|
how TECHNOLOGY
has
CHANGED the game of SQUASH |
CLASSIC
by
Neil Frankland |
In the Beginning
 When
I started playing squash in 1979 all rackets were wooden and they
had synthetic or natural gut strings with a leather grip. I would
put a towelling grip on my racket which needed to be roughened up on
the corner of the squash door before using.
 As
a junior player I used a cut down Dunlop Maxply Fort. I then
moved onto a lighter racket which was a Grays Light Blue. I
then used an aluminium framed racket which generated a little more
power but still quite heavy.
By 1984, during my Regional squash days, I was using a Slazenger
Graphite racket. This was the birth of the graphite racket and
when rackets became a lot lighter but maintained a small head like
the wooden rackets.
|
Neil in the 2002
Commonwealth Games
 |
All Change ...
 Squash
balls then were the Grays Merco which were manufactured from a
thicker rubber that was far heavier than the current double yellow
dots used today.
Grips are now absorbent and rubberised giving good comfort and
grip.
Strings now contain products such as titanium providing
durability but at the same time providing a good "feel".
|
New Equipment ... New Swing
 These
equipment changes over the years have completely changed the
technical basis behind the squash swing.
In the past coaches would promote a "U" swing, starting high behind
the ear going down to hit the ball with a high finish. This was such
a large swing needing lots of effort to force the racket through due
to its heavy weight.
Things
have changed with the lighter equipment. The most efficient forehand
swing is much shorter, fast and relaxed coming round the body,
pushing through the ball using much more wrist action, I would
describe this as being similar to throwing a flat stone to skim over
water.
 The
backhand is more like throwing a frisbee with a fast wrist action
cutting fast across the ball, keeping elbow high but relaxed on both
sides. The wrist is flat and relaxed to create the whipping through
to increase racket speed where in olden days the wrist was cocked
and locked. The shorter swing allows more time for holding on the
ball for deception. Or the ball to be taken earlier thus putting the
opponent under greater pressure.
With modern technology you can do more with the ball creating "cut"
which is opening the racket face to make the ball spin keeping the
ball low to the floor and creating an erratic bounce making the ball
inconsistent and therefore harder for the opponent. You can also put
topspin on the ball, to make the ball move on the wall and the floor
and these new techniques make for a more exciting game.
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New Movement
 Ideas on movement about the court has changed. In the past with
player at the front of the court when the ball had been hit from the
back of court would run backwards to the "T", then turn to retrieve
the ball.
These days it is generally accepted that it is quicker to
turn around and run forward, getting to the ball faster thereby
speeding up the pace of the match. Players are now concentrating on
pushing harder off the ball to create more time on the ball and to
be able to do more with the ball.
Over all the game is faster and the players are fitter and stronger,
matches tend to last longer so the professional game tends to be
American Scoring to 11, or in National League to 9, making games tense
and exciting.
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Current photos by Fritz Borchert |
