Just Play!

One of the great things about squash is that compared to other sports it really can be played your entire life, but for many of us it isn't. In squash you can be competitive and play tournaments at age, from under 11 to 75+. Since finishing juniors or varsity squash we tend to see most squash players disappear from the competitive squash scene. Some will continue to play the odd regular game with someone at their local club while others will turn to the more social and easier on the body game of hardball doubles. Once I got into coaching I also failed to play as much competitively for a variety of reasons. I think a lot of this stems from people moving on to the next stage of their lives and today's post is about trying to keep people in the sport after their junior and college careers and in doing so increasing participation in squash tournaments.

Team pic after winning an OUA title for Western Ontario from about 10 years ago (from all my years at university there were just 3 of us that played nationals this year)

When you're a kid you don't have many responsibilities. Even at university squash practices are all scheduled for you. There's also a lot of perceived expectations and self-imposed pressure that can take its toll on you over the years. When we finally finish competing as a junior or varsity athlete we have to set up everything on our own and clearly many of us do not make the time or have the desire to organize our own daily training schedule. Our focus turns to more adult like things such as careers and making money. Early adult life is for getting our career and our love life in order so we push aside our hobbies such as squash. It can also be quite a relief to let go of all that pressure you felt to win during your junior and college days.

Besides the challenges already discussed above there is another issue I believe keeps people out of competitive squash after juniors and university. As an individual sport we have all worked vey hard to get to a certain level and to play at our highest level requires daily practice both on and off the court. If we are unable to prepare to play at our best many of us just won't enjoy stepping on court and playing well below our potential; none of us want to lose to some junior we know we're better than. After all squash does require an extremely high amount of physical fitness to be successful at a high level which is very challenging to maintain when a weekly training schedule isn't planned out for you. Is this starting to sound familiar?

Long time rival and friend from juniors in the finals of the U.S. Open

From years of playing squash we have built up an ego about our skill level and who we believe to be better than or similar to. We like to preserve this level in our minds about what level we can play at with just a little bit of discipline and training. But even still at this years senior nationals (held in the squash capital of Canada, Toronto) the masters divisions of 30 and 35+ were very tiny. We don't have to worry about playing 2 matches in a day or losing to some kid because they're training every day and we're too busy living like adults. In the women's masters events they didn't even have entries in the lower age groups. It's kind of ironic that representatives of Participaction were on hand at the nationals when it's the one's who weren't in attendance that need that kick in the pants.

I know from growing up in Toronto and playing at university how many strong squash players there were and still are in the area, yet most didn't play in the nationals. Is it because they don't have the desire to play tournaments anymore or do they not think they're good or fit enough to enter? The age groups are much more about fun than the competitive open or junior events. I wonder why most didn't play when it's in their home town while I'm flying across the country to go compete.

I guess the main thing I take from all of this is that I wish more people would just get out and play and keep the squash spirit alive! It's easier to say than do, but if we don't worry about winning and losing and simply having fun and reconnect with old friends we battled against as juniors it could be a lot more fun than pain. If the nationals was held anywhere besides Toronto I'm sure the age group draws would have been even smaller.

I don't know what we can do to get more people to participate after juniors or varsity squash, but it would be great to keep more of these people stay in the game. Squash is a pretty small scale sport and it's a shame that so many skilled people who spent such a large portion of their youth playing squash stop competing and being a part of our sport. I know people begin to have families and get busy with their careers, but I know I would really miss squash if I just stopped playing and being around the game.

Do we need to find a way to make squash less competitive or less physically taxing for those that aren't playing much, but were once strong players? What if we played to 7 PAR or best of 3? Or simply guaranteeing just the 1 match per day? I'd actually really like to see the low tin used on all courts for amateurs so this could be a good step too. Or perhaps the best way to keep all of these people involved at tournaments is to provide lots of free beverage tickets ;)

Squash Canada and each province needs to find a way to keep all of these previous juniors involved in squash at any capacity. I know there is a big gap right now for people that want to go from juniors or varsity squash to the pro level. Maybe it's just up to each and every one of us to just sign up as long as we are relatively injury free. Nobody is ever completely healthy and fit when they get into their 30's and this is why they have age groups! I know it's too easy to listen to the reasons why you shouldn't, but remember life is about experiences and getting outside of your comfort zone. Hopefully this trend will change and we'll see more people getting back into the competitive side of the game. Remember that you don't need to be playing the best squash of your life to play in a tournament. There is more pressure to prepare for competitions when you're a kid, but this is only self-imposed when you're older. Sign up and play and don't take yourself so seriously. Let go of expectations and your ego and you may just find yourself enjoying the best game in the world with an old peer.

