So Squash Isn't Just for Posh People

They say it is never too late to be enlightened and where sport is concerned this is certainly the case. Like countless others I have to admit that I always viewed squash players as part of an elite group that required not only a perfect physique and fitness, but also to be named either Quintin or Eugine, call everyone 'darling' and drives a Porsche come Tesla, however that turns out to be a load of tosh! Just prior to this darn pandemic I picked up a squash racket for the first time at the age of 39 and together with more than a few extra pounds around my waist and some creaky joints, I gave it a go at my local health club and surprisingly I got hooked in no time.

I have previously bashed around a few other projectiles with different bats and rackets before, never very well, but this was much easier than I thought and I didn't once feel like Niles and Frasier Crane as I clumsily chased around after that rubber ball. There is also another version of this game called Squash57 (no, nothing to do with Heinz soup) which is played in a similar way, but with a bigger bouncier ball and that I can tell you is an absolute hoot! It's nothing like the crazy American game of Raquetball thankfully, although we also call our game Racketball (note different spelling) and is accessible to just about anyone to play as far as age, ability and gender (yes girls this for you as well!), with the ball staying in play much longer and being a lot easier to connect with. You don't have to be good to play squash, rather play to be good one day. If you self-doubt, remember - you are far better to do something badly than not to do it in the first place.

Squash is also played by thousands of kids across the UK, with mostly part of organised group activity. So if like me you thought you we were too old, fat and underclass to give this a fun and great work out a go, then please think again and get yourself to your nearest venue (Covid permitted of course) and drag a reluctant friend along as well, or if you are on your own ask about getting some coaching as a way in to meet others starting out playing a sport which to some might appear to be an activity for 'other posh people' and not you! I am fairly sure you, like me will enjoy it and once quickly come to terms with the bounce of that ball you won't be able to get enough of it! If that hasn't convinced you to get off your backside to chase some rubber, then maybe the average calorie burn in a game will, which even for someone as not good as me is around 800 calories - conveniently the same as two cream doughnuts! 😃 The gym doesn't quite have the same attraction now.

You can find out more about the squash and squash57/racketball and your local clubs HERE.

Reporter Hannah Jones

Image credit Sven Mieke - Unsplash

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