Squash & Racketball are fantastic non-weather dependant racket sports for all ages and abilities.
They are both great sports for keeping you fit and strong and Racketball is currently the fastest growing Racket sport in the country. There are competitive pathways for every age group in both sports and graded events are arranged to ensure that you get matched up with similar abilities.
You can become a full professional in the Sport of Squash with a very healthy world tour. The current Men’s World Number 1 is Nick Matthew from England with 5 other players from England in the top 15 and the Current Ladies World Number 2 is Jenny Duncalf, also from England, with 4 other players from England in the top 15.
Equipment/Clothing
Squash &/or Racketball Rackets & their related balls (various speeds for differing abilities) and non-marking soled footwear.
Eye protection is recommended and can be provided from the National Governing Body (NGB) based at the SportPark in Loughborough.
Slim fitting clothing is recommended, not big baggy clothing as rackets and balls can get caught up. Always take a bottle of water with you to re-hydrate in between games and afterwards.
Costs
Rackets – from £15-£120
Balls – £2-£3
Trainers – £15-£75
Court lights – £3-£6 for between 40-60 minutes
Club memberships: Leisure Centre – generally no membership required but cheaper courts are often offered if a nominal membership is paid.
Private clubs – student membership fees range from £30-£120 per year depending upon quality of facility.
Coaching – £10-£25 per 40-60 minute session
Rules
Basically the aim of both sports is to hit the ball away from your opponent. The ball is only allowed to bounce on the floor once per shot, and must stay inside the red line all around the top of the court and above the bottom line (called the tin). The ball must hit the front wall at some stage during each shot and when the ball is hit continuously between players this is called a rally. The sport has recently changed the scoring system internationally and most matches are now played using PAR scoring (which means Point A Rally) so you score a point if you win a rally no matter whether you are serving or receiving. A match is the best of 5 games so it’s the first player to win 3 games is the winner. Each game is up to 11 points and if it gets to 10 all then a player must win by 2 clear points. Breaks between games are 90 seconds long.
Service (starting a game/point) – The rules of Racketball are basically the same apart from the serve where you must bounce on the floor once first before striking the ball against the front wall and it then has to land in your opponents opposite large quarter on the floor, before hitting the back wall. A Squash serve just needs to go across the court into your opponents quarter. So long as the ball stays inside the out-line (top red line). On the front wall there is a middle red line. For Squash the ball must go above this line for the service but for Racketball the line does not apply.
It is also a non-contact sport!!!!!
Disciplines
There are opportunities to play both singles and doubles for both Squash & Racketball.
Doubles isn’t played that often although there are competitions for men, women, boys & girls.
Age groups are as follows:
Under 11’s, 13’s, 15’s, 17’s 19’s & Seniors as well as older age groups as follows:
Over 35’s, 40’s, 45’s, 50’s, 55’s, 60’s, 65’s & 70’s.
The only time an event is mixed is in ‘mixed doubles’.
County, Regional and National competitions are very popular and well attended on a national scale.
