The mental game has always been one of the most interesting areas of sport for me. I've studied it at school and read a number of books on the subject, but understanding and teaching it are two entirely separate things. In this post we are going to look at some various sport psych areas that are critical to playing and competing at a high level and also getting the most of your practice sessions. Below are a variety of some diagrams from chats I've had with my kids this season so far about the importance of focus, refocusing and capitalizing on opportunities when your opponent has a lapse of focus. When someone loses their focus, especially a kid it can lead to easy points and often this quick run of points can be the turning point in a match. Let's take a closer look at each diagram.
This first photo is an analogy of a simple screw a carpenter would use. We discussed how if you are a threaded screw you are prone to becoming unscrewed quite easily. A list of times when people are most vulnerable were made under this section. On the left we discussed how a tougher screw would be hard to get out of it's place. A really experienced and tough screw would also be able to screw in a bit tighter when they feel they've let it slip a bit. We made a list of a few ways that people can be tougher to unscrew; basically becoming tougher to crack mentally no matter how challenging the situation.
In the second diagram there is a box in the top left corner about focus and a scale of it from broad to narrow, and being either internal or external. We talked about how playing in the zone your focus is in an optimal balance, without overloading on unimportant information.
In the main part of this diagram we talked about chipping away at your opponent mentally and physically. As you get to a higher level it takes time to wear out your opponent and make them lose hope in winning. Greg Gaultier and Paul Coll are great at doing this because they are so tough to win a point against as they get everything back and don't make mistakes. They make any player dig super deep just to win a point, let alone 3 games. In this list we discussed signs of someone who has lost hope and the symptoms of someone who has been broken mentally and/or physically. Perhaps you lost the game, but it took everything out of your opponent, so if you are fresher and they are spent you are still in a great position even down a game.
In the third diagram we talked about how getting up to the service box and getting your serve into play quicker than normal can be effective. When you're opponent is tired, upset or you have the momentum and are cruising are all excellent times to quicken the start of the next point. It's more about the psychological impact of this quick serve which is so damaging.
We also talked about potentially doing this after a big rally where you and your opponent are hurting, but you feel you can disguise your pain and by serving right after can also psychologically defeat your opponent because they may be expecting you to take time and could be shocked that you are not experiencing the same pain that they are. This of course is risky as if you can't physically or mentally back it up and your opponent calls your bluff you can be in trouble. Finally we talked about when you should take time prior to a serve, which is basically the opposite of the times you shouldn't.
In the next diagram we made a list of when people tend to lose their focus. Staying focused can be incredibly difficult in challenging environments or when you get tired, upset or into long rallies. What the kids did after discussing focus was they made a little chart on the inside of their court. Each kid has their own little table where they would simply make a little dot after every rally they played where they were not focused or lost their focus during the point. I found this exercise beneficial for the kids because it helped them understand their concentration during the match and made them take time to sort of reset to write up the dot and put the marker down by the court door. This of course has to be built upon so they can use a refocusing strategy which we have also talked about on numerous occasions.
In the fifth diagram (below) we discussed the area that your zone for your best squash is. I drew a diagram of a dial and scaled it from 1 to 5 with 1 being sleepy, fatigued which are all low and negative arousal levels for playing a high level of squash. At the opposite end of the spectrum, at 5 was angry and nervous which can both be detrimental to your performance as well. Depending on the individual personalities and your style of squash you'll probably play your best squash somewhere between 3 and 4 on this range. We need to constantly be self-regulating our emotions and arousal levels while we're competing and also training. Experienced players will be able to make adjustments quickly before they get too far from their optimal range, while kids generally wear their emotions on their sleeves, both positively and negatively and often need a lot of encouragement and pep talks between games and after matches to help them reset.
In this final diagram we used the analogies of a house of cards and a brick house to symbolize how easily or tough you can be to crack or completely crumble. This is again similar to the screw mentioned earlier. We talked about what traits we would expect to see from each of these people. Someone who is calm, focused and confident will be tough to breakdown, just as a brick house would be. On the flip side if someone is unfocused, angry, makes excuses or is quite nervous they can fall apart like a fragile house of cards. This does have a lot to do with the fight or flight response that we are hardwired into, but it can be changed over time. Learning to focus on what you can control, on setting process goals (versus outcome goals) can take the pressure off and can be quite rewarding if you can completely buy in. A lot of people don't want to play people they are supposed to beat because they feel pressure on the result. Also, people will not give it their all and a true measure of their ability when they are competing against someone they don't believe they can or should beat. Learning to let go of your ego and focus on the process of playing your best squash day in, day out is the key to a life long process of becoming the best you can possibly be. We have to learn not to worry about defeat and get overanxious or over confident about winning and just play our game, to the best of our ability, every single point; that's how you play consistent level of squash and take pressure off of yourself. It also helps immensely if your coach and parents buy into this philosophy as well.
If you enjoy sport psychology as much as I do or have played a lot of competitive squash you'll appreciate many of the issues discussed today. All of the concepts sound simple enough and possible to execute, but are just as challenging to learn as any other skill set. Strategies that worked for me may not work for someone else, so finding new ideas to help people come up with a strategy that works for them is key. Sport psychology is an expanding area of elite level sport and many kids have begun not only learning more about this area, but working with sport psychologists too. From time to time I also use visualization and relaxation, breathing techniques to help people focus, relax and imagine themselves playing their best squash and handling challenging situations successfully.
Serious Squash is having a merch sale. It's currently 50% off all merch with the code 'iamserious' on SeriousSquashShop.com I am trying to clear out stock and make room for some new ideas. We will see what comes next. Also, if you haven't already done so check out the two Serious Squash instructional films, Mastering Deception and The Secrets Of Solo Hitting. They can both be downloaded from the Serious Squash Shop and come with a money back guarantee. Below is a short preview of the films.
Today I received an email from a father asking for advice for his son who is a strong player, but a perfectionist. His boy is having trouble handling making mistakes and appears like he is close to quitting the game because of the amount of pressure he's putting on himself to play perfect squash. As I started writing my response I realized that what I was writing about was probably quite a popular issue that good squash players face. This is a psychological issue and something that can be improved. I've included below the email I responded with.
