From a reader:
I can offer some insight as to why our latest US Women’s team was composed almost entirely of juniors, and top ones at that, to be commended for their efforts in the wake of zero presence from the post-college twenty- somethings who could be at a pro level and should be, as in the case of teams from top squash-playing countries like Australia and England.
Currently US junior squash has been so stupidly and frustratingly predicated on getting into an Ivy League college or even one with a top-20 ranked team that juniors fight hard in tourneys and noticeably over-train in lessons and in off-court routines with trainers or extra matches for years. Consequently, the whole junior experience becomes so intense and viewed to such an extent as hard work that once they get into the college of their dreams they enjoy their squash there (and the independence from intense parents and coaches) only fleetingly, with most of them ceasing to play or compete once the four years are done.
The college years are actually a little less intense to them, since they get to share the responsibility and pressure of winning with their teammates, as opposed to the total self-accountability that characterizes junior squash competitions. Taking up squash solely to get into a college is a pathetic and misguided road that predominantly leads to an eventual (and premature) quitting of this amazing game that has everything an athlete wants in a sport. Pathetic!
It was not at all the reason why we coaches and ex-pros who are in our 30's,40's and 50's took up the sport! I guarantee you this with a personal check of $100,000! This lack of women in their 20's playing in local and national events is a relatively recent phenomenon, which was decidedly not the case 20 years ago. We saw a challenge, something that was fun, requiring amazing speed, a detective-like mind, athleticism, so many things that appealed to us and got us started playing. In this I know that I speak for members , coaches and ex-pros from older ages of both genders. A couple of stupid New York Times articles promoting the college angle years ago are now accountable for why most women and some men don’t continue to pick up a racquet post-college or participate in current leagues or friendlies at their clubs.
This country's programs and coaches who promote the game need to go back emphasizing how much pure FUN it is to play! To make the kids see what new prospects the game offers, to attract them to the prospect of being challenged in the space of a second by something amazingly demanding and at the same time enjoyable. Throw away like a bad habit the pathetic, "I must take up squash to get into college" attitude before it kills the sport off altogether in the US, and replace it with new interest and or continuing interest in challenging one's mind and body and fitness that should persist long after they have finished college. I'd much rather play a half-hour of sweaty heart-pounding squash, use my mind, have a great think, than do a boring treadmill run. And that’s one of the many reasons why I first took the game up and what today’s kids and especially the parents who are driving this need to focus on!
I challenge any responders out there to try to prove that I don’t know the reality that I've noticed first-hand for the past 20 years. Good luck, you have no argument. Things have to got to change in the US or squash will suffer.
This is somewhat true for juniors, but there must be a better reason why players enjoy the sport so much while in college and then drop it post-college when there is no pressure at all.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the article. The Ivy League colleges act as conveyer belts producing dozens of players who are very fit, but with little or no creativity in their games. Coming out of the cloistered world of college squash and into the real world of professional squash is like a severe case of culture shock. Consequently, most of these ex-students find that they are fit only to be coaches in clubs or colleges.
ReplyDeleteAs a former college player, I can attest to the fact that college squash left me a bit burnt out and I didn't feel the same motivation to play competitively afterward. Even during my college years, when the season was over we completely put down our rackets out of a sense of relief. I doubt I played more than 10 times during the remainder of an academic year.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I do still enjoy the sport and still play for my national team. Contrast that with many of my former American teammates, who have completely abandoned the sport. I think it's an issue of motivation. After the thrill of college squash (camaraderie, yearly goals as motivation), playing fun leagues is just lame.
to anon, you have a very valid point but its not the sole or main reason why there are hardly an female participants in todays adult national or open draws like there used to be.
ReplyDeleteto squasher88, if playing local leagues is "lame" and a player cant find simple motivation to enjoy hotly contested League matches which i see all the time or attaining "the awesome workout endorphin release", then i question there having been any fun or proper reason for having played this great game in the first place, because clearly it wouldn't be an excuse to stop playing if one truly loved the game. and thats my point from above, if you start the game for the right reasons and have fun and enjoy it and don't pursue it for any other , then the likelihood that you will be one of the few players who will play it way beyond the college and mid life years is very high and thats what we advocates are trying to get across and what local coaches who teach beginner kids should be striving for and parents should solely be concentrating on, instead of college entrance. save the game because on the female adult side its dying out in this country
Yep, I understand your point. This was very evident to me as an international player. The Americans didn't really love the game like us foreign players and it seems to be getting worse. I don't even see American juniors competing on the European junior circuit anymore. When I was a junior I used to see large contingents at the Scottish and British etc. It's clear that they just want to train and get their college acceptance.
DeleteThe dialogue about young women in their 20’s and the US National team in France is very easily explained by the most American of reasons- MONEY.
ReplyDeleteA young woman who has been graduated from one of the hyper – elite colleges which field top-ranked squash teams can make a hell of a lot more money working in investment banking, banking, consulting, industry or commerce than she can playing pro squash. In addition, the pay is guaranteed. There is an opportunity cost in terms of time spent training for pro squash which could be spent starting one’s career. This hypothetical young woman doesn’t have to endure 3- hour training sessions daily, the mind-numbing boredom of physical training, loneliness, relatively expensive and uncomfortable travel , and the risk of injury. Then to top it off, by the time she turns age thirty she’ll be out of a job and looking to start a completely new career.
Further, if she wants to have an active social life and find a mate with whom she’s compatible and eventually start a family, playing the pro squash tour is an absolute misallocation of her time. I can hear heads exploding after reading this, but it’s the truth.
I have to say that I can't think of anything more mind-numbingly boring than modern investment banking, consulting or commerce, (industry I'll let pass). As for loneliness, how could that be worse than being surrounded by Wall Streeters?
ReplyDeleteI mean the last tongue in cheek (mostly) but quite seriously, what exactly is different about men's social lives and future family prospects?
Sasha
this article has stirred interesting comments lets keep em going. interesting comment from a male member at my club today as to why female college grads tend to stop playing this awesome game is because he thought plainly and simply, "women arent as competitive as the guys it seems". this may be due to pure testosterone driving guys more deep into the game but i found it to be one of a few interesting reasons as to why there are hardly any women playing in the Leagues or national events nowadays. how come theres only one entrant in this weekends NewYork Open women's 4.0/4.5 draws???????????
ReplyDeletesorry i meant the women's 3.0 and 5.0 draws ?????
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