Racquet Social

Is the future of squash a sub-culture or pro sport?

—

by

Dax Nair
in

I recently came across a blog called The Squashist that talked about some misguided perceptions about squash, as a game on the decline. I believe that for squash to get bigger, it needs to cultivate an audience beyond the hardcore squash fan. We need bigger venues and sponsors with deep pockets.

I believe that if we had more squash courts like the ones in the Slideshare below, it would give a big boost to the entertainment value of the game!

https://www.slideshare.net/daxnair/nine-spectacular-squash-venues?qid=00339a3e-ce35-4854-af93-6fd3a976af61&v=&b=&from_search=1

Here is the original post from The Squashist…

Squash is Dying in the US! Oh, Wait, No It’s Not…

From time to time there erupts on the squash scene much ado from doom-and-gloomers who are convinced that squash is dying a slow death in the US. They point to court closings (an unassailable fact in cities, alas) and bemoan the old days when clubs abounded. Their conclusion: the sport is doomed.

But my own experience argues against that. I see a lot of enthusiasm and a lot of players.

So I was interested when the PST’s e-zine noted that the Sporting Goods Manufacturer’s Association had found a significant uptick in squash participation.

This was a professional, accurate analysis, with a total of 38,172 completed surveys. They found more than 1.1 million US residents had played squash during the previous year (2011), with about 400,000 of these being more frequent, ‘core’ participants. Most — 64% — of these core squashists fell between the ages of 25 to 44, putting a lie to those who say the sport falls off after college.

#ad

The findings show a nearly 40% jump in some squash participation between 2009 and 2011, demonstrating that increasing numbers of folks out there are interested and giving squash a try.

This is an important point: Whenever I meet someone interested in trying out the game, I always get them on the court and give them an introductory lesson. I make it a point to use the easier beginner balls, and anyone who is a true squashist should do the same: get them out on the court and have a few beginner balls handy.

#Ad

The true squashist is a squash evangelist who not only loves the game but makes it a point to transfer his or her own enthusiasm for the game to others.

So get out there and play. And no, chicken littles, the sky is not falling….

Note: Please add your comments below to keep the conversation going…

Dax Nair
Latest posts by Dax Nair (see all)

Comments

2 responses to “Is the future of squash a sub-culture or pro sport?”

  1. Dax Avatar
    Dax

    Keeping fingers crossed for inclusion in 2020 Olympics. Thanks for sharing the link!

    Reply
  2. Melody Jackson Avatar
    Melody Jackson

    The game of squash has really come a long way from a simple ball tapping to becoming a “professional” sport. So far squash is not yet an official Olympics event but probably in the near future it can be included. Maybe who knows.

    Here is some food for thought!

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/sportbookreviews/9124418/A-Shot-and-a-Ghost-a-year-in-the-brutal-world-of-professional-squash-by-James-Willstrop-review.html

    Reply

Do you have a comment or suggestion?

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.