Playing Your Best Game
I recently started playing Squash again. I have always had a love-hate relationship with the game and have sporadically over the years been in and out of the squash court. Usually, this has been without the commitment or indeed the skill to carry it through, and really play the game. Don’t get me wrong, I love the game and really thoroughly enjoy myself whilst playing but have never really stuck with it.
The result of this inability to commit has been an attitude or belief that I played the game, to retain a level of fitness, and indeed use the court as an outlet for both aggression, which on the court can be fairly harmlessly directed out, as well as a rather strenuous detox. Heart pounding, lung busting, sweat drenching exercise tends to help well in all of these.
My game was therefore not based on winning or losing but exercise value. It showed as well, a number of squash partners realized that my strength lay in my fitness and my weakness in my lack of finesse due to a uncaring attitude towards the eventual outcome of our matches. I was always beaten. My game was studied by my opponents and my inability to improve my skills was put to good use. Result, eventually all of my squash partners became fitter and better players and I doodled on along a plateau of non development. This also meant that they, over time got bored playing with a guy they could always beat and we parted company as squash partners. Result, the on off love affair and non committed approach to squash in yours truly.
An older friend of mine, Colin, came to stay with his family. He, his beautiful wife and daughter are old friends of our family and we had a fantastic time together in Dubai. Colin and I decided to work off some of the good food we had been enjoying, by playing squash every day for the two weeks we had together. So having decided to work up towards our first heart attack, I was thrashed the first time we played. Colin immediately took me to task and told me that my game was predictable. Every time we played for the next week, I was coached on what to do, where to stand, how to react and where to place my shots. I was encouraged to learn from my mistakes and punished in fairly grueling, and demeaning defeats on the court.
I was still losing against a better player, but under the guidance of my new found coach I was improving on a daily basis. My form, style and indeed attitude to the game evolved. I looked forward to our matches in the evening with a previously untapped enthusiasm for the game. Under Colin’s coaching my game had improved tenfold. I practiced on my own in the court, and went the extra mile in terms of devoting time, effort and thought to my games and practices.
There had been a paradigm shift in my approach to the game. I contacted all three of my previous squash partners and started playing again. This time with the desire to win and to excel. I was confident in my ability and had the goal of winning as well as constant improvement constantly in my sights. I would prepare for evening matches by visualizing and actively thinking about the game before hand. I would repeat Colin’s 4 magic rules of squash in my head and stretch my muscles for a t least 10-15 minutes before I warmed up in the court with my partner.
Result, I began to win, my improved game and change of attitude got me on an even plane with my opponents and the mutual sense of challenge and satisfaction for a job well done affected all of us when we played. I was a better player because I cared about my game and I wanted to win.
The overriding lesson that I took away from this experience, and one that I owe to coach Colin, is that we should never do something half heartedly. We have the ability to excel in everything we truly want to do, so why not really give 100% ? Really go all out for the stars, and try our hardest to be the best in our own eyes. I still lose squash games, but now I care. I do not blame, judge, make excuses or indeed lose sleep over the game, but I do care. I think about what I did wrong, where the game moved away from my control and what the score winning moves and tactics were that my admirable and excellent opponent used. I write my learnings down, and then move on to the next game, firm in the knowledge that I gave my best and have learned.
By no means am I advocating that we all have to try and excel at everything that we are faced with on a daily basis. But we should give those things we really take the time and effort to make a part of our lives, the excellent attention that they deserve. Action always helps and giving our best, going the extra mile, pushing the edge of the envelope in these loved choices is one of the ultimate high points in life. Thank you Colin, and the squash crew, for allowing me to share in this brilliant endevour.
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