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?