Thanks for the email. Being a perfectionist is kind of how most squash players get to a really high level. We aren’t happy with poorly executing shots in a match and practice them over and over to do better. I remember as a kid always wanting to play a perfect game and playing all shots exactly as I wanted. As a kid I didn’t realize how absurd this goal was. As I got older I learned to focus more on the shot selections. As a kid we often make mistakes playing a poor choice, but as you get more experienced and learn to focus on shot selection you make less mistakes and hit higher quality shots. Shot accuracy can always improve, but when you’re playing the wrong shot it doesn’t really matter how the execution was.
An exercise I’d recommend is having your son chart a professional match and make a note of how frequently even the best players in the world don’t hit the ball exactly where they want it. Perhaps their boast chips the 2nd side wall or they don’t hit their crosscourt wide enough. Even the best players miss their targets at least a few times each rally, but usually get away with it if it’s close enough and they are fast enough to recover. It’s impossible to play a fast paced open skill sport like squash perfectly, but the aim should be more on good decision making and consistency to targets will improve as the practices accumulate.
That’s about all I can offer. Hope it’s helpful. And in final, a break is not always a bad occurrence. Kids have to go through things on their own sometimes so don’t put added pressure on him with your expectations for him. He’s not you and what you would do in his position is very different and should not be compared. Best of luck.
Do you have any other tips that could help someone in this situation? Have you had to learn how to deal with this? Obviously the pressure of competition and playing against another good player will force you into making mistakes. As you improve your ability to reset after points, learn to get out of trouble after hitting a weak shot will all make you better at staying in points you may have previously lost as you were too down after missing your targets on a couple of shots.
When I play my best squash I'm able to not let mistakes bother me at all and focus only on shot selection. If my shot selection is good I can live with the outcome. Some shots are just difficult and given that same situation and shot 100 times maybe I would make it more times than not, but a strong player can play higher percentage shots where they have very imitated risk and because of this can execute the shot with more confidence.
Being able to commit to the shot you hit is a sign of confidence and something you you are going to have trouble doing if you are playing a low percentage shot or tired, or even physically and mentally fatigued. So technique and accuracy in solo hitting is great, but it certainly isn't the most important trait of a top squash player. If you've read the recent article about Dessouky after his loss to Rodriguez you'll know what I mean. Fares is the most technically and physically gifted squash player on the planet (possibly 2nd is Ramy is healthy), but still he lost to a basic, super fit and mentally strong squash player, Miguel. Rodriguez was prepared to go further for the win and this made the difference. It really demonstrates how critical the mental game is from being a perfectionist to being able to bring your best squash on each and every day at the highest level in the game. Enjoy and embrace the challenges and lessons that this sport teaches us. Anyone can become mental giant with practice and discipline, just like acquiring any other skill. Miguel demonstrated that pure tenacity and determination can be victorious even against the very best in the world!
A pitcher in baseball may want to strike out the batter, but all they can do is select a pitch and try and hit his/her location. What the batter does afterwards is out of the pitchers control. A poor pitch can be swung on and missed while a perfectly executed pitch can be hit out of the park. This post is about learning to focus on making your pitch (with confidence) and accepting whatever follows. If you can continually concentrate your efforts on improving the quality of your pitches you will give yourself increasingly better odds at producing the desired outcomes. Everyone wants to win, but nobody can always win or completely control the outcome.
When we grow up we are surrounded by people praising achievement. People who win elections and win sporting championships get parties and parades thrown for them. I loved squash more than other sports because winning or losing was mostly in my control. In a team sport you can only do so much and I enjoyed having a big part to do with the outcome. When I was young I also loved winning tournaments. They'd make announcements at school after you won a tournament and you'd get some really cool trophy or squash racquet. I remember even making the front page of the local newspaper at some point.
I know from experience it's a difficult balance helping a kid along this journey because most parents want to support their children and embrace success, but also are careful of not pushing too hard on the result side of it. I enjoyed winning and being the best at something and my motivation was 100% intrinsic. If we're good at something we tend to like it, practice it more, become more skilled at it and win even more; the trouble with this process is that our ego can disrupt our progression and the ability to perform at our best because we are only thinking about winning and not necessarily on the process, which after all is what dictates the results. What a tough concept to grasp.
Fear or anxiety of a poor performance and outcome leads many people to avoid participation in tournaments. It's much easier to handle winning than it is losing. Other people love competition and only play their best squash when they're in a tournament. Do you still register for a tournament when you have no chance of winning it? Do you play better when you're a favourite or underdog?
After many years of playing and coaching at tournaments I have a more relaxed approach to competition, but don't let that fool you into thinking I still don't want to win every match I play or coach. It goes without saying that we should always give everything we have to try and win, but winning should never be our goal. I always try and praise effort and preparation over results. If you've done all you can to prepare and leave it all out on the court, the rest will be simple. I believe the outcome focus for tournaments puts extra pressure on you. I've seen it many times where someone plays not to lose and is unable to find their zone and coincidentally their best squash.
Although I've just stated how your focus should not be on winning, there is 1 trait that going into a tournament expecting to win can give you which is desirable and that's confidence. There's a big difference between someone that goes out there not expecting to win and someone who is. This is the difficult balance we need to find as a squash player. How do we step on court each time with the confidence to be successful without focusing on the outcome?
Many times when we play against stronger opponents we give them too much credit and play without belief that we can win and because of this we don't leave absolutely everything on the court. Even at the highest level you don't always see the underdog do absolutely everything within their power to win that match. But again, how can we do absolutely everything within our power to win our match without focusing on winning? It may sound cliche, but it really is about focusing on the process. If we can focus on the process we can concentrate on playing the right shot more often and less about avoiding slightly risky shots and not losing. If we think so much about only winning our current match it can hold back our long term development and we may not give our best effort when there is no chance of us winning. Try your best, play the right shot, commit to it and accept whatever the results may be. It's not just about this single shot, point or match. Maybe your opponent is simply better at the moment, but if so that's just a great opportunity to learn and become better from it.
