Squash - surely a long overdue addition to the Olympics?

[Bold Seagull]

It shouldn't matter if it doesn't. No-one cares how many people will be glued to the archery next year do they?

And squash really is unarguably a proper, global sport.

One of the key interests for me with the Olympics is whether it represents the pinnacle of that sport - are we actually seeing a gold medal being won by someone that far exceeds anything else they can achieve. I'll actually watch Archery at the Olympics for that reason, or Badminton, Handball, Judo etc...for Squash it would be absolutely that, it really would be the defining moment in the sport.

For the same reason can I be arsed to watch Tennis, Golf, Football at the Olympics? No...As for skateboarding...

 

[Man of Harveys]

So to sum it up, it's absolute horsesh1t that a proper, traditional sport like squash isn't in the Olympics, but that a load of other showy crap aimed at the same kind of people that watch WWE is.

 

[Simster]

One of the key interests for me with the Olympics is whether it represents the pinnacle of that sport - are we actually seeing a gold medal being won by someone that far exceeds anything else they can achieve. I'll actually watch Archery at the Olympics for that reason, or Badminton, Handball, Judo etc...for Squash it would be absolutely that, it really would be the defining moment in the sport.

For the same reason can I be arsed to watch Tennis, Golf, Football at the Olympics? No...As for skateboarding...

I don't have a problem with skateboarding, personally. Obviously I don't think it belongs ahead of squash but it does have merit.

 

[AZ Gull]

I think I'm right in saying Squash is still a fast growing game in the States, with more World Series tournaments than ever before, and big participation across their universities. Hope you won your league game, I've done okay this month, and should be going up!

I didn't But the socialising afterwards was enjoyable.

I can't comment about the UK, but over here there are a ton of tournaments that take place throughout the year (some are amateur events only, but typically there will be a Pro tourney alongside an amateur one). In the past few years I've played in San Francisco, Colorado, Vegas and Vancouver, not to mention local AZ tournaments. You can compete whatever level you are at, all the way from virtual beginner up to virtual pro. And there are no gender or age barriers in squash. I've lost in tournaments to kids who are not yet teenagers (I'm 47) and right now at my club a 16-year-old girl is starting to get the better of me whenever we hit.

I've also hosted pro men and women when we have held tournaments at my club (men and women on the PSA tour typically stay with host families to keep their costs down). We have a great little squash community at my gym, with players who originate from Mexico, Canada, Jordan, Pakistan, India, South Africa, Norway, Zambia, Wales etc. I play at a Lifetime Fitness, and one of their sister clubs in Summerlin (Vegas) hosts a tournament every May. Last year we had about 15 players from my club travel over; with family there were about 30 of us in total.

I must admit I played very little squash in England, but it has become a very large part of my social world out here in the desert - not something I might have predicted! It is a great sport and I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone looking for a new fitness activity (or looking to get their kids into one).

 

[BensGrandad]

I didnt realise anybody played squash nowadays I thought it died with the yuppies in the late 90s early 2000s.

 

[Bold Seagull]

I didn't But the socialising afterwards was enjoyable.

I can't comment about the UK, but over here there are a ton of tournaments that take place throughout the year (some are amateur events only, but typically there will be a Pro tourney alongside an amateur one). In the past few years I've played in San Francisco, Colorado, Vegas and Vancouver, not to mention local AZ tournaments. You can compete whatever level you are at, all the way from virtual beginner up to virtual pro. And there are no gender or age barriers in squash. I've lost in tournaments to kids who are not yet teenagers (I'm 47) and right now at my club a 16-year-old girl is starting to get the better of me whenever we hit.

I've also hosted pro men and women when we have held tournaments at my club (men and women on the PSA tour typically stay with host families to keep their costs down). We have a great little squash community at my gym, with players who originate from Mexico, Canada, Jordan, Pakistan, India, South Africa, Norway, Zambia, Wales etc. I play at a Lifetime Fitness, and one of their sister clubs in Summerlin (Vegas) hosts a tournament every May. Last year we had about 15 players from my club travel over; with family there were about 30 of us in total.

I must admit I played very little squash in England, but it has become a very large part of my social world out here in the desert - not something I might have predicted! It is a great sport and I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone looking for a new fitness activity (or looking to get their kids into one).

We're quite lucky at Coral Squash Club in Hove, we've currently got the UK no.1 girl at U17, and no.4 boy at U17 who is actually still only 15. The young lad beat me when he 13, in fact now I'm 41 I am getting beaten by younger and younger juniors! I still play in the Sussex leagues for Coral's which is still a competitive, but lacks the depth of Hampshire or Surrey leagues. Actually talking about age, Philip Aryton is still playing for Brighton at approaching 70! And he's still bloody good, won the British Open Over 65's last year!