicol David has had a huge impact on the growth of the game in Malaysia. So who do we look up to? It's still JP, but now the young kids don't know who he was and have never seen him play. We need a role model to help motivate our youth and give them hope that they too can achieve their dream if they work hard enough.

The challenge here is that I don't think it's possible for a top world player to make it in Canada. They won't get the competition or the funding. Canada isn't cheap and flights are expensive. How can they afford proper coaching? How can our top players get access to important resources like sport psychologists, personal trainers, physiotherapists, massage therapists, nutritionists and so on? If I was going to try and do it I would go to Europe and play in some of the pro leagues to get the matches and make a bit of money and get better competition. I also know a lot of people have been travelling down to Florida to work with David Palmer. Hopefully one day we can have something set up in Canada that will allow top world class players to be based here. That's what the NSA was supposed to be, but that didn't work. Until we make some changes and improve our high performance pathway I'm afraid that we will continue to perform at a mediocre level internationally.

2015 Penang Junior Open

I'm finally back and ready to write a bunch of new posts. I know it's been a long time since my last one. In fact while I was away Serious Squash surpassed 100,000 views! Cool, glad people are reading, even if they disagree with some of my remarks.

I was in Malaysia for the Penang Junior Open at the beginning of June and then took a 3 week vacation in Thailand. I figured my first post should be about my impression of the tournament and compare it to what I see back here in Canada. So let's get right into it..

Straight away I realized how difficult it would be for anyone from here to go to this event and do well. Not that we don't have some players here that are of a similar standard, but because of hot and humid the weather was and the courts were. I was sweating just walking around the city, even when sitting in the squash club. Yes, they had an air conditioner, but this thing (pictured below) did nothing to cool down the place. It must have been 30+ degrees in the club.

The hot weather and humidity made the ball super bouncy and it's certainly a major advantage for the kids from hot areas that are use to playing in these conditions. I talked to some people from Hong Kong and they said there court are kept extremely cold so although the climate is hot and humid, the playing conditions are not similar at all.

The other thing I noticed early was how difficult it would be for people from Canada to eat similar food that they do back home. Many people I know in Canada (some would include myself in this category) are quite picky eaters. Here the ingredients are clearly lined out. In Penang, not so much. There are also many people back here in Canada that are vegans, gluten free or have food allergies. If you are one of these people you will have great difficulty finding something to eat in Malaysia. I began my trip wondering what I could possibly eat, until I finally changed my mindset and just ate whatever they were selling. But again if you're body isn't use to digesting noodles for every meal you may not feel the same on the court.

And of course this doesn't mention the 30+ hours of travel it took me to reach Penang. I felt pretty jet legged; light headed and dizzy for a few days. It definitely made me appreciate how tough it must be being a professional athlete travelling the globe.















Alright, time to get to the squash side of things. The draws for all of the ages were much very big. The tournament ran over the course of 6 days! You can see from an example of the boys under 11 draw why a facility with 12 courts needed 6 days to finish their tournament.

I tried to watch all the top kids in each division. I felt that overall there were a couple of noticeable differences in style and ability. I thought that the kids at this event generally hit the ball much harder then the kids here do and the girls and a very deceptive attacking boast from the back of the court. I didn't see much volleying which the warm courts may have attributed to. But even with the bouncy ball I thought the top kids were extremely precise at finishing off loose balls at the front of the court. Basically I think that most of the kids I watched have just played more squash then our kids have. On top of that they get the benefit of more high quality opponents. Here in Canada we have some strong kids, but they live too far apart to benefit from one another. Even if 2 or 3 strong kids are at the same club or school, it's just not the same. In Penang there were lots of different styles of play and so many strong competitors.

So if there was one thing I would recommend for juniors here it would be to get some international exposure at a young age if possible. You need to get a consistent high level of competition to become the best you can be. As for the game itself, it's simply about repetition and hitting more balls. The more squash balls you hit the more grooved your swing becomes which means you will become more accurate and you will also learn to hit with more power.

