THE TEN COMMANDMENTS OF SQUASH

By Cicelia Prudent, Coach at Presentation college and former Trinidad #1  


1. HIT THE BALL TO A GOOD LENGTH
HIT BALL FIRMLY AT SERVICE LINE TO HIT FLOOR NEAR BACK OF SERVICE BOX


2. AIM TO THE BACK CORNER
THAT’S THE ONLY WAY TO MAINTAIN THE T AREA.


3. KEEP THE BALL CLOSE TO THE SIDE WALL
THE BETTER SHOT IS A STRAIGHT SHOT.
 IF YOUR SHOT CLINGS TO THE SIDE WALL, YOUR OPPONENT HAS TO PLAY STRAIGHT SO YOU CAN ANTICIPATE MORE EASILY.


4. RECOVER TO THE T
FROM THE T YOU CAN REACH 60% OF YOUR OPPONENTS SHOTS IN ONE STRIDE.
 IF YOU ARE ON THE T YOU ARE CONTROLLING THE RALLY.


5. WATCH THE BALL AT ALL TIMES
WATCH BALL UNTO YOUR RACKET.
 WATCH BALL UNTO OPPONENT’S RACKET.
WATCH BALL WHEN IT GOES BEHIND YOU.


6 MAKE YOUR OPPONENT RUN.
BE AWARE OF YOUR OPPONENT’S POSITION ON COURT
PLAY THE BALL AWAY FROM IT.
MOVE OPPONENT UP AND DOWN THE WALLS.


7. VOLLEY WHENEVER POSSIBLE
GIVE OPPONENT LESS TIME TO RECOVER
KEEP OPPONENT AT FULL STRETCH
VOLLEY TO A GOOD LENGTH UNTIL THE OPORTUNITY TO VOLLEY SHORT
DO NOT GO FOR A WINNING SHOT EVERY TIME THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOLLEY.


8. KNOW WHEN TO DELAY SHOTS
THAT WILL WRONG FOOT OPPONENT
MAKE HIM WAIT FOR YOU TO PLAY AND THEN MAKE HIM RUN THE LONGEST DISTANCE
STOPS AND STARTS CAUSES FATIGUE


9. GO FOR THE SHORT SHOTS
GOOD LENGTH GAME AND GOOD SHORT GAME WINS MATCHES
DON’T PLAY SHORT UNTIL YOU FIRST PLAY LENGTH


10. CHANGE THE PACE OF THE BALL
KEEPS THE OPPONENT GUESSING
BREAKS UP OPPONENT’S GAME
HELPS YOU RECOVER WHEN TIRED


ASPECTS OF MATCH PLAY:-


AIM FOR GOOD LENGTH
PLAY SOME DROP SHOTS
VARY THE PACE OF THE BALL
STUDY OPPONENT’S STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES