SPECIAL FEATURE
RUNNING A STATION
SQUASH LEAGUE: A
practical guide.
Cpl
Tony
Ruddock
has
run
Station
Squash Leagues
at 2 consecutive
units now.
He
enjoys
the
challenge
of
encouraging more
players
to
participate in the
sport.
He finds
that running a
Station
League
really does help,
and
with
all
players having to
play 4 matches a
month keeps the
courts
fully
occupied at lunch-times. His own game
has come on leaps and bounds and he is
now a regular squad member in the elite
RAF Halton & High Wycombe Squash
Team.
Success.
Tony’s Key Points for a
Successful Station Squash League are:


Advertise in SROs or on the Station
Webpage at least a month before
the season starts to start collecting
names.
Write out a clear set of League
Rules. The clearer you make them,
the fewer phone calls you will get!

Use plenty of posters with colourful
photos. I have some excellent shots
of Andy Kimber in numerous skilful
poses, which the Halton Photo
Section has put into a photomontage.

League Tables. Make yourself a
template for players to record their
scores. For instance, if by some
fluke, Lee Cobley beat Martin Burnell
3-1, the players get a point for each
game won, a point for turning up and
the winner gets a bonus point. So
the points are 5 for Lee, 2 for
Burnelli.
A
League 1
A. L Cobley
B. M Burnell
C. L Brettel
D. T Ruddock
E. R Keen
B
C
D
E
5
2
 Feel free to cut a paste the Table
above to start your own League.
 Satisfied Player Quotes:
“ As a newcomer to competitive squash, it has
been great to raise my game by playing in the
Leagues. I am learning a lot about playing
competitive squash, where you really need to
concentrate on every shot to beat your
opponent”.
Russ Keen -Bristol
“ Station League squash really keeps me in
shape for Competition Matches. It also lets me
boost the older players’ confidence when I let
them win…occasionally”
Marvin Burnelli- Wilts
Why not start up a Station Ladder League
on your station?…contact Tony Ruddock at
Halton and he will happily send you Rules,
templates and guidance.
…….and now…. 2 pages of light-hearted, squash-related fun….
Top Ten Tips During Matches
A Life in the Day of a Squash Captain.
We have all been there. It’s a station squash
match, and you are losing. You are tired,
possibly exhausted, bereft of ideas, and are
losing because your opponent is, let’s face it,
better than you.
Martin Burnell, 51, is captain of Halton & High Wycombe
Squash Club, in Div 2 of the Bucks Squash League.
“Before I wake up, I am already thinking about squash in my
sub consciousness. Rapid eye movement is accompanied by
recurring thoughts of team selection for the next day’s match. I
spring out of bed as my Buzz Light-year alarm goes off, and I
pump out a quick 50 press-ups. As a PTI, old habits die hard.
These are followed by 3 reps
of 25 sit-ups, 4 lots of 15
star-jumps, and I usually
manage 20 chin-ups on the
bar fitted into my bed-room
door frame I got off e-bay for
a tenner. My wife has a cup
of tea ready for me, but then
I get stuck into cooking breakfast – a nice fry-up with all the
trimmings. I will need lots of
energy on Match day so I
usually top up with some
Crunchy Nut.
I don’t care what the health
freaks say about carb intake, I
love my cereals, I do, and I am
going to burn them off anyway,
so where’s the harm, hey? As I
put the toast on, my thoughts
turn to team selection and what positions to play my team.
Football managers have it easy; as a squash captain I have to
judge the current form of my players and work out the order of
play. One mistake can make all the difference, and seeing as we
are close to the relegation zone, every game of every match is
vital, and I need those players with big-match credentials to
perform to their best. Breakfast out the way, I cycle to work
and immediately start phoning round to double-check
availability. Quite often one of the more senior members of the
team (typically a retired wg cdr or gp capt) has pulled
something or other the night before and needs to rest up. This is
where I agree with Sir Alex; it is important to have a decent
squad and, rule of thumb, you need about 8-10 players to cover
the 5 in a team each week. By lunch-time, I have usually
confirmed the team-list, so I can relax bit and watch my PTIs
run the lunch-time circuits.
Some people just do not
appreciate how busy us PTIs
are. After lunch, I set about
organising the security passes
and escorts for the visiting
team, after all, you never
know who could be coming
through the gates. Last week,
we had some Estate Agents from Gerrards Cross; you can’t be
too careful, you know. That takes me up to afternoon tea, when
I decide that a few more carbs are needed, in the shape of a few
stickies with my cuppa. Then the final job of the day is to
confirm the after-match dinner arrangements. To maintain a
good reputation in the Bucks League you need to lay on some
decent scran, and Halton Village Tennis Club do us proud. I
discuss menu selection with the manager and try to haggle for a
good price. Before I know it, 5 O’clock has arrived and it’s
time to cycle home and start preparing for the Match”.
Next Issue: A life in the Day of a Squash Court Cleaner – wet
rag or dry?
Then some bright spark, usually lower down the
order, pulls you aside in between games and
offers you advice. Recognise any of the
following?
No 10. You need to work on your fitness; if you
were fitter, you’d have him.
No 9.
Here, have a drink of water, mate; it’ll do
you good. You need to start playing better.
No 8. You have got to up your game from now
on; he’s starting to wilt.
No 7.
Get on it! Go back out there and get
those first three points. Then build on it.
No 6.
Can’t you see his bad leg? He can’t
move. Start playing some drop shots.
No 5. He’s crucifying you at the front. Push him
to the back.
No 4.
You are making too many errors. Cut
them out and he’s all yours.
No 3.
You need to attack more, move forward a
pace, dominate the T, and keep him under pressure.
No 2.
Right, then, mix it up a bit: keep your
lengths tight, vary the pace, and try some drops and
lobs, cross-court him a few times and slip in a few
trickle boasts…got all that?
No 1.
Let’s keep it text-book: play some nice
tight lengths.
…not to forget…
“Come on, this is last game of the night; the beer’s getting
warm, the food’s going cold, we don’t care if you win or
lose, just get back on court and make it quick!”
…………………………………………………………………..
Johnnie’s TOP
TIP
Enjoy a large portion of
spaghetti Bolognese
the night before a
match. It’s full of protein, vitamins and vital
carbohydrates to give you that extra energy on
big match day.
PHOTO CASEBOOK: HITTING A GOOD LENGTH
We often have letters arrive here at RAF SRA HQ, where people seek help for their personal problems. The
photo casebook illustrates how, with a little effort, your problems can be overcome. All parts are played by
professional models, their identity is kept secret and any similarity between them and real squash players is
purely coincidental.
Hi Max, my name’s
Ben. I can give
you some tips on
hitting tight shots
every time…..
Max is on court…
Oh no, there goes
another one! I just
can’t seem to get a
good length on the
ball….
Firstly, Jim, check your
grip…the V of your thumb and
forefinger should run along the
edge of the handle…
Nice shorts,
Kimbo!
That feels much
better, Mike....
Mmm I think
I’ve spotted
something
else…
Then it’s all
about your
footwork,
balance and
stroke-play,
John….see,
look at that
wonderful shot!
That’s great,
Tom….thanks for
the tips.
Next Issue!!….Old boasters Morton and Leo disprove the theory that regular Squash helps fight off senility…