Racketzone

Game Improvement

Everyone improves at different rates, and everyone ends up at different levels. Furthermore, a high standard player today will undoubtedly become a lower standard player tomorrow. No matter where you are in squash, either on the rise or on the fall of your game, you will develop one thing - and that's "experience". An experienced squash player passes through three phases.

The first phase of an experienced squash player is learning to keep the ball in play. Retrieving is good. Stroking is good. Even movement is good. But, everything is done at one standard pace you've chosen that best suits your game plan. This is fine. Everyone usually says you're steady and that you're consistent.

The second phase of an experienced squash player is learning to stay consistent with all the qualities above yet also having the ability to mix the pace. A player can now speed the rally up and slow it down with the effective use of drops and lobs and boasts. This is great. Everyone usually says you're tough to beat.

The third phase of an experienced squash player is a zone only a few can really enter. In this phase the squash player has all the characteristics above with an uncanny intuitive ability to fake. This player draws you in for a rail and hits a boast. He or she can wind up and appear to crush a shot when at the last second changes it into a crosscourt drop.

Where do you stand?