A little more on playing a stronger player, at least try and keep them on court as long as possible. I see it all the time and people just try forcing the ball short from poor positions hoping to sneak a few cheap points or don't try at all, but that isn't going to beat a better player or allow you to improve; if anything you're just ingraining destructive mental habits. The best chances1 to beat a stronger player is to get into super long rallies and hope that they lose their focus and give you a few cheap points because maybe they are thinking too much about not wanting to lose. They may even get more tired than you expected and all of the sudden you can find yourself creating some more positive openings. That's why you should always give it everything you have and never panic during a match. If something isn't working yet, it doesn't mean it won't at some point. Keep fighting until the last point is over. You see people lose focus at game or match ball all of the time. It's almost like they let their focus slip because surely they can close it out from here. We start thinking about winning, or that we are about to win and we change how we think and play. This nicely illustrates how destructive the outcome focus can be to our squash.
In Canada we don't have an under 11 at nationals because they are worried about early specialization and kids competing at such a young age. I think this is crazy, because I believe it's up to the coaches and parents to help the kids learn about trying their best and having fun at a young age. We all need to learn how to handle both winning and losing. Yes there will be a few tears, but that's okay it's a learning process at this age. It's still a learning process in the under 19 division too! I think all kids will develop better if they can learn the delicate balance between wanting to win, but focusing on the process and development. Eventually you realize just how many areas there are we can improve in our squash game. We can improve our swing, our accuracy, our power, play around with different types of spin, make better shot selections and of course improve our mental game and get fitter, faster and stronger.
Winning happens if we improve all of our skills and become the best player we can be. It's nice to see your hard work pay off in the form of wins and rankings, but this is where fitness and technical testing can help too. If we can measure our improvement in our training sessions, we will have confidence we are improving without the need of specific outcomes or rankings. If we increase our confidence in our ability to play longer and harder railer or hit specific shots more accurately in our matches we will have a better chance of being successful.
You probably have heard the popular term, 'focus on what's under your control.' In sport this is so critical to playing your best. If we waste our energy getting upset about a lucky shot our opponent hit or a bad ref or a tough draw we are setting ourselves up for trouble. All of these things are out of our control and this is what makes life and sport so fascinating. It's learning how to handle adversity and focus on doing our best which this journey is all about. I love the challenge of trying to find the optimal mindset for playing my best squash most consistently. If you can do this and stay hungry to become the best you can possibly be you will get your share of results so don't worry about this area.
Wanting to win is fine, but focus on the process and on improving your game. When I ran a provincial junior camp before nationals this year I worked with some amazing young players. I had a questionnaire and the first question was what are there goals for nationals? Many had to win or make semis, etc. There's a lot that goes into winning such a big title and it's great to have such motivated athletes, but I also felt they were too result oriented. How are they going to play relaxed squash, especially when games are tight if they are focused on the outcome only? Again, you never know how the draw is going to be and how the other kids will play. Squash isn't like a class in school where getting an A for everyone is achievable. In squash there is only 1 winner, but that doesn't mean many of the kids competing shouldn't leave happy with how they performed and where there game is at. It's the fact that they (their ego), their coaches, parents and peers all want them to win too. Kids can easily attach their self-worth to their sporting results. If someone leaves absolutely everything out on the court and plays to the best of their ability that is as good or even better than someone who won the tournament. We need to learn how to feel satisfied with these areas regardless of the result. As I've already mentioned praise effort and preparation not results.
A competition is simply a tool to measure your game and how much you've improved and what you need to work on going forwards. If you come up a bit short you may be hungrier than the person who won the title. If you won the title you may put too much pressure on yourself to repeat this the performance the next time. These are the lessons that I love about sport and I wish I had someone to help me rid my ego and outcome focused squash brain when I was young. If I knew how damaging it could be to solely focus on the outcomes I'm sure I would have changed it because I wanted to be the best I could be, but I had no idea that my winning every single time I stepped out on court mindset was also causing damage to my development. Nobody wins every match and if you are you aren't getting challenged. And I know there's people out there saying that this is a soft Canadian way of thinking, but I disagree. I am all for trying to become the best you can be, but I think there is a healthier process of getting to this place.
I just got back from playing in the 35+ Canadian Nationals. When I was playing in the 30+ a few years back I played to win. One time I did and another year I was the runner up. The year I lost it bothered me a lot; I kept replaying in my mind how I could have won. But even now at my age I've realized how debilitating these goals and mindset can be to my performance. Yes I did finish 2nd this time around too, but I didn't leave the tournament constantly thinking about how much it sucks that I didn't win. I know how I can prepare a bit better next time and that's that. If I only played in a tournament when I knew I had a really good chance to win I may never play tournaments again; that's part of the beauty of sport. I used to always be asked 'what happened?' or 'how'd you lose to that guy?' if I didn't win a match or a tournament. That puts a lot of pressure on you, so it's really about learning to not care what others think about your squash game and letting go of your ego and focusing on what is under your control, the process and getting better. Yes I wanted to win this time around and I had a shot at it, but it just didn't happen. I tried my best I can live with that. Maybe I'll win next year and I'll give everything I have to make that happen, but that's not my goal.
Have you bought a copy of The Secrets of Solo Hitting yet? 99 copies sold and counting! It's a 64 minute instructional squash video on solo hitting. There are over 30 solo drills with tips on how to improve your solo practice. Pick up your copy at SeriousSquashShop.com/collections/coaching-videos Here's a preview from the Serious Squash Youtube page
Just recently I ran a camp for some of the top kids in the province and we discussed routines and the importance of them in squash. I tried to emphasize the importance of prematch, post match and between rally routines. Similar to explaining the importance of warming up or stretching after a match, it's difficult to get across the value of such activities until they're required. When kids are starting out playing squash they simply play and a routine isn't really all that relevant. For those of us that have played a lot of squash we know how vital our routines are to our success.
Today we're going to take a look at why routines are important in different areas of your game and how you can use them to play more consistent squash and get the most out of each session. I believe that the mental game is the most important trait in becoming the best you can be. The moment you become satisfied with your level is when you become complacent. Using habits in a variety of ways is how the best athletes stay on track and perform at their best each and every day. Let's go through some of the ways that positive habits can help take your game to new heights.
