Misc. Goodies

FAQs (Answers provided by L. Lye)

Q: Where can I get some squash lessons?

A: Well, that depends on your age and level of play. If you are a new beginner and under 19, you can sign up for junior squash lessons at the Aquarena in St. John's. The contact numbers are given in the "Where to Play" page. Both places offer lessons at reasonable cost. If you are over 19 or if you want to seriously improve your level of play, you can contact Barb Murphy for lessons. Barb is a level 3 coach and the former Canada Games Coach. Click here for her flyer. There are other coaches around who do not advertise their services. If you need more information on these coaches, contact Squash Newfoundland. You can also get some good basic coaching from various websites. One of the best is www.guide-to-squash.org.

Q: Where is the best place to get squash equipment?

A: It all depends on what you want to get. Many stores in Newfoundland, in particular in St. John's, sell squash equipment. SportChek a nationwide chain, sells a large variety of low to medium priced rackets, squash bags, shoes, balls, and grips. If you want the higher end rackets, Fun 'N' Fast in St. John's carry higher end rackets of well-known brands like Dunlop and Prince. They also sell shoes. Another way to go is through online mail-order. Courtside Sports out of Victoria, BC is one of the best places to get squash and other racket sports equipment. Prices are very reasonable and they are very reliable. Another Canadian company that specializes in squash stuff is Squash Unlimited out of London, Ontario. Their website address is www.squashunlimited.com and they have a very wide variety of items that others do not carry, such as DVDs, shirts, and shorts. They provide very good service and advice, and are very reliable as well. However, you have to add in shipping charges. There are also several places you can order from in the US, but you will be charged the HST and a service charge by the post office and sometimes custom duties. In some cases it is more expensive than getting what you want in Canada.

If you are looking for Karakal products such as rackets, their famous PU replacement grips, shoes, bags, etc., the Newfoundland dealer is Com-Adv Devices Inc. They have some of the best prices in Canada. You can contact them at comadvdevices@gmail.com or call Leonard at 685-0732.

Q: I just broke my strings. Where can I get it restrung?

A: That depends on where you live. In St. John's, SportChek does restringing for squash and other rackets but have very limited choices of strings. If you are in a hurry or you need your racket restrung on a weekend, you can also call Leonard or Alex Lye. They have a wide variety of top quality strings you can choose from at great prices, and they can arrange to pick up or drop off your rackets anywhere in the City or vicinity. They also restring badminton rackets. Click here for their flyer. If you live outside of St. John's, some SportChek stores might do restringing. However, they have very limited choices of strings.

Q: What tension should I use for my squash racket?

A: There is no easy answer to this question. The normal range is between 25-30 lbs. It depends on many factors such as the gauge of string, type of string, size of racket, style of play, type of racket, stringing pattern, stringer, type of machine, etc. In general, if you want better playability and control, use higher tension, and thinner strings. If you want more power, use a lower tension. However, higher tension also means less durability. The way the strings are constructed and the material used also play a part. Multi-filament strings have better playability and are more durable. Gauge 17 and 18 strings are used for squash. The higher the gauge number the thinner the string. A small racket head with a stiff frame may need a lower tension to give the same string bed stiffness as a larger racket head with a higher tension. Most professional players use a tension of between 28 to 33 lbs depending on the type of strings and player. The top of the line Zyex strings (e.g Ashaway's Powernick 17 or 18) used by many top professionals are fairly stiff and are strung at 10% to 20% lower than typical strings. So for these strings, 2 to 3 lbs less tension is recommended.

Rackets that are strung at the factory (those that hanging in stores) are normally strung at a much higher tension (30-35 lbs) because of the undetermined shelf life. It is advisable to cut the factory strung strings and put on new ones at a lower tension to suit your style of play otherwise you may be unfairly blaming the new racket instead of the strings if the new racket does not play well. The only way to find your ideal tension is to keep a record of what strings you use, the type of racket used, and tension used. Then try adjusting the tension up or down and see if it plays better or worse.

Q: I plan to travel to Mexico soon and would like to continue to play squash there. Any tips?