Play squash because it's fun and because you love it. If you're worried about the outcome you have to remember it's just for fun and exercise. Let's help keep the game strong with increasing participation which likely also will increase the tournaments beer sales too! Support your local club tournaments and play provincials or nationals whenever possible and especially if they're close to your hometown. This post doesn't just have to do with Canada or Nationals, but any club in the world. How many times have you made illegitimate excuses not to participate in a tournament because you didn't feel 100% prepared for it? Let's all try and say 'sign me up' a little bit more. Let's try and remember that the game is bigger than any single one of us.

I leave for vacation tomorrow so there will be a break from postings. I'm certain I'll come up with some new great topics to write about once I return so stay tuned for those. This summer I also plan on beginning to film the 2nd Serious Squash instructional film. Stay tuned for more details. If you haven't hear yet, the 1st film is a full length instructional video titled 'The Secrets Of Solo Hitting.' It contains 30 solo drills and tips to improve your game. The film can be streamed and downloaded at SeriousSquashShop.com/collections/coaching-videos and there is a no questions asked money back guarantee that comes with it. Here's a video preview of the film:

Improve Your Game By Making More Mistakes

Today I'm going to discuss why making errors are so important to improving. In a previous post I discussed a similar topic; I talked about 'Staying Positive After Errors.' If you're interested in reading it you can find the previous post here http://www.serioussquash.com/2014/12/staying-positive-after-errors.html. Today though I'm going to talk about why we have to make mistakes and how to view these on a more positive note.

We all get upset when we miss a shot, especially an easy shot, or even worse yet our favourite shot. This is all just percentages though. Nobody can execute a specific shot 100% of the time. Especially when you add in fatigue, shot selection and perhaps you're trying to hit it under a bit of pressure or your opponent is right on your heels. There are a lot of reasons why we can make an error. Sometimes we just slightly miss the shot. The ball changes temperature and most courts play slightly different depending on the number of people in the club and the weather outside. String tension also slightly changes over time and you aren't always 100% in the zone and focused. These are just a few examples of why we make errors. Of course the most obvious one I have yet to mention is that we are trying to execute a shot with a high degree of difficulty. If we are trying to play a crosscourt volley nick there is a smaller margin of error than a standard drive. There may also be that second voice in the back of your head almost catching you mid-strike, the coaching voice saying, 'who do you think you are? You're not Ramy?'

So whatever the reason is we make an error is not the issue we're talking about today. Today I want to talk about why we needs to make mistakes. I feel players begin to plateau in their game mostly because they become more consistent with their shot selection and execution. They don't beat themselves, but they also don't try do do new things when they play because they have had those poor shot selections and errors weeded out of their game. Of course you can do this and play at the highest level. There is no argument there. But I believe there is always more you can learn and improve in your game. If you limit yourself to say, never attacking from the back or always hitting a straight drive return of serve it doesn't mean your game will suffer. You will probably do extremely well because tactically these are excellent choices. But you are also probably limiting yourself by using the terms always or never.

If we continue making the same mistake over and over do we give up on the shot or is this just a sign that shot is extremely difficult? Like some ridiculously challenging skateboarding flip? If it's a trick a skateboarder can land every time there isn't really any new learning taking place; there is no new speeding up of the myelin connectors. Same goes for a basketball player. If they never practice shots they have trouble with they will never tend their range. We get to a point in squash where we can become very consistent and precise at our squash skill, but there is always something more we should be playing around with and experimenting with. Even if this is only in practice.

So as you can tell I like people making mistakes. Mistakes equals learning. As long as they aren't making mistakes because they lost their focus. I feel most coaches limit squash players into a style where they play not to loose and limit what they could do on a court.

Obviously the thing here is that making mistake after mistake can be very damaging to some peoples confidence. This is why only some people become creative squash players. They aren't afraid or trying new things and failing from time to time. These new shots or skills are like trying to solve complex puzzles. Maybe it's a puzzle that nobody has a solved yet, but that doesn't mean there isn't a possible solution.