Building Mental Muscle
Building winning habits is both about about how you prepare for practice along with how you practice. When it's time to put in the maximum physical effort you do while equally crucial is your focus and attention to detail. I always think about the famous quote about how 'training starts when you want to stop.' This is how some people are better at pushing themselves further and closer to their actual physical threshold. I also like to use an analogy I read in a boo about walking on hot coals to explain this concept. At the beginning we jump off quickly because it's hot and painful, but with practice you're able to push further and further along the hot goals and withstand more pain. We not only need to be able to push ourselves along those hot coals further and further, but we also need to build a habit to do this. If we only push ourselves when we're having a good day and feeling up to it we will never build a true champion habit. I always look at how people do when things are going well. When you're tired, a bit sore or not playing your best do you still manage to give absolutely everything you have on the day? Very few of us actually are able to do this so if you want to start building a winning habit this is an excellent place to start and a great platform to build off of. You don't need talent to give your best effort every single time you practice or play.
Having a weekly or monthly plan is another method for building a winning habit. As humans we tend to gravitate towards routines and we adapt to them quickly. Although I'm not a big fan of a full year training plan (especially for kids) I believe that having that weekly routine is another critical way to steadily improve. If we just wait to see what the day brings or how we feel we will likely have days where we are less motivated to go out and train. I think a week or monthly routine keeps you in check, accountable and gives your body time to adapt to whatever it is you're doing. I suggest slightly altering the routine week after week and consider it a working/live document. This is a tough balance to have with the above paragraph where we want to have a hardhat and be mentally tough and alway give it our best. But when we're overtraining or a bit injured or stressed we need to listen to our bodies and know when to ease up a bit. This is something your coach or trainer can assist you with, but is really something you have the best perspective of. As a coach many of us would aide on the side of caution because of liability and worrying about the safety of our athletes so you can see if we are too soft here we will never toughen up and we'll always be looking to cut corners.
Prematch Routines
Do you have a prematch routine? Many people simply show up and get their shoes on and step on court and begin hitting the ball. Clearly if we want to play well from the start of our match this isn't a very successful method. If you ever get a chance to watch a professional athlete prepare for a training session or competition you will see that most have a very specific structure that they follow. This is something they have developed over a number of years and is what they have found works best to allow them to prepare for what is to follow both physically and mentally. To be a high level consistent performer the prematch routine is essential. We all feel different on a day to day basis and it's by going through our prematch or pre-training routines that help us get to a more similar starting point. Any athlete knows that being in the zone is the key to optimal performance and getting into this zone is completely psychological. Although any level of athlete can experience the zone, the consistency of getting into this is what top athletes have learned how to do repeatedly. Being able to play in the zone requires that our self talk is positive and simple. Negative self talk and over analysis are definitely 2 effective methods for playing poor squash.
Most people tend to think of a prematch routine simply to warm up the body and avoid injuries, which is indeed part of it, but it is also much much more. As already discussed the variations in performance from 1 day to the next is much more mental than any sudden drop in technical skill. If we're missing shots we normally make it's more than likely the mental side as to why we are making these mistakes and we either stop going for these shots or get tentative with them (which again are both mental issues). Meanwhile someone in the zone still makes mistakes they simply don't let these mistakes register and interfere with the flow of their game and thought process.
Between Rally Routines
What about routines during a match? Routines between rallies are also equally important to staying or getting into the zone. We are constantly analyzing our performance and there are swings in momentum for and against us we have to deal with. When things are going well we don't need to think much so we tend to have a shorter routine here. If things are going well we are generally trying to just keep doing what we're doing and avoid thinking too much and judging what we are doing. This is the whole self 1 and self 2 thing discussed in classic book, The Inner Game Of Tennis. If we lose our focus because either we have won a number of points too easily or we begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel we learn how to catch these lapses before they cause any real danger. This is all done with between rally routines which allow us to focus on right now (versus the past or future).
If things aren't going well in your match the between rally refocusing routine can help you get back on track. You can use this to slow down the onslaught and break up the momentum. Again because momentum is so psychological what we do and what we think during these between rally routines is so vital to their effectiveness. Sometimes it's about getting back to our game plan or letting mistakes go before playing the next point. What I like to do between rallies is use a cue (wiping my hand on the sidewall). Prior to this cue I allow myself to digest the previous rally and think about what I've learned from it. Once I've wiped my hand on the sidewall I've moved my focus back to the now and whatever happened from the previous rally is now out of my mind, digested and my focus is shifted back into this moment. After all, all we can control is what we are doing right now so don't over analyze what's happened up until now. If you find your focus is on the past or future try using a focused breath to recenter yourself. I always see pitchers doing this in their pre-pitch routines. Not only does a focused breath bring our attention into this moment, but the oxygen is also our fuel and this helps release some tension we may be holding onto. If you have read any sport psychology books you'll know that they all discuss the importance of conscious breathing.
Post Match Routines
Let's discuss post-match routines. If we lose maybe people like to dismiss any routine because they are too upset and don't care. We know that we can recover faster and improve our flexibility if we stretch after our matches, yet still some don't. I believe it's even more vital to stick to your post match routine after a loss so you have time to reflect and again don't carry that loss personally into the rest of your life. You may feel depressed after a tough loss and be upset, which is quite normal. I believe an effective post match routine gives you that time (say 30 minutes) to reflect on what you learned from the experience. After your routine is complete you have to let it all go.
Every single squash player ever has lost and will lose or else they aren't actually competing. This is why we love squash. We want to challenge ourselves and become the best we can be and this requires playing people that will be able to beat us. Losing to any caliber of player is simply a time to learn from it and make changes in your own game. Just don't take this loss to hard or personally. If you can let go of your ego and the fear of failure you'll have your best chance of playing to your potential. This is where I feel Fares Dessouky is struggling. He's no doubt the most technically and physically skilled player on the tour, but mentally is quite fragile. This is a shame because you want to root for him because he is so amazing with what he can do on court you just wish he would let his playing do the speaking for him. If he doesn't learn how to use his mind as an asset he will never reach his true potential which would be a real shame for all of us including Dessouky. Perhaps he is just preparing to be the villain and has something to prove to all of us. I'm guessing he grew up in an environment which fostered this trait, but this is also something that has to come from him and nobody else. This is the result oriented world we live in, but he has yet to figure out that playing his best squash is only possible when he stops trying to control the outcome and just focuses on the process of playing his best possible squash each and every rally. I really can't stand all of the discussions, blocking and reactions to the decisions.
