ALWAYS watch the ball.
“Posted on October 27, 2014 by live theracketshop All professionals, players and coaches tell you to “watch the ball”. But what does this actually mean? During a rally your opponent will be either in front, behind, or parallel to you. Watching the squash ball during a rally is the most important thing you can do to improve your game. Never ever take your eyes off t he ball. If you are afraid of watching the ball when it goes behind you, wear protective eyewear. It is impossible to reach your full potential as a player if you don’t consistently keep your eyes on the ball. When your opponent is in front of you, it is easy to see where and when your opponent is going to hit the ball. By watching the ball as it leaves your opponent’s racquet, especially when the ball is behind you, increases your ability on the following: a. You can better judge the kind of shot your opponent is likely to play b. You will get the first idea of where your opponent’s shot is going when the ball leaves his racquet. c. You can gather information on the direction, the trajectory, the speed and the height of the shot d. By processing all this information in a split second your brain will calculate where you will need to be to meet the ball. If you wait to see the ball come off of the front wall you have lost about half of the valuable trajectory input necessary to accurately judge the shot played. You have also lost valuable time that could have you onto the ball quickly thereby speeding up the game and putting your opponent under pressure. By only watching the front wall, you will only have the sound of your opponent hitting the ball or the ball coming into your peripheral vision to react too. This will often have your feet moving late and could have you “overrunning” the ball or not getting to your opponent’s tight shots. Only by watching the ball can you anticipate the kind of shot your opponent is intending to hit. If you are turning your head back to the front wall before impact of the ball onto your opponents racket you are not anticipating, you are guessing! To volley well you need to see the ball early and intercept it early. If you learn to anticipate if they’re driving, dropping, boasting or going cross-court then that is half the battle right there. Anticipation only works with watching the ball when it is behind you. Research demonstrates that “expert” players can predict their opponent’s shot to a very high accuracy level up to 600 milliseconds before impact. Important clues for making anticipatory decisions are : 1. Movement of the arm and racquet before impact 2. Flight of the ball immediately after impact. 3. Probability – the opponent’s strategic habits, the opponent’s technical abilities and his/her court position 4. Postural position of the opponent It has been proven that expert players do not have better “vision” than beginners nor do they look at different clues to beginners on which to base their decision about what is about to happen, they just make better use of the information available to them and can therefore anticipate better. Anticipation is: a. predicting the bounce of the ball, b. predicting the pace of the ball through the air c. ability to read the angle of the racket and arm d. make better tactical decisions e. gives you more time These skills become automatic with experience but are developed by playing many matches. They allow for better movement, speed and rhythm around the court. Watching the ball when it is behind you is vital for movement and improving your speed around the court without getting any faster physically. I believe watching the ball well will get you way faster around the squash court than getting physically faster. Only through consistently watching the ball coming off your opponent’s racquet when the ball is behind you in the back court will you learn the rhythm of how to move around the squash court. By watching the ball you can also play safer and avoiding decisions against you. Watching helps you getting out of the way of the racket swing, and ball, while your opponent is returning the shot. Without watching the ball your progress will be limited and can be dangerous. Watch the ball and if you are too close or within the “line of fire” move out of the way, but do not take your eye off the ball. You can’t always go back to the T when you hit a loose shot. Move your T position if necessary. The downside of not watching the ball when your opponent is behind, is that you may be guilty of not clearing, and even worse, not attempting to clear. That can be the difference between a stroke and a let. ”