If you want to become great you have to take great risks and never stop trying to improve your game. I hope this post has shed some light onto the importance of mistakes, even if we can't stand them. We need to make mistakes to expand our game otherwise we are limiting our potential. I've brought up this fact in a previous post; how many tins do you think Ramy has hit in his life? I bet it's a lot more than probably anyone else on tour. Just like young Mazen Hesham, he too has surely made un uncountable number of errors. He still plays like a junior and is beating top 10 players. I'm sure he'll find the right amount of discipline to compete and eventually make his way to the top of the ranks. I'm not so sure the same would have happened without him hitting millions of tins along the way! You can tell the top players don't like playing him because he doesn't allow them to play in a rhythm.

That's it for today. Hope you can see the bright side of your errors. If you aren't happy with giving away so many free points on a specific shot you just need to keep practicing it. It definitely won't get any better by shying away from it. So go ahead and make some more errors! If you can handle it mentally in the short term it will be good for your game in the long run.

What Top Players Can Learn From Amateurs & Hackers

Today I'm going to talk about what elite squash players can learn from the duffers and hackers. This may seem like an outrageous concept at first, but after coaching for a number of years there are a few key things that most hackers do better or at least more effectively than the top club or even professional players do.

Even the hacker with an ugly swing can teach good payers a thing or two. Of course the average amateur can learn much from top players, but this does go both ways. Here is a short list of what top players can learn from their lower ranked peers.

1. Hitting shots into unusual areas of the court can work at even the highest level if done at the right time. Amateurs likely don't hit these shots on purpose, but take note they can be extremely effective. I think all top players enjoy playing in a rhythm and knowing which shot will come next; it's just a matter if the quality is high or not. If you hit a variety of shots that keep your opponent out of or break up their rhythm it can be extremely effective. This is why the shot down the middle is now in the pro game. You can also try some of these rarely used, but highly effective shots: reverse boast, aussie boast, a trickle boast, a drop or hard low kill shot from the back. Even slight changes in your length and width can be effective. This could include hitting it looser, overhitting or under-hitting it or slowing the pace down. I believe there is a time and a place for any shot in the game; you just have to experiment with them all to figure out how and when each one will be most effective.

2. Many hackers aren't afraid to hit attacking shots and go for winners. This doesn't always have to be perfectly set up and can include attacking off a poor service.

3. Don't take squash too serious. This doesn't go for all amateurs or hackers, but in general the general population is more relaxed and enjoys playing squash. Top players have put pressure on themselves and built up an ego and in turn begin working instead of just playing the game. This is what makes it difficult to play a game for work. Having balance, perspective and focusing on personal improvement should be core values. So I believe that pros need to learn how to play they way they enjoy playing effectively. Don't think you need to completely overhaul your game and play like some other successful person. If you focus solely on immediate results you may end up playing just to win and not how you enjoy playing.

4. Many of us end up with limited mobility either due to age or injury and because of this 'some' of us learn how to avoid having to scramble. This may mean changing your tactics as listed above in # 1 & 2 aren't afraid to go for riskier shots because this how they have to play. They also have to go for less margin on their short shots as they can't cover the next shot as well. This does generally mean a lot more errors, but this isn't a deterrent as it shortens the rallies anyways. You'll see most pros will rarely force a shot, but it is this line that you need to tinker with to really improve your game; being too conservative and overly aggressive. Some people's game suit the more conservative approach, but I think the slightly overly aggressive approach is better for a person's long term development. You don't learn how to hit winners by hitting everything deep and a foot over the tin.

5. Amateurs will play weaker players. This again doesn't hold true for everyone, but I've found most open and pro players don't enjoy playing against perceived weaker opponents. Of course this still does happen with amateurs too. I find it extremely important in a person's development to be able to dictate a rally and control the game. If you only play stronger opponents you will be practicing your defensive and retrieving skills, but this leaves a major gap in your training. Of course winning and controlling rallies is also crucial for a players confidence. I feel that most professional players (at least that I've come across) have a bit of an ego about their level and don't enjoy playing a friendly challenge match against a weaker player. Of course if they are far weaker this doesn't apply.

I've noticed from doing lessons that some of the kids I coach get very good under pressure and handling tight shots, but then play someone their own level and really struggle against loose, under-hit and overhit shots. I've also noticed that some people are very comfortable being fed and their swing looks very smooth. But when that same person plays someone that hits unusual shots, like boasting a lot, hard low drives that land in front of the short line or go through the middle of the court the well grooved technique doesn't matter anymore. This is where people need to work their way through the hackers and play different style of players. Anticipation, quick reactions and good racquet preparation are all helpful for playing against an unorthodox player.  Really you just have to get out there and keep playing with them until you get it. You need to be on your toes and really focused and ready for anything. This can even go different serves. Some people have no trouble returning a good serve that hits the sidewall at shoulder level, but when hit right at them or low and hard they end of making poor shot selections or simply are unable to take their regular swing and pop out a loose shot.