Sport psychology is such an interesting topic to me and although all the top athletes in the world can vouch for the importance of their mental skills it's still an area under appreciated and under coached. It's tough to understand that you'll win more by not focusing on winning, but the process. You'll play better squash and enjoy it more if you can find your zone and play up to your potential. Take a serious look at your game and see how it measures up to what you would like it to be. It takes time to get to where you will want and need it to be so don't be too hard on yourself if you're not perfect. Try and use routines to improve how you self-regulate and respond to different situations. Also try setting up a weekly or monthly training routine and give your absolute best during each part of each session. I believe the championship attitude and behaviour has to come prior to becoming a champion. Focus on the process, on staying focused, on refocusing when you lose your way and you'll get into the zone more frequently and become more consistent with you performance. Don't wait to become a champion before you act like one. We may not know if the chicken came before the egg, but it's pretty clear that the winning habits must be in place before you can become a champion on the court.
Serious Squash has just produced a 64 minute instructional video titled The Secrets Of Solo Hitting. This contains 30 of the best solo drills along with a variety of tips. There is also a technical testing and bonus tips section. Learn how to get more out of your practices with this 1 of a kind film. Stream or download you copy today at SeriousSquashShop.com/collections/coaching-videos
One of the most difficult things I have found as a player and also as a coach is deciding after losing a game to not change a thing. We all think that because we lose a game we must change something so we do better in the next one. This is a really difficult concept to understand in the heat of battle as a player and as a coach. We want to play our best and if we lose we don't like to admit that our opponents executed really well or that there is a thing called statistics that balance themselves out over the long haul and that sometimes a single game isn't long enough to know if our tactics will prevail. In squash there is also a major fitness and mental component to a match which we must be taken into account. Often times all we need to change is our focus and other times it's simply maintaining that concentration and effort after a disappointing result. Plus if all we ever think about and hear after a game is what could have been better, how are we ever going to be confident in what we did well and what was working? Focusing too much on areas that need improvement doesn't always mean you will play better after acquiring such knowledge. Ahh, the art of coaching.
If we are playing someone stronger than our level we shouldn't look only at the score to determine how well we are playing. Here I prefer to focus on playing the right shot and simple things, such as getting your opponent behind you or extending the rallies or making them work harder. This all makes sense, but what happens when we lose a game to a person that we believe to be at or even below our level? This happens to all of us and when it does our ego takes a real shot in the gut. We get twisted up because we can't understand how we are playing so poorly, again forgetting that we are up against an opponent who has come out for a real fight.
The first thing here is just to let go of the worry about the outcome (outcome focused does not give you desired outcome results). Worry leads to tension, overthinking, anger and potentially freezing up. The key isn't always making a change, it's normally just focusing on the process; keeping things simple and staying positive. Keeping things simple and doing the basics well can take you a long ways on the court; the challenge is that this becomes all the more difficult to do when our back is up against the wall. And remember that if your basics are superior to your opponents, over the course of a match most of the time things will go in your favour.
If we use excuses like the refs or our opponents lucky bounces, or how it's not our day or some stoppages in play we are never giving ourselves a real shot of playing our best squash. These are all obstacles that are created more psychologically than physically. If you can learn how to enjoy the challenge of the challenges you face you will have the best chance of overcoming them in a positive manner. This is what handling adversity is all about. It's easy to be a good sport when we're winning and playing well, but when things are going against us it's when it reveals our true character. Learn to change your reactions to these situations if you aren't handling them well. But let's get back to the topic at hand.
Let's once again discuss the situation where you are playing someone of a similar standard and lose a game. I often see people lose a game by 2 or 3 points and they think they need to do something drastically different the following game and they come out and they end up following this up with a worse result. Normally when this happens the most important thing you can do is go out and play the exact same game. You almost won the last game, why make a drastic change? When we are in these situations it is so difficult to just stick with a game plan, but remember it's first to win 3 games not best of 1 or 3! At a high level squash is very physical and mental and if you can play a similar standard game later in the match often your opponent will drop, either their focus or fitness (which in turns results in unforced errors). When we try and change our game too much we begin to overanalyze and possibly try playing out of our comfort zone and this is when we may actually perform worse. So don't go changing things simply because you lose a game; change things because you feel like your strategy was incorrect or could be slightly smarter.
I believe that we try and drastically change game plans far too frequently when we lose a game. Often it is simply about slightly better execution so just being given some reassurance that they are on the right track can be quite helpful. As a coach we also feel like we know better than the athletes and that we should give them some amazing pointers that will turn the game around! Once in awhile this does happen, but a great coach will know when to reaffirm what the athlete is doing and keep them positive and upbeat returning to court. I know this goes against the famous Albert Einstein quote about insanity, 'doing the same thing over and over and expecting to get a different result' which is possibly why we feel such an urge to change something.
This is an area I'm still working on because it is different from person to person. This is also why I believe you should always focus on playing the right shot. After a rally (not during) is your time to quickly process your previous point. You may learn 1 thing from it about improving your shot selection in a future similar situation; good players can make adjustments in game like this. If you are focusing on poor execution that's where we get in trouble. If we begin to think about our swing it is incredibly difficult to change our mechanics during a match so those types of self-analysis are best left for after the match. We might know we need to hit it deeper so we can change our target, but we don't need to get into specifics regarding our swing and how to do this unless you are quite advanced and if you are this advanced you probably don't need to think about your swing mechanics whatsoever to change your targets.
So if Plan A didn't quite work, don't be so quick to jump to Plan B or C! Sometimes our best chance of winning is by sticking with what we just did. Knowing when to jump ship and went stay onboard is something you should think about and consider experimenting with. If you got away from your style too much and you think if you got back to your regular game it would help things then go for it! If you don't have a coach with you it can be quite helpful to make a few notes on an index card. You could have 2 or 3 styles or keys that can helps you play well.
