James Zug, the preeminent\u00a0historian of the game<\/a>, writes about how, in the winter of 1901, 32 men competed at the club in the first squash tournament on American soil. Many other Philadelphia clubs followed, leading to a local squash culture that spread to high schools and colleges.<\/p>\n The United States Squash Racquets Association, now US Squash, was\u00a0founded in Philadelphia<\/a>\u00a0in 1904, later moved to New York City, and in 2021 relocated its offices back to Philly.<\/p>\n I\u2019m a\u00a0sports psychologist<\/a>\u00a0who works with elite professional squash athletes and also\u00a0writes about the game<\/a>. As the former athletic director at Drexel University, I helped introduce varsity squash to the school and also assisted in starting a nonprofit community program called\u00a0SquashSmarts<\/a>\u00a0for Philly public school students.<\/p>\n I believe squash is one of Philly\u2019s best-kept secrets, as many Philadelphians do not know our city is host to an\u00a0Olympic training high-performance center<\/a>, the U.S. Squash\u00a0Hall of Fame<\/a>\u00a0and youth development programs known as urban squash.<\/p>\n A feast for the brain<\/p>\n Squash originated from the older game of racquets, which was\u00a0played in London\u2019s prisons<\/a>\u00a0during the 19th century.<\/p>\n The vulcanization of rubber by Charles Goodyear in 1839 enabled the creation of a squeezable rubber ball that maintained its original shape after being \u201csquashed\u201d against the wall. The British Commonwealth, through its worldwide military, social and political influence, promoted and grew the game internationally and set standardized rules and courts.<\/p>\n Watching professional squash today feels like being in gym class and science class at the same time: The sport showcases incredible athleticism and celebrates the laws of mathematics.\n<\/p>\n Squash is best understood in terms of its form and its essence. The form of squash includes the ancient proportions of the\u00a0cella of the Parthenon<\/a>, which held the sacred statue of Athena holding Nike, the goddess of victory. An international squash court is 32 feet by 21 feet, and this ratio of approximately 1 to 1.5 establishes a sense of geometric order. With all walls and angles in play, and emphasizing elements such as time, velocity and space, squash allows for an amazing spectacle of creativity, elegance and speed. It is a feast for the brain.<\/p>\n Mental aspects of the game<\/p>\n But the essence of squash is mental, and the three aspects I find especially intriguing are mindfulness, playfulness and fairness.\n<\/p>\n Mindfulness<\/strong>: Mindfulness involves\u00a0not dwelling on the past or worrying about the future<\/a>. This is easier said than done, especially when a player is exhausted and struggling. The competitive squash player must focus on the moment and anticipate the next. This requires processing information in real time and practicing mindfulness to avoid distractions.<\/p>\n Playfulness<\/strong>: When I was a young athlete, I gave a B effort in practice and an A effort during competition. I had it all wrong.\n<\/p>\n I now understand that intense,\u00a0disciplined practices<\/a>\u00a0are the foundation for tomorrow\u2019s world-class athlete. There are no shortcuts. Psychologist Angela Duckworth advocates that\u00a0excellence is 66% grit<\/a> \u2013 which she describes as a combination of passion, effort and perseverance \u2013 with the other 34% being innate talent.<\/p>\n For high-performance athletes, it is beneficial to be a neurotic perfectionist in practice, but not during competition, when they need to be situationally aware. Performance coach Brian Levenson writes about the pro athlete being the opposite of a perfectionist when competing, shifting to being\u00a0playful, intuitive, confident and adaptable<\/a>\u00a0instead.<\/p>\n In other words, practice like a pro, play like a kid.\n<\/p>\n Fairness<\/strong>: One intriguing aspect of squash is the two competitors share the same space. This requires respect for your opponent as well as the game.\n<\/p>\n At its best, squash resembles a dance between two foes, with the winner graciously allowing their opponent to leave the court first.\n<\/p>\n US Squash has made\u00a0sportsmanship and character<\/a>\u00a0a key initiative as the sport grows in popularity at\u00a0all levels of play<\/a>. While the art of deception, such as head fakes or varying your swing timing, is a valued tactical skill,\u00a0blocking the opponent<\/a>, whether subtle or overt, is not.<\/p>\n Philly\u2019s Olympic center<\/p>\n One of Philadelphia\u2019s most passionate amateur players was the longtime U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter. In 2021, the\u00a0Arlen Specter US Squash Center<\/a>, located on the campus of Drexel University, opened and was named in his honor.<\/p>\n The Specter Center is a state-of-the-art training facility and home to Team USA, the administrative center for US Squash, the home for the U.S. Open, and a hub for the U.S. junior and senior national teams, as well as urban squash.<\/p>\n The\u00a0inclusion of squash<\/a>\u00a0in the 2028 Olympics is a milestone for the increasingly international sport. Currently, eight nationalities are represented among the top 10 male and female pro players, although in recent years\u00a0Egypt has dominated<\/a>\u00a0both the men\u2019s and women\u2019s game.<\/p>\n Two U.S. women who are ranked in the world Top 10 are Team USA\u2019s best chances to win gold:\u00a0Amanda Sobhy<\/a>, who went undefeated at Harvard, and Philly\u2019s own\u00a0Olivia Weaver<\/a>.<\/p>\n If you want to catch them in action before the 2028 games, both will compete at the\u00a0U.S. Open Squash Championship<\/a> at the Arlen Specter US Squash Center from Oct. 19 to 25, 2025.<\/p>\n
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