Here we are, 12 weeks into the UK Coronavirus lockdown. 12 long, painful weeks. As I sit here writing posts and articles about anything and everything to do with squash, I can’t help but wonder how things might be once we return to ‘normal’ – whatever our new normal might be.
Unlike sports such as tennis and golf, both of which are now up and running, squash courts in the UK still remain closed. The thought of courts sitting there, unused, gathering dust, waiting to be played on, I’m sure many will find pretty torturous.
For me, going from playing most days every week, to not being able to play once in the past three months has been a pretty big shock to the system. Not being able to play squash has been great for my wallet, but not so great for my waistline. I put on a belt for the first time since lockdown last week. I may or may not have gone up two notches.
I’ve spent some time this week reading through various countries’ reintroduction plans, and have tried to imagine how we might follow these approaches in the UK. All of the below points are entirely my own assumptions based on educated guesses. The regional UK squash governing bodies’ websites have their latest official guidance, which will be updated in the coming weeks/months in line with respective government announcements. Therefore, it’s for the best that you take what I say below with a pinch of salt. This article is purely to get an idea of how things *might* be once we are allowed to return to courts.
Phased re-introduction plans
It seems highly likely that we’ll see a phased re-introduction plan. This means starting off with highly restrictive conditions, and gradually easing into what may be classed as normal. All of the following assumptions are based on the initial stages of re-introduction plans.
Solo practise only
How many times do you head ‘solo practise is the best way to improve’, and how many times have you actually practised squash by yourself? Well, I reckon like you’re going to get your opportunity. It’s very tough to warrant squash matches, given what we know about Coronavirus.
The harsh reality of a squash match is that it’s two people in close contact, running around and breathing heavily in a confined space. The air ventilation systems necessary for keeping courts a consistent temperature will no doubt be a catalyst for spreading germs. Combine this with the fact that many players build up a huge amount of sweat while playing, and you soon realise you’re in a giant COVID petri-dish. If one person has Coronavirus while playing squash, it’s almost certain the other person will catch it from them.
I imagine there won’t be a huge amount of players heading to their clubs to hit the ball to themselves. Squash for many is a very social sport, which is the primary reason why they play. The fun for these players is in competition and mixing with other people. You can probably expect to see only the more ‘invested’ players making their way to the club, at least while it’s solo practise only.
One-on-one coaching will probably be allowed, but at a distance
Much like a 1-1 match, coaching is often carried out in close quarters. If a coach is training with multiple people throughout the day, they’ll need to ensure they can keep a safe distance.
The beauty of coaching is that you can coach players from afar. If you’ve subscribed to Squash Skills, they’ve made a fantastic video on Malcolm Willstrop, one of squash’s top coaches. He’s well known for sitting on the balcony at the top of Pontefract’s squash courts and calling out instructions to the players below. He’ll rarely step foot on the court, yet has produced some of the world’s top players, not least his own son, James Willstrop.
No drying your hands on the walls
Let’s face it, wiping the walls to dry your hands is pretty grim when you think about it. Yet, the majority of us, myself included, do it without thinking.
Going forwards, I can’t imagine many will look too kindly at those who wipe their sweat on the walls. Mandating the use of towels to dry your hands is almost guaranteed.
If you’re looking for a decent sports towel at a low price, I’d recommend one of Amazon’s own-brand microfibre towels (though any towel/flannel will probably do the trick).
No changing rooms
Many countries have adopted a no changing room policy while in the early re-introduction phases. Players have to pretty much be in-and-out of their clubs as soon as possible. Not only does this minimise the chances of close-interaction with other players, it stops the spread of germs through the touching of multiple surfaces. Members may likely be expected to leave clubs as soon as their game is over.
You can expect some sweaty rides home in your car. Probably best to bring a spare shirt.
Players to bring their own drinks
A water fountain is a breeding ground for germs, and a wonderful vehicle for cross contamination. If the edge of your water bottle touches the water fountain’s nozzle, you might as well be kissing every other squash player on the lips who made the same mistake.
There’s also the issue of having to touch the fountain’s tap. Unless clubs have a foot-operated machine, it’s likely that players will have no choice but to bring their own drink to the club with them.
Staggered booking times
One of the best ways to avoid spreading Coronavirus within squash clubs is to minimise human contact. Clubs will likely have to amend their booking systems to allow for a period of time between bookings. This means the chances of crossing paths with other squash players will be minimal.
If you manage a squash club and you’re looking for a new booking system, I can highly recommend Planit-bookit by Objitec. It’s a tailor-made system for squash clubs that allows you to manage court bookings, memberships, club communications and more.
Eye wear
This one’s likely to cause some controversy/polarisation. In the US, they’ve now mandated the use of eyewear on court.