For example: Plan A) Straight, deep and tight perhaps the pace is what needs to change so for example you can go to Plan B) pick up the pace and take the ball early! or maybe we are being too impatient so we look at Plan C) set up golden mid-court attacking opportunities by creating more pressure with your length
You could also try something a little different like this if your focus is on level of discipline/attacking. Plan A) Just play your game! Plan B) Be More AGGRESSIVE! Plan C) set it up before your fire it in!
Here's another simple card you could have if you want to focus on volleying or movement. Plan A) VOLLEY VOLLEY VOLLEY! Plan B) Get back to the T before they hit! Plan C) Be explosive off the T
Don't use too many at once. When we think too much we can get paralysis by over-analysis. Often a simple, gentle reminder works best. If you have a tendency to overhit the ball, maybe your notes should say Plan A) easy big guy, smarter not harder! Plan B) You're blowing them off the court! Plan C) Bring the heat!!!!
So just a simple cheat sheet can be quite useful and you'll notice I kept an option of doing what I was already doing; but sticking with this after losing a game is what today's topic is all about. If you feel the movement, pace or aggressiveness of play is your key to success design your card around that and maybe you'll stick with your Plan A's a little longer. All of today's article has to do with focusing on the process of your squash and not the outcome. I want to win as much as the next person, but our improvement and even the current result is often jeopardized by short term and result oriented thinking. If we jump ship maybe we aren't giving our opponents the opportunity to have a mental or physical lapse in their match. It isn't all about us on the court. Sometimes it's just about being so gritty and determined that it eventually breaks our opponent. I'm sure we can all think of someone who resembles these characteristics.
If you haven't heard yet, Serious Squash has just released a 64 minute instructional squash video titled, The Secrets Of Solo Hitting. This video contains 30 of the best solo drills aimed to improve your squash game with tips on how to best execute these drills and why they're so critical to your development. Stream or download a copy of the film at SeriousSquashShop.com/collections/coaching-videos and if you're not 100% satisfied with your purchase I will give you a full refund. Here's an in depth preview of the film:
It's easy to see when you're opponent is really having to work hard to get a ball back. Maybe they hit a short length and they don't have time to get to the T and you go ahead and play a drop as they are so far away that they have to sprawl out completely just to get a racquet on your shot or even better they can't reach it at all. Making someone do a diagonal and get the tour in a rally is also quite enjoyable and it's obvious to both players who is going to win if these type of rallies continue. As you get better in squash it's not always so obvious to the observer or even the players who is doing more work. Assuming both players are equally fast and fit and have similar skill level, the player who has to work just a bit harder will likely break first, either mentally, physically or both. We all have a limit where out shots start to lose accuracy because we're late to the ball and even later recovering to the T. When we get fatigued we tend to make more poor decisions and the mistakes can tally up in the blink of an eye. Today we're going to talk about how to get someone to this breaking point and to tally up quick and easy points once they do.
One way to break your opponent is to lengthen the rallies. Even if you are equally fit, if you move more efficiently the duration of the rallies shouldn't hurt you as much as your opponent. If you can hit great length and width and minimize your opponents attacking opportunities they will eventually wear down because they are less efficient moving around the court than you. This tactic can also be effective if you're playing someone that is carrying more mass around the court. If you lose the first game or two, but the rallies are long don't panic; stick to your guns and keep the rallies really long. Your opponent may just win the war, but you have a good chance at coming back and winning the battle if you make it tough enough for them.
Another way to break your opponent is to increase the intensity of the rallies. Making the rallies harder does not necessarily mean that the points are any longer in duration. Learning how to make a good player work hard in a rally is tricky. At a high level we generally have to get our opponent out of position before attacking. If you can volley this is a good way to take time away from your opponent. Even a simple volley drive can be quite difficult on the legs and the lungs. This brings me to my next points. Think about which movements on the court are the most physically taxing on you. Are these the areas which are most demanding on your opponent as well? Perhaps it's a 2 wall gut wrenching attacking boast that makes you rush off the T and make a big stretch to the ball and then hustle equally as hard to get back to the T. Maybe it's having to rush to defend a perfect weighted length. Maybe it's going back into the same front corner twice in a row. All of these are certain shots which may not result in us winning the point out right, but can put quite a bit of work into our opponents legs, lugs and mind.
If you can make your opponent have to dig deep to stay in rallies, the outcome is really irrelevant. If you can find certain shots or combinations that are making your opponent play shots at a full stretch, at top speed, stop and change directions over and over you have a great chance of winning the match. This is tough to learn as a competitor and also to notice happening as an observer. I play a lot of holds and use deception a lot in my game and most people that don't see deception much get super tired quite quickly regardless of how fit they are. For someone like Paul Coll he uses his counter drops often and even plays them sometimes when his opponent is already high up on the T and expecting it. He's not always playing these drops as winning shots or even to set up a winning shot, he's simply trying to stretch out his opponent and make him do lots of work over and over again because he feels he is going to win the physicality battle when it's all said and done.
I've always said that it's important to make your opponent pay for going short from the back of the court. It's super hard work moving up there and getting back to the T so if at all possible I like thinking about counter attacking so they don't continue to employ this tactic. If your opponent is getting weak replies off a boast from the back they're going to keep going to the well. If you go up there and play a great counter drop or drive and put the pressure right back on them, well it may have been hard work for you to do so, but your opponent may think twice about playing that same boast again. So if you get beat on a short attacking ball from the back you have to look out for it again right away. If you were nowhere near the shot your opponent is going to think you were not watching, were flat footed, too far back on the T or perhaps you're just too slow or getting tired. Whatever the actual reason is, you have to be ready for it the next rally. Get back up on your toes, stay up on the T and watch your opponent closer. If they do go right back to this shot again get up up to it faster and make sure you do something with it, otherwise it's going to be a long and painful match (actually probably a very short match). So learning how to take away these openings which your opponents use to make you do the hardest movements are equally as important as learning to exploit them.