Overall I thought my trip to Penang was an excellent learning experience. I filmed a bunch of games to show some of the kids I coach. It also gave me some ideas on preparing kids to play overseas. If I took a group to this event in the future I would crank the heat up in the courts while we practice here at home and use a bouncier ball. I would also have team dinners where we would eat something similar to what we expect to eat overseas. Generally I feel we baby and overprotect our children here (like animals in a zoo) and they would have great difficulty adapting to the wild. Still I think the more we do ahead of time to prepare our bodies for what's in store the better we'll perform. But I also believe that nothing will help prepare you better than experience. I don't expect many (or any) kids would do well in their first tournament overseas. For all of the reasons I've stated, plus you would likely have no ranking and a tough draw.

I remember when I was 12 I went to the British and Scottish Junior Open. At the time I was the defending national champion back here in Canada. But when I got there I was one of many great players. I wasn't prepared for having a tough match each and every round. Although I came 5th at the Scottish I didn't do well in the British. Since I'm on the topic of Malaysia I have to take this opportunity to mention that yes, when I was 12 I beat Iskandar in the cons finals! I still reminder trading shirts with him after. I gave him a Bellville Junior Open shirt while I got some cool Malaysian team shirt. Afterwards he went one way (to the top 10 in the world) and I went another. Makes me wonder how much of that has to do with ones environment.

The week after at the BJO I lost first round, won a few matches and then lost another. But when you normally win every tournament here (and you're a kid), you're not exactly pumped up to play the consolation matches. It's something all top young juniors should experience. How they handle it will help prepare them for future tournaments and is crucial for their long term success.

It's a big world out there. There are lots of strong juniors all over the world. Don't measure yourself on a small scale within your province or even your country. If you really want to be great you need to experience squash on a  global scale.

That's it for today, but I've made lots of notes and have plenty of ideas for future posts. Glad to be back and hope you enjoyed today's post!

If I Coached Nicol David Part 2

Today I'm going to talk about Nicol Davd yet again. In my last post I discussed what I would work on if I were coaching this current legend of our game. And for the record, I know this isn't going to happen! It's just fun to discuss. Nicol is only human after all and can still get better at her craft. 

My last post got me thinking further about all of the things that I would learn from Nicol if I did happen to coach her. I also started making a list of  many questions I would like to ash her. Without a doubt getting to work with a top player like Nicol would be extremely motivating and inspiring for a coach. Certainly she would be teaching the coach as much or more than we would in return. So here's a little list of what I would love to find out about Nicol.

Her training schedule: I think everyone wants to know the ingredients for the top players. What are they doing that allows them to become so great? How much of what is she doing and how has this changes throughout the years? How does Nicol stay fresh and hungry day in and day out?

Her mental training program and ability: without a doubt Nicol is one of the most mentally tough and consistent players. It seems like she never loses her focus and doesn't get involved with the ref. her psychological skill set is as good or better than any other area of her game. So how did she get to this point? Was it how she was brought up by her parents or coaching? How much time does she spend working on these areas of her game nowadays?

Solo hitting routine: anyone who watches Nicol in the knock up for one of her matches can tell that she has done a lot of solo hitting. She is so strong on the volley and hits such a clean ball. I think solo hitting is essential to becoming a great player. How much does Nicol do and what area does she focus on when she's doing this?

How has she been able to stay healthy: having a run like Nicol is at the top of the women's game is amazing. Not only because of her ability to stay so consistent with her form, but also because she's been able to stay healthy and on court. We all know the troubles that Ramy and many other top pros have dealt with. Does Nicol play through small nagging injuries or does she have an unbelievable physio and conditioning team to keep her on court and raking up ranking points?

What drives her: all top players have had long stretches of time where they were very motivated, but things change over time. It appears that Nicol has stayed hungry (and extremely hungry) and had an insatiable appetite for success. How has she dealt with low motivation? What keeps her working hard and wanting to be the best? Maybe if she writes a book when she retires we'll get to learn more about this side of her.

Her future goals and aspirations: what does someone want that had already done everything? If squash gets into the Olympics there's no doubt that would be her #1 goal, but what else does Nicol want to do on tour? And I'm also curious how much better she thinks she can get.