I’m personally not against the thought of using goggles. British professional Daryl Selby has recently come out in support of players wearing eyewear after being injured in a tournament. At the moment, goggles are stigmatised as something that’s strictly for junior players, due to the supposedly higher risk of an accident.
There’s so many things wrong with that statement. For starters, the juniors I’ve played against are all far safer opponents than many senior players. Alongside this, adults don’t have stronger eyes than juniors. A fast squash ball to the eye is going to do some serious damage, no matter how old you are.
From a Coronavirus viewpoint, wearing goggles has been shown to reduce the chances of catching the disease. Your eyes have a mucus membrane which can allow the transmission of COVID-19. By protecting your eyes from squash balls, you’re also protecting yourself from Coronavirus.
I don’t think adults wearing goggles will ever become the norm. However, I can see players being more accepting of them, should a temporary ruling be introduced.
You can follow this link to search for squash eyewear on Amazon. If you do purchase something from the search results, it will cost the exact same as normal, and I’ll receive a small percentage of the sale as a thank-you. It’s not much, however it does help me cover some of the costs of running this site.
No bar facilities
This one truly breaks my heart. I love nothing more than ruining 40 minutes’ exercise with a nice cold beer after a game.
Alas, it’s highly unlikely we’ll be seeing the shutters raised in our squash club bars any time soon. It’s understandable that bars will probably be the very last thing to open in squash clubs.
We’ll all have forgotten how to play
It’s fair to say that getting back on court is going to be…interesting.
Fitness, accuracy, muscle memory, touch, control, tactics, the small nuances you pick up while playing and more are probably going to take a bit of re-developing. If we re-open in the next few weeks I can’t see it being a huge challenge. If the lockdown continues into the third or even fourth quarter of the year, it’s going to take some work!
What do you think will happen?
As I mentioned at the start, all of the above points are entirely my own assumptions based on other countries’ reactions and reintroduction plans. The UK squash governing bodies are likely to announce more information over the coming weeks and months, so keep your eyes peeled for official information.
From speaking to a variety of people, there’s a broad array of thoughts and opinions on when and how clubs will reopen. How do you think the landscape of squash will adapt to the new world we’re entering? Leave a comment below.
Of course, one final thing. It’s worth remembering that peoples’ health, safety and wellbeing are far more important than any sport. It goes without saying that everyone would take the health of their family and friends over playing squash. For now, it’s a case of sitting tight and waiting patiently, though I’m sure everyone will all breathe a sigh of relief once we can restore a sense of normality and get back to doing the things we enjoy the most. Drinking beer and playing squash.
References:
US Squash – Roadmap to full club play
Squash Canada – Return to play for club managers
Squash Canada – Return to play for squash players
Scottish Squash – Latest News
England Squash – Coronavirus Guidance
Interesting stuff, though still frustratingly short of anything conclusive about when we can get back on court, perhaps unsurprising given the situation. I’ll forward on to others in my club who will be keen to read. Some of us have been playing tennis but it’s a poor substitute (sorry tennis nuts!)
Very well thought out and presented. The “breathing heavily in a confined space,” with everyone’s lungs wide open after the first strenuous point, is the part that there is just no getting around, not with an i-mask or any other device, and it will make squash one of the hardest and most challenging sports to return to.
Well written Rob. I have read and inferred (from official government instruction) much of what you say here, but yours is the first to actually build it up into a complete picture .. and a pretty accurate one I fear. My personal journey has been saying farewell to my squash friends back in March with the throwaway remark “see you in August”, which may turn out to be spot on. I have been working hard to maintain fitness (and generally succeeding), doing a few ghosting sessions in the local park to maintain movement (I have nowhere else to do this) but not as regularly as I had intended, volleys against the house wall to try to maintain some hand-eye co-ordination, but I am sorely missing the joy & challenge of being on the boards and playing the greatest game in the world. I have always done solo, so an opportunity to get on court and do that would be an enormous step forward for me. I could survive through to the end of the year on that alone (assuming nothing else is on offer); I have enough understanding of the game, that I could organise focused developmental solo sessions that would certainly not mean my squash standing still, though psychology and movement are best honed through actual games. At my age (65) every month out of the game feels like a year. I am seriously fearful that if I don’t get on court playing matches before the end of the year, my first outing may result in a debilitating injury (e.g. Achilles) ending my playing days permanently and prematurely. Depressingly (but typical) … I read an article recently from a leisure centre group suggesting that squash courts could be used for gym warm-up/cool down sessions, thus accommodating their burgeoning gym membership (£££). Alas, covid may hasten the sad trend in squash court closures/redeployment in the UK.