Another example of putting pressure and not going for the outright winning shot is playing volley drives off of your opponents length. When someone hits a ball that you can volley they are generally forced to run to the T faster and sometimes they get in front of you before you get to hit your volley. When this happens you should think about volleying it deep and make them have to back up and go dig it out again. This is such a tough movement if you hit a good volley and it can lead to another opportunity to volley. Many amateurs just see a ball they want to volley short and do it every single time and think that their drop just needs to be better. In this particular situation it's about how quickly their length was struck. If you can volley quickly, prior to your opponent getting up high on the T the short shot might be the best opening. If on the other hand the ball was not hit that fast and your opponent has time to get back up high on the T, you can assume a good player is up and covering the front of the court and now the open space to attack into is back deep again. This takes a lot of skill and practice to get to this level, but it's an important part of learning how to have some patience and to focus on making your opponent work hard so you can win the battle.
Attacking drives, boasts, counter drops, holds and volleys are all so critical to working your opponent. At the highest level these shots in themselves rarely win points outright, but they eventually lead to a mental or physical breaking point which leads to cheap errors or slower movement, weaker lunges and easier opportunities for you. Learning to take the ball early, use the whole court, move the ball around and make your opponent rush back to the T only to hit it back to where they just came from or even have to change directions are so tough on the body no matter how fit you are.
Don't always think about winning a point or get bothered by the result of each rally or even of a game or two. Focus on being efficient with your movement and making sure you can get out of trouble within 1 shot whenever possible and at the same time making your opponent twist and turn, stop and start, rush, lunge, reach, stretch out and scramble. There is nothing quite as enjoyable as the feeling of breaking a strong opponent and then reaping the rewards of easy points and certain victory. Which also leads to the point that if you and your opponent are both working equally hard with the same fitness and skill levels the difference is going to be between the ears. Mind over matter is what it comes down to. Oh how great is squash? The perfect mixture of skill, mental toughness, physical fitness and tactics.
Next time you get out on court think about what movements or shots give your body the most trouble and notice what shots give your opponent the most too. Just because they return the shot or even hit a great shot, they still did some work and eventually with enough chips of the hammer that will reveal itself. Just like the San Antonio Spurs sign in their dressing room reminds them reads, "When nothing seems to help, I go and look at a stonecutter hammering away at his rock perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred and first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not that blow that did it -- but all that had gone before." Coming soon is the first full length Serious Squash film titled 'The Secrets Of Solo Hitting.' The video portion is almost complete and then it's the editing and audio portion. It will be available for purchase at SeriousSquashShop.com once completed. For now check out some of the clips from this project on the Serious Squash Instagram or Facebook page or on my youtube channel at cchsquashpro.
Today I was once again thinking about my trip to Asia and the Penang Junior Open. I've already discussed some differences in how the kids are raised and the style of play. Anyone who's been to a busy city in Asia and seen the aggressive drivers and scooters know what I'm talking about. This goes well beyond the squash court.
This will be a little receptive for some of you, but I feel is an important point. In North America generally children are babied and coddled too much. We are always worried about people getting sick or injured. We try and do everything within reason to prevent these unnecessary situations from arising. But the real issue is when is too much? How often do we actually live our lives instead of just get comfortable simply being alive? There is a difference between the two. In some of the countries I visited kids are working at their parents shops and driving scooters around without helmets, swerving in between gridlocked cars. Avoiding dangerous situations seems smart to us, but it can also make us avoid living and enjoying our lives. We think too far ahead to a potential consequence and in turn avoid the action altogether.
Let's get back to squash. You may be wondering how coddling our children and protecting them from the dangers of the world influences their squash game. I have a couple of beliefs about this. The first one is about the style of play. As coaches here in North America we hate seeing unforced errors. Keep the ball in play; hit it deep; wait for mistakes. Just like how we drive here. We're very careful and yes, we probably have fewer accidents (just guessing), but that doesn't make us become better drives, does it? I witnessed some amazing driving overseas. Certain curves and maneuvers I would never dream to try. And yet these people do it all the time and have gotten good at it. I believe the same can go with attacking and learning to attack from all over the court. I know length sets everything up, but this is definitely something that got me thinking about how we play vs. what I saw some of the other kids play like.
My second point here is about the psychological aspect of our societies. Here in Canada the pedestrians have the right away, cars let other cars in and so forth. That just isn't the same in Penang or Bangkok. You have to be focused and be smart about crossing a busy street. Over here people are picky and are generally unhappy with their jobs, but in many situations I witnessed people were just happy to have a job and worked very long hours. They don't finish at 5pm and get weekends off, their work was their life. I'm sure it wasn't that long ago that things were like that here in Canada, and of course there are still some places and people that fall outside of this middle-class territory and struggle each and every day. So you're probably asking again, how does this relate to squash?
I feel that people from tougher upbringings generally are used to working harder and can more adapt at handling unpleasant conditions (such as fatigue). Squash generally isn't a low income sport, but that is changing slightly with the creation of the Urban Squash Programs around North America over the past 10-15 years. But in some countries this is the way of life for a lot of people. I don't feel this applies to everyone, but I do think most people from cushiony upbringing don't like to get their hands dirty. And if you want to become a top player in squash you have to be incredibly determined and will have to overcome a number of physical and psychological barriers; so yes, you will have to get your hands very dirty to become a professional squash player.
I should also mention that I read in a book recently about how Kenyan runners walked 5 or 10 miles (can't remember the exact number) each way to school and this was a major factor to why they were gifted runners. How many kids do that these days?
So odds are most of my readers are feeling bummed out now. I doubt I have my followers from low income countries or families. So the big question is what can you do to change this? Here a few ideas.
- travel and see for yourself
- anyone can gain mental muscle. step back and give an honest opinion on your lifestyle.
- walk more, drive less
- play attacking squash and make make more errors http://www.serioussquash.com/2015/05/improve-your-game-by-making-more.html
- hard yards in the gym or the track. not only does this strengthen your body, but your mind. when the going gets tough on the squash court you have to be comfortable with your body feeling uncomfortable (and learn how to deal with those negative self-destructive thoughts)
When I was in Thailand I was driven around on a scooter a few times without a helmet. It was pretty scary at first. I obviously can't suggest people do this or anything dangerous. If you have the option to use a helmet of course I would highly recommend it. This is more food for thought.
If you want to play professional squash you are going to have to not care about money so much. But this is a planned topic for a future post titled, 'So You Want To Go Pro.' I see less emotion from Canadian squash players then I did overseas. Do they want to win more, or are we afraid of expressing ourselves because of what others may think? If anyone has read Jonah Barrington's book, Murder In The Squash Court you will know he gave up being the chair of some committee because he felt he had to behave a certain way that was detrimental to his development.