2019 Calendar
2019 Calendar Summer League 2018/2019 Finishes 12 Feb 2019 Arcelor Mittal Closed Championships 18-28 Feb 2019 Monday, Tuesday & Thursday Evenings Arcelor Mittal Squash Club, Vanderbijlpark Vaal Closed Championships 04-14 March 2019 Monday, Tuesday & Thursday Evenings Arcelor Mittal Squash Club, Vanderbijlpark National Doubles 12-16 March 2019 Parkview Masters Nationals 4-7 April 2019 Parkview Winter League Start 9 April 2019 Tuesday & Thursday Evenings Arcelor Mittal Squash Club, Vanderbijlpark Doubles Winter League Start 8 April 2019 Monday Evenings Arcelor Mittal Squash Club, Vanderbijlpark SACD 8 – 12 May 2019 Boland Dave Short 31 May – 2 June 2019 Pietermaritzburg Squash SA convention 29-Jul-19 Johannesburg SA Masters 7 – 11 September 2019 Pretoria Mielieland 11-13 October 2019 Potchefstroom Vaal Open Championships 21-31 October 2019 Monday, Tuesday & Thursday Evenings Arcelor Mittal Squash Club, Vanderbijlpark Vaal Triangle Year End Function 1/11/2019 Arcelor Mittal Squash Club, Vanderbijlpark Masters Doubles 6– 10 November 2019 East London Summer League 2019/2020 start 2019/11/05 Tuesday & Thursday Evenings Arcelor Mittal Squash Club, Vanderbijlpark
2018 VT Closed champs results
Prizes 2018 Pool A Winner Declan Silver Pool A Runner-up Andy McMahon Pool A Third Place Pieter Lategan Pool A Plate winner DJ Ntsala Pool A Plate Runner Up Gert du Preez Pool B Winner Mohammad Ravat Pool B Runner-up Madjone Engelbrecht Best Lady B Lara Hartzenberg Most Improved Tertius Moolman
2017 Prizegiving
2017 Prizegiving
Great Squash Played in 2017 Closed Championships
Vaal Triangle Squash hosted the annual closed championships generously sponsored this year by Proconics (Pty) Ltd. As usual, the squash was extremely competitive and over the two weeks of the championships, some really tough games were played. 64 Players contested the championships and a lot of new talent was unearthed. A number of juniors participated and looking at their results the future of squash in the Vaal Triangle is rosy. The final was contested by Declan Silver and Andrew McMahon and after a hard fought 4 game final Declan was crowned champion for 2017. The Best Lady was Reese Thompson who is a junior. In the picture, we have – Kneeling L to R – Reese Thompson (Best Lady), Andrew McMahon (Runner-up Pool A), Declan Silver (VT Champion). Standing L to R – Albert vd Berg (Winner Plate Pool B), Costa Synodinos (Winner Plate Pool A), Andries de Ridder (Runner-up Plate Pool A), Jaques Joubert (Winner Pool B), Bernard Pienaar (Epic Game Pool A), Hans Suurd (Proconics), Hugh Ramsden (Runner-up Plate Pool B), Andrich de Ridder (Most Improved Player), Thanks, Graham Hocknell 083 468 1380
Vaal Closed Champs Prize Winners
Prize winners Pool A Winner Declan Silver Pool A Runner-up Andy McMahon Pool A Plate winner Cost Synodinos Pool A Plate Runner Up Andries de Ridder Pool B Winner Jaques Joubert Pool B Runner-up Tertius Moolman Pool B Plate winner Albert Van Den Berg Pool B Plate Runner-up Hugh Ramsden Best Lady B Reese Thompson Most Improved Andrich de Ridder Most Squash Sean Calitz Titanic match of the tournament A section Bernie Pienaar Titanic match of the tournament B section Deon Groenewald Sponsor: Proconics
2016 Prize Giving
Schools League 2016 1st League Winners Parys 2 Martin Lindeque, Charlotta Loggenberg, Joe Meyer, Giovanni de Swardt. 2nd League Winners Parys Juniors 1 Lukas Meyer, Reese Thompson, Enrico de Swardt, Elske Garbers. 3d League Winners Transvalia 3 Marthinus van Schalkwyk, Chris van Niekerk, Douw du Preez, Tertius Buys. 4th League Winners Transvalia 5 Rudiger van Huyssteen, Gerrit Coetzer, Reinard Jordaan, Gift Moeti. 5th League Winners Transvalia 6 Chris de Klerk, Kehan Barkhuizen, GR Fivaz, Giovanni Bruni. 