I remember the feeling of being a top junior and being so frustrated about losing to hackers. I swore I was better and couldn't understand it. You can't skip this level. So don't get frustrated. You may even pick up a few tips from playing these hackers. In the end there are countless ways to win points, maybe you'll learn some new methods from playing them.

If you're one of those top players and you have been plateauing for some time now maybe it's time to take some notes from one of your club amateurs or the list above. The best players from all sports are always open to learning, regardless of the source...which means yes, even if they don't hold the racquet properly you may still be able to learn something from your weekly hacker; just don't try copying their technique! And finally, is a bad shot really bad, or is it how it's packaged; that it has not been played intentionally? So does this mean a bad shot played intentionally at the correct moment can be considered clever and indeed a good shot? I'd like to think so.

Focus On The Positive

Today I'm finally getting around to focusing on the positive. I think this is one of the areas that all of us can improve. This holds true for athletes, parents and coaches. All of us would benefit from being more positive and optimistic. As an athlete we normally vividly remember the bad mistake that we can't believe we made or the poor loss lingers on. I feel that most of us are too fixated on the areas we need to improve or a bad loss compared to the good things. If we focused more on our strengths and good performances we would be more confident, play better and enjoy competing more. We wouldn't worry about repeating a mistake or having a bad loss. It sounds so simple, doesn't it? Let's find out how we can change our thought patterns and become more positive.

For The Athlete
Positive Self-Talk: it starts with yourself. It doesn't matter what anybody else says or does if you are too hard on yourself. I like to ask people to pretend they are a coach. What would you say if you were coaching yourself? If you can take a step back and listen to the critical things you're saying about yourself no wonder you're not playing better. It's difficult to step back and not judge yourself while you're competing. If you make a mistake don't beat yourself up over it. You need to look at the positive about how well you set up the rally and that next time you will make that shot. This is a challenging perspective to have when you play, but it will positively influence your future performance by having this type of outlook and response. The more challenging of situation you are in the more important it is to stay positive. That's how I look at it. If things are looking bleak think like a champion and remain calm and confident. Always expect things are going to turn around and continue saying positive statements to yourself like 'I can do this,' or 'I will do this.' If I find myself losing confidence when I'm not on court I remember all of the hours I've dedicated to my craft. 'This is my destiny, I'm prepared, I'm ready for this, I can do this.'

Positive Body Language: watching juniors play you can normally tell how they are doing just by a quick glimpse at them. When things are going well we have our shoulders back, our head up and exude confidence. We are saying positive things in our head and we believe it because things are going well. However, when things aren't going well most of us slump our shoulders and you can tell by looking at our face we are not happy. In this mindset we are judging ourselves and living in the past. It is up to us to turn this around and become more positive. To turn things around I like to get up on my toes and bounce on them before the serve. Get your head up and shoulders back and repeat a positive statement to yourself. Take a deep breath and you are now refocused. The more challenging the situation the tougher this can be to do. This game is very mental and being confident and maintaining confident and positive body language will help you stay more upbeat. Some people feel they don't deserve to be positive and confident. They accept that they are not that good and that they actually enjoy this low self-esteem. This way they are prepared for failure and can handle it better mentally. This is not an effective method for becoming a top competitive squash player. What you think about yourself and choose to believe is up to you.

Focus On The Present: this is how we can get into the 'zone' and stay in it. That doesn't mean we can't interpret the past, we learn from it and move on and don't dwell or relish in it. If you spend your time thinking about the last point or game or about what may or may not happen you are not in the zone. We have a tendency here to remember the bad things that have happened and the potentially bad things that may happen in the future. If you can stay focused on the now you will play better squash.

Visualize: this is something many top players do before each match they play. The amount of time they spend varies from person to person, but the reasons for visualizing are similar. This is an effective method for getting into an ideal mindset for competing. Some people visualize a previous excellent performance while others visualize the upcoming match. They use their minds eye to see what they are about to do in the match and the more vivid the imagery the better. Imagery is a powerful tool and can help build your confidence. You can envision your strategy and building rallies and winning points. Visualize how fluidly you move around the court, how you are hitting perfect length and taking the ball in short with great precision. This isn't a skill that will always show benefits the first time you try it. Like any skill the more you do it the better you get at it and the more beneficial it will be to your performance. You don't need to be on the professional tour to begin using imagery.