A similar thing is discussed in a current book I'm reading called, 'David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants' by Malcolm Gladwell (pictured below). Gladwell claims that kids who lost at least 1 parent when they were young held a large portion of head political jobs in the U.S. and the U.K. throughout the course of history, but that also a higher than average degree of these children end up in prison. A kid can go either way; the death of a parent can motivate you and lead to greatness or you can struggle and never move on. Gladwell asks who would wish this upon a child, knowing this could improve their chance of becoming more successful? The answer is obvious, but it gets you thinking. It's an interesting read.
That's it for today. I hope this has got you thinning a bit about how you live and how you play squash. I think it's important to think for yourself and not just do what everyone else does just to fit in. Watch good players and learn from each of them. If you're able travel and watch or play some international tournaments I'm sure you will learn lots from the experience.
When talking about sports there are always certain qualities that stand out for the top performers. We were amazed by Tiger Woods' focus on driving distance. The iconic college basketball coach, John Wooden stated that he loved to work with speed because it never went in slumps. And Wooden liked to push the tempo and press in basketball.
When I was in Malaysia for the Penang Junior Open it was evident that pace was a major factor for each of the age groups. When someone is young they normally struggle with pace as their racquet coordination and court coverage (speed, strength and anticipation) aren't fully developed. Clearly pace is an important asset which got me thinking about what are the other strengths in our game. Not everyone is built or has the ability to overhit their opponent. So today I will get into the 6 greatest strengths a squash player can posses. If you want to improve your game spend some time working on one or more of these areas.
Pace: Eventually pace will not be enough to win at the highest level. Everyone can hit it hard and handle pace. It makes a big difference in the speed of the game and the bounce of the ball. I can't think of any other sport that the bounce of the ball is so dependent on how hard and frequently the ball is struck. The reason I don't like coaching people to hit everything hard is that it creates tension in their arm and normally this style of player has a poor short game. Hitting everything hard also means you have less time to get back to the T and physically it takes a lot out of you. So I prefer picking my spots to inject pace, but that's what works for my game, it could be completely different for you. Plus how often does Cameron Pilley hit the ball as hard as he possible can? Probably very rarely if ever (unless there is a radar gun nearby).
Speed: just as Wooden exclaimed about basketball, I agree that speed is a major asset in squash. Certainly you look at players like Miguel Rodriguez and you know this is a huge factor in his success. Speed allows you to get on the ball early and retrieve more shots. Of course you need to have the aerobic stamina to keep your speed up throughout the duration of a match.
Attacking/'Hands': someone that can attack well from anywhere in the court can be extremely difficult to play against. Even after serving you are uncomfortable. There is little rhythm and you are repeatedly having to be on guard while on the T and having to make hard lunges into the front corners. Some people have superb racquet skills. If you're not one of them you can always improve this area of your game, but you will likely never become a shooter.
Consistent: if you aren't especially quick, or hit it hard or have A+ attacking skills you almost certainly have to be consistent and grind out your wins. I always think of Peter Nicol (pictured below) when I talk abut this. Of course Nicol had good shots and was smart, but he was so consistent. A big part of doing this well is containing your opponents, hitting the ball tight, taking away angles and being fit and mentally tough. If you're not a supreme athlete you will likely have the most success playing this style; taking minimal risks and making very few unforced errors. If you are a consistent player you will need to have a high level of aerobic fitness because you will like have to have long points and wait for easy openings and errors from your opponent to get your points.
Smart/Experienced: we have all played someone that just makes more good decisions then other opponents. Some people get stuck playing in a receptive pattern and hope this is enough to win. If you've read Brad Gilbert's Winning Ugly (pictured below), you will know that tactics are underused in racquet sports and are essential to becoming a champion. If you watched Canadian tennis player Vasek Pospisil at Wimbledon recently you would have noticed him looking over notes during his match about his opponent. He may have a plan B or C, or maybe this is to refocus his thoughts on his strategy if it was starting to wander. I'm surprised more players don't do this. Especially seeing that they are not allowed to receive coaching during a match.
Some people have a natural instincts and are very tough to play against. A smart player will know how to expose your weaknesses and play into theirs. They will be able to play a variety of styles and are always a tough opponent. This style of play is encouraged through decision making practice. If you're interested more in this you should check our Dr. Joan Vickers book Perception, Cognition, and Decision Training (pictured below). When reading this book I really thought all practices should be open and random, but have since learned the importance for blocked practice and repetition which allow you to acquire new skills, groove a swing path and boost your confidence. Finding the right balance here is what's crucial.
Mental Strength: some of the toughest matches I've played have been against mentally tough opponents. They may not have the smoothest technique, but they are super competitive. These players are normally consistent, but there are exceptions. Playing a mentally strong opponent means they never give up, no matter what the score. This style of player runs down every ball and gives max effort. This type of person plays better in competition then they do in practice. It's hard to measure someone's mental toughness and compare to another person, but this skill is necessary to become a successful pro. I always think of Tiger Woods (in his prime) and Rafa Nadal when I talk about mental strength. In squash I feel that Nick Matthew, Nicol David, and Mohamed Elshorbagy are the most mentally tough on the circuit these days.
So which area is your strength? If you don't fit into any I suggest you focus on becoming consistent. It's hard to beat someone that doesn't beat themselves. This depends on not only your current skill set and levels, but on how you enjoy playing. How do you envision yourself playing in the future? If you hit it hard and this is your strength, what happens when you come up against someone that hits it harder or can handle your pace? Same goes for speed. This is why at the highest level most players will be highly skilled in all 6 areas.
There are other areas that are important for competing at a high level, but I feel these are the most crucial. Aerobic fitness is right up there, and unless you are a shooter or extremely smart I think that's just a necessary skill, but without something else it will never be enough to win on its own.
Lastly, just because you are really strong in 1 category this doesn't mean you shouldn't try and expand your strengths and improve in another. We can all improve our pace, shot selection, mental toughness, attacking skills, consistency and to some extent our speed. Good luck!
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.