A: Mexico is big on squash these days. They produce good junior players and do have several top ranked women players. If you plan to visit Cozumel, Mexico, you should check out: http://www.cozumelisla.com/squash/entrar.htm

Squash Time Cozumel Club
75 av. num 100 esq 2 nte Col. E Zapata cp 77600
Cozumel Q Roo México. tel (987) 8691878

Updated on


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Misc. Goodies Video clip of an amazing rally between John White and Jonathan Power Video clip of another amazing rally Tips on Squash Tactics and Strategy Anticipation and Deception in Squash Physiology and Fitness Training for Squash Training for racket sports Core training on the ball FAQs (Answers provided by L. Lye) Q: Where can I get some squash lessons? A: Well, that depends on your age and level of play. If you are a new beginner and under 19, you can sign up for junior squash lessons at the Aquarena in St. John's. The contact numbers are given in the "Where to Play" page. Both places offer lessons at reasonable cost. If you are over 19 or if you want to seriously improve your level of play, you can contact Barb Murphy for lessons. Barb is a level 3 coach and the former Canada Games Coach. Click here for her flyer. There are other coaches around who do not advertise their services. If you need more information on these coaches, contact Squash Newfoundland. You can also get some good basic coaching from various websites. One of the best is www.guide-to-squash.org. Q: Where is the best place to get squash equipment? A: It all depends on what you want to get. Many stores in Newfoundland, in particular in St. John's, sell squash equipment. SportChek a nationwide chain, sells a large variety of low to medium priced rackets, squash bags, shoes, balls, and grips. If you want the higher end rackets, Fun 'N' Fast in St. John's carry higher end rackets of well-known brands like Dunlop and Prince. They also sell shoes. Another way to go is through online mail-order. Courtside Sports out of Victoria, BC is one of the best places to get squash and other racket sports equipment. Prices are very reasonable and they are very reliable. Another Canadian company that specializes in squash stuff is Squash Unlimited out of London, Ontario. Their website address is www.squashunlimited.com and they have a very wide variety of items that others do not carry, such as DVDs, shirts, and shorts. They provide very good service and advice, and are very reliable as well. However, you have to add in shipping charges. There are also several places you can order from in the US, but you will be charged the HST and a service charge by the post office and sometimes custom duties. In some cases it is more expensive than getting what you want in Canada. If you are looking for Karakal products such as rackets, their famous PU replacement grips, shoes, bags, etc., the Newfoundland dealer is Com-Adv Devices Inc. They have some of the best prices in Canada. You can contact them at comadvdevices@gmail.com or call Leonard at 685-0732. Q: I just broke my strings. Where can I get it restrung? A: That depends on where you live. In St. John's, SportChek does restringing for squash and other rackets but have very limited choices of strings. If you are in a hurry or you need your racket restrung on a weekend, you can also call Leonard or Alex Lye. They have a wide variety of top quality strings you can choose from at great prices, and they can arrange to pick up or drop off your rackets anywhere in the City or vicinity. They also restring badminton rackets. Click here for their flyer. If you live outside of St. John's, some SportChek stores might do restringing. However, they have very limited choices of strings. Q: What tension should I use for my squash racket? A: There is no easy answer to this question. The normal range is between 25-30 lbs. It depends on many factors such as the gauge of string, type of string, size of racket, style of play, type of racket, stringing pattern, stringer, type of machine, etc. In general, if you want better playability and control, use higher tension, and thinner strings. If you want more power, use a lower tension. However, higher tension also means less durability. The way the strings are constructed and the material used also play a part. Multi-filament strings have better playability and are more durable. Gauge 17 and 18 strings are used for squash. The higher the gauge number the thinner the string. A small racket head with a stiff frame may need a lower tension to give the same string bed stiffness as a larger racket head with a higher tension. Most professional players use a tension of between 28 to 33 lbs depending on the type of strings and player. The top of the line Zyex strings (e.g Ashaway's Powernick 17 or 18) used by many top professionals are fairly stiff and are strung at 10% to 20% lower than typical strings. So for these strings, 2 to 3 lbs less tension is recommended. Rackets that are strung at the factory (those that hanging in stores) are normally strung at a much higher tension (30-35 lbs) because of the undetermined shelf life. It is advisable to cut the factory strung strings and put on new ones at a lower tension to suit your style of play otherwise you may be unfairly blaming the new racket instead of the strings if the new racket does not play well. The only way to find your ideal tension is to keep a record of what strings you use, the type of racket used, and tension used. Then try adjusting the tension up or down and see if it plays better or worse. Q: I plan to travel to Mexico soon and would like to continue to play squash there. Any tips? A: Mexico is big on squash these days. They produce good junior players and do have several top ranked women players. If you plan to visit Cozumel, Mexico, you should check out: http://www.cozumelisla.com/squash/entrar.htm Squash Time Cozumel Club 75 av. num 100 esq 2 nte Col. E Zapata cp 77600 Cozumel Q Roo México. tel (987) 8691878 Updated on