Her plans for post professional squash life: I'm sure Nicol will continue being involved with squash in some way after she retires. Does she know I'm what capacity yet? Does she already have some offers on the table? Maybe we'll all just have to wait until this day comes to find out. Hopefully it won't be anytime soon!

Her most memorable tournament and match: even someone as decorated as Nicol must have a favourite squash memory and a best performance. When did Nicole fee she played her most

complete match? What was her best victory? What is her favourite court? How much does Nicol feel her game fluctuates tournament to tournament?

What was your support like as a child: growing up a small girl there must be times when adults were trying to keep your dreams in check. What was her support like? Did people ever tell Nicol that she was too small? That she couldn't do what she's done?

When did she realize she could become a world champion: what age or at what poky did Nicol realize she could become world #1? Did she always believe this as she was growing up or is this something she only realized after she began getting some results? I'm sure she didn't get to where she is by accident!

Who is her favourite player to watch (past or current): who does Nicol learn from watching play? Or who did she grow up idolizing? I wonder if this person plays or played at all like Nicol does.

How has her game progressed since she was a junior: how did Nicol play as a junior compare to now. Mess she always so disciplined? Did she always win? Was she always so in control of her emotions?

Who is her favourite player to compete against: Nicol has a few good rivalries in the sport. Which player does she enjoy playing against the most? And which is the most challenging to play?

How does she keep balance in her life off the court: what does Nicol do outside of squats training and tournaments? Does she have any balance in her life? Does she play other sports? How much time off does she take to keep her fresh?

How long does it take for her to get over a loss: Nicol doesn't lose often, but when she does how long does it take for her to get over it? Does she dissect the matches she loses more than the others?

I'd also be curious about how many matches Nicol plays outside of completions? And does Nicol play men or strictly women since that's who she competes against? What are her favourite drills and condition games? What shot is she working on most these days?

As I mentioned above it would great if Nicol could just write a biography and answer a lot of these questions. She's such an asset to our sport that I hope she isn't going to give up her squash racquet for book writing for a long time to come.

To become the best in the world at anything requires a complete dedication. Certainly Nicol doesn't have some unbelievable genetic athletic quality to explain her success. It's more about her drive and what's between her ears. This is why Nicol is an excellent role model for all of us. If we really want something and commit to it fully we can do anything we want and be successful. There will always be tough times where we doubt our own ability or desire. I'm sure Nicol has had to deal with these challenges along the way. Yet somehow Nicol has managed to overcome the odds and become the most successful player of all time.

It's easy to tell that Nicol would be the ultimate athlete to coach. She always gives 100%, is extremely driven, mentally tough, and of course has all the skills to be able to do anything you

ask. Undoubtably her supporting cast is extremely important to her success, but I'm sure Nicol is in control of her daily training routine. It also appears that Nicol is humble and grateful which is a unique trait for someone that's had so much success; this is likely why Nicol David has so many fans all over the world. 

I think the biggest thing if you got to work with someone like Nicol David is that she would make you better at what you do. It's not often you get to work with an athlete who is as or even more driven than the coach! Besides all of the questions I'd have about her training it would be her daily routine and personality that would be the most fascinating. Just as I've learned from other top coaches, it's by being around them on a daily basis that you pick up little tidbits here and there that set them apart from the pack; I think there would be a lot of these moments in Nicol's camp. 

If I Coached Nicol David

Today I am going to discuss what I would work on if I coached Nicol David. It seems like a fitting topic since I'm heading to Malaysia soon. Obviously she is doing almost everything at the absolute highest quality, but even for one of the greatest players there are things that can be improved. I'm sure this is what keeps her motivated year after year. Many people want to find out just how good they can be? Not very many of us actually achieve our true potential. It takes not just many years of hard work, but a dedication to your craft for a major potion of your life.

I could go on and on about what Nicol David does so well. Her consistency, focus, mental toughness, work ethic, determination, her length and fitness are the major qualities that I really admire. Not to mention that she is a brilliant role model not just for young girls, but any squash player. She also appears to be extremely humble and has a great smile :-) It makes you wonder where her will and determination come from. David is proof that you can be small and succeed in squash. But this post is heading in a different direction. It's time to talk about how David can become an even better squash player.