6th League Winners Driehoek 3 Ian Coetzee, Juan Vorster, Ruan van Zyl, Suné van der Berg. Summer League 2015/16 Runners Up: Rhinos Olivier Schoeman, Jaques Joubertm, Michael Redelinghuis, Barry van Schalkwyk, Reinhardt Marx. Winners: Crocodiles Costa Synodinos, Toby Antony, Dietmar Nast, Andre Duvenhage, Ted Wenger. Winter League 2016 3d League Runners Up: Mittal M Mark Gulbis ©, Michael Bekker, Ted Wenger, Roy Downes. Winners: Mittal L Riana Viljoen ©, Andrich de Ridder, Elmarie Breytenbach, Louis du Plessis, Bianca Valentin, Anish James. 2nd League Runners Up: Riviera D Jaques Joubert, Ryno Button, Conrad Bester, Barry v Schalkwyk, Louis van Heerden. Winners: Parys C Robert Thompson ©, Lialma Sinclair, Reese Thompson, Almari Claassen. Reserve League Runners Up: Mittal G Simon Sebueng, DJ Ntsala, Christo Broodryk, Gustav Jordaan, Peter van Wyk. Winners: Sasol B (also winners 2015) Corni Jacobs, Sean Calitz ©, Eugene Crous, Alan Papas, Hans Suurd. 1st League Runners Up: Mittal B Reinhardt Venter, Eben Pretorius, Johan Erasmus, Ernie Strydom. Winners: Sasol A (also winners 2015) Charles Roets, Neels Visser, Gert du Preez ©, Pieter Lategan. Winter Doubles League 2016 Mixed Doubles Runners Up: Teaminator Michelle Botha, Alan Papas. Winners: Road Runners (also winners 2015) Ernie Strydom, Madeleyn Engelbrecht. Men’s Doubles B Section Runners Up: Almost Old Carinus Bezuidenhout, Graham Hocknell. Winners: Peroni Peter van Wyk, Gustav Jordaan. Men’s Doubles A Section Runners Up: Drop Shots Vladi Djurek, Herman Claassen. Winners: Spider Pigs Warren Gomez, James Woodroffe. 2016 Vaal Triangle Closed Championships Runner Up: Johan Erasmus Winner: Andrew McMahon Best Lady: Lara Hartzenberg Plate Winner: Lara Hartzenberg B Section Winner: Hendry Coetzee Mielieland 24 Players/4 Teams entered. SA Country Districts Winners Festival Section Vaal Triangle Ladies B Runner Up Country Districts Section Vaal Triangle Ladies A 2016 Vaal Triangle Open Championships Pool A Winner Declan Silver Pool A Runner-up Patrick Khumalo Pool A Plate winner Vladi Djurak Pool B Winner Mark Randall Pool B Runner-up Vince Venter Pool B Plate winner Andrich de Ridder Best Lady Madeleyn Engelbrecht MASTERS TOURNAMENTS Dave Short Masters 18 VT Players/ 5 Teams entered World Masters 2016 20 Individual VT Players entered Masters IPT Doubles 2016 6 Players entered – Graham to provide Special Awards Vaal Triangle Colours: Heinie Rutkowski Lialma Sinclair Monique du Plessis Sean Calitz Elmarie Breytenbach Madeleen Fourie Simon Sebueng The ‘Dick Van Schelt’ Trophy For Veterans Squash: Philip Scholz SERVICE TO SQUASH: Bernard Pienaar MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Andrew McMahon MOST IMPROVED PLAYER: Martin Lindeque
Squash SA Urgent Announcement
At the Annual Convention held on Saturday 2nd July it was agreed by all the provinces present that they would inform Squash South Africa of the number of members in their clubs who should be registered on Squash South Africa’s Registration scheme. A number of clubs particularly in Western Province and Eastern Province have chosen to do bulk uploads. For the correct form please contact Lynette Swanepoel info@squashsa.co.za and she can assist you. Please return the attached form by Friday 22nd July . Please encourage your clubs and members to register. More than half the year has gone and time is running out. WE urgently need those numbers as well as paid up registrations. The National Women’s team will not be able to go to the World Championships in December as so far there are nowhere enough funds to pay for them. To those who attended the Convention and Annual General Meeting a sincere thank you. To all those who are really supporting the Squash South Africa Registration scheme Thank you. Annual Fees are: Tournament and league players –R120 Social Players – R80 Juniors not playing Tournament or League – R40 Developmental Players – R0
Juniors Individual championship
Here are the results from the 2016 Juniors Individual Championships. Congrats! Winner Pool A Duan Claassen Runner-up Pool A Henco Gerber Winner Plate Douw du Preez Runner-up Plate Arno Cory Winner Pool B Rudi Hanekom Runner-up Pool B Wihan Dafue Winner Plate GP Pretorius Runner-up Plate Brendan Maritz Best Lady Bianca Valintin Runner-up Ladies Zelda Wiese
League Fixtures for 2016
Here are the fixtures for the 2016 league: 1st League 2nd League 3rd League Reserve League Good luck and enjoy every second of it!