By Zachary Chan (20S06B), Boys’ Captain and Ashley Fok (20S07C), Girls’ Captain
Have you ever felt like you are hitting walls in your life? Squash players would tell you they are doing that every day! Jokes aside, do you ever crave for demanding physical exercise that will make your muscles melt—but with satisfaction? Well, you have clicked on the right article!
Squash is a high-intensity racket sport played between 2 players in a four-walled court. This sport prides itself on being physically and mentally challenging, where stamina and agility are crucial aspects of the game. Squash does not require a net and is played by hitting a ball against a wall while both players are present on the same side of the court. Even though the black squash ball might be miniscule and not very bouncy, do not underestimate its power as it can reach unbelievable speeds of up to 280km/h. It is a sport where intense focus and concentration to stay in the game are key.
Trainings are held twice or thrice a week during non-peak and peak seasons respectively. Each training lasts from two to three hours.
Leading up to the anticipated National School Games in March, trainings are held on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday weekly. Apart from the physical training sessions on Monday, which are held at the New Stadium Track, trainings are held at Serangoon Gardens Country Club. Court sessions consist of a wide array of intensive drills and exercises and ends off with friendly matches with one another. These trainings are specifically designed to help every player, experienced or not, to achieve the best. Don’t worry if you are completely new to the sport: our friendly and dedicated Coach Allan, as well as your fellow CCA-mates, will be there to guide you along the way! After the National School Games, training sessions will be reduced to twice a week for the Year 5s. Year 6s will then step down from the CCA as they prepare for their upcoming ‘A’ Levels.
The high intensity of the sport, coupled with the strenuous training sessions, might make the CCA seem daunting. However, beyond all these, Raffles Squash is a family. A family where we will have one another’s backs both on- and off-court. With our small numbers, long-lasting friendships are forged and you will definitely enjoy a strong camaraderie within the team, whether it is through team dinners after training or cheering one another on during nail-biting matches.
As the saying goes, “United we stand, divided we fall.” Most think that the sport is individual, but here at Raffles Squash, we compete as one, we fight as one, and we celebrate as one. After all, it is not the team with the best players that shines. It is the players with the best team that will go far as one. If you are looking for that in a CCA, don’t hesitate to come down for our trials this coming year! We are excited to have you join the family :)