David has been on the tour for a long time and is getting near the twilight of her career, but has yet to shows signs of slowing down. I believe that David can continue improving her game for years to come. When you get to an elite level as David has, what she can improve is much less obvious than any amateur, but after watching most of her matches at the recent British Open you could see some of her opponents were able to really work her around the court. I don't remember her opponents looking so comfortable against her a few years ago. I guess this is naturally what happens when you're on the top. Everyone has a team strategizing on how to take you down.

Although David is extremely fit and fast, she is still relatively small in stature. So when someone holds the ball or attacks well with a boast she has trouble covering. I thought Laura Massaro had a lot of success with her forehand attacking boast on David. I think David is well aware of this fact and is why she really concentrates on keeping her opponent behind her until she has a golden opening. If her opponents are stuck in the back they won't be hitting many winners from there. David has such great length on the glass court that this almost always works, but if her opponents equal her great length she's normally in trouble (yes, as we all are!). I think that David will never be easy to beat because she has such a solid base to her game. She makes very few mistakes and hits good width and length. But I do feel that she could be more aggressive and clinical on her volleys.

During the British Open I thought David let her opponents off the hook numerous occasions on the volley. There were plenty of times where her opponent was stuck behind her and she just hit it deep again. David appeared to be set up and in position to bring the ball in short. Of course if she goes short and the shot isn't high quality she puts herself in trouble as she again is not that big and many of the top women are deceptive when given time from the front. Obviously this isn't her style, but I'd like to see her play more aggressive on the volley. Not be afraid of making a couple of errors. This brings me to my next point.

Watching David play I feel that her opponents can read her very well. It's just a matter of wether David's shot execution is precise enough or not. If your opponent always knows where the ball is going you're looking at very long rallies. She does have a deceptive backhand trickle boast and I would like to see her work on one on the forehand side. I'd also like to see her try some more drives down the middle of the court. She hits such immaculate length that this is definitely something that would make her even tougher to play.

I think David could also improve her attacking boast. Some of the top women shape up and look like they are going to drive and then play a 2-wall boast. Some of these women have excellent delay on their swings. Since David has such great length and hits deep almost every time she's in the back if this shot was at all deceptive she would set herself up for a lot of easy points. But of course this leaves her exposed at the front and is a bit more risky than the style she normally plays.

The last area I think Nicol David could improve is her serve from the right service box. She does get the ball nice and high with her lob serve, but rarely hits the sidewall. If she hit the sidewall consistently on the 4-wall glad court this would set her up for a lot more quick points. Again, this may appear like a minor-adjustment, but I do think it would make a pretty significant impact to her game.

Nicole David is one of the greatest of all time. I almost feel unworthy to write an article about how she could improve. But I thought it would be a fascinating topic. I know one could ask, 'why fix what isn't broke?' And yes I get it and agree. But I believe this is how the greatest athletes think. Elite athletes are never satisfied with where they are and are constantly looking for ways to improve and add new dimensions to their craft. Nicol David isn't going to transform her game into an Egyptian stye. But if we look at Nick Matthew the past few years he has become much more attacking and clinical with his short game. As the competition get stronger I think you need to get them off court sooner so you can be fresher for the later rounds.

It would be interesting to know exactly what Nicol David thought of her own game at the moment and what she is currently working on. If she keeps on doing the same thing she should continue to do it slightly better and better. There is no doubt about her work ethic. But with everyone nipping at her heels I'm sure she is thinking of subtle adjustments she needs to continue to make so she can continue to stay at the top. As we saw at the British Open there are a number of women that are capable of beating Nicol on any given day. If feels like the tides are slowing changing. How much longer will David be able to be world #1? I think the one thing she has going for her is that there isn't another dominant person on tour. I think there are a few that are very strong, but the don't get the consistent results that David does. Until one of them do David should be safe at the top of the heap.

If I was coaching Nicol David it's safe to say that I would learn a lot more from her than she would from me.