Prepare: to be confident going into a match or a tournament we will feel more confident and positive if we have prepared properly. If we've done all that we can to prepare for a tournament there is nothing we should worry about. Even if we don't have the results we want, we did everything we could to get ready for it. This we can be proud of. If you want to feel more confident, train and prepare properly for your tournaments. If you were sick or coming off an injury you should still feel confident that you did all that you could to prepare. You may not be 100%, but you can give it your best shot and go in without any expectations. When we aren't playing our best or feeling our best how we think we are playing is not actually that far off from our normal performance. This means we are prone to poor body language, negative thoughts, and our focus drifts into the past or future. Don't use these as excuses. Stay positive and compete; that's within your control.

Have Fun: this sounds too simple to be true, but it is a common problem. When we don't enjoy playing squash it can feel like a chore and isn't fun anymore. When we feel relief to get a victory this is a sign that we didn't have fun. Can you really have fun playing in a big competition? I enjoy the feeling of being focused and the process of hitting good shots and retrieving their best shots. If you don't enjoy competing it's because you are focused on the wrong things. Squash is a game and odds are if you're reading this you aren't making a living based on a single result. We put pressure on ourselves to live up to our own or someone else expectations. This is debilitating and unnecessary. If you can stay more relaxed and enjoy the game you will play better and do better.

For The Coach/Parent
Encouragement: we all have a tendency to tell people what they can do better. That's why they pay us  coaches. I've learned how important and sometimes challenging it can be to give an athlete positive feedback. All I ever want from an athlete is that they go out and compete and give it their all. If they are overmatched on the court I can at least give them encouragement about their effort and try and be positive and encouraging. This is great experience for you. Keep fighting for every shot and point. Regardless of the situation it is essential to give positive feedback. I feel that I tell it like it is so if I give someone positive feedback they know that I mean it. Telling someone how poorly they executed something just makes it worse. They probably already know this and are focused on it.

Put A Positive Spin On Things: this is a skill that great coaches make look easy, but it is not always so. We don't want to say to an athlete don't do this or that. Instead we have to put a spin on it to make it more positive. For example, if someone is hitting too much tin you don't need to tell them to stop hitting it, they already know that! If they are going short at the right time you can reinforce that they have a great drop and when it's on to go for it. This is what they likely want and need to hear and will give them the best chance of turning things around and hitting higher quality drop shots. Athletes are often emotional after they lose a game or when they feel they are not playing well. Our job is to lift them up and get them back in a positive mindset. We can only do this by putting a positive spin on whatever we feedback we give. Even if our feedback has nothing to do with tactics or the game, we should try and get their mind in a better place for competition. Sometimes this means as a coach we need to avoid getting caught up in the emotion as well. We are invested in our athletes and can easily get swept up in the heat of the game. Sometimes talking about something other than the match can help the athlete refocus and lighten the mood.

Process Based Feedback: again we all have a tendency to praise someone for a win and saying tough luck when they lose. Even though the person may have played better squash in the loss.. to me this doesn't make sense. The outcome is only moderately under our control. Nobody can will all of the time. Give your feedback based on the process of the match. How did the individual conduct themselves in challenging situations? This is what I commend people for, win or lose. Of course I want people to be successful, but sometimes winning does not define success. This is important to remember for kids as they grow and develop. Otherwise they will learn to feel bad and unhappy when they lose a match and that can lead to avoiding competition or making up excuses so they feel better about themselves after they lose. How kids handle the outcome is a learned response. For the longevity and development of their sporting career it's important to focus on the process of the game as opposed to the outcome. I believe that even professional athletes would play better and in turn would be more successful if they could do this. If winning is the goal, how do you not focus on the outcome? Focus on how you are going to give yourself the best change to be successful, the process and you'll improve your chances of winning.

The last thing I want to discuss is the use of video. When we watch video of ourselves play we always want to pick up things we can improve and watch for errors in performance. I believe we should all have clips of our best rallies and make a montage of us at our best. We can watch this before matches or just a replay of one of our best performances. This will improve the vividness of your imagery and improve your self-confidence. It's up to you to believe in yourself. Find a routine that works for you and stick with it. This is why almost every professional athlete prepares the same for game. They eat, drink, warmup and visualize all the same. It isn't necessarily a superstition per say, it's about getting into the same mindset on a consistent basis to perform at their best. We are all capable of this. It just takes time to find what works best for you. Positive self-talk and body language are good places to start. Your brain can be your greatest ally or enemy, it's up to you!