By Alan Thatcher
Contributing Editor

COACHING PHILOSOPHY: WHY HONESTY IS ALWAYS THE BEST POLICY

Peter Nicol continues to be a magnificent ambassador for the game of squash.

He was a brilliant world champion, held the number one spot in the PSA rankings for more than five years, and brought something special and precious to the game: Honesty.

I would like you to ponder over that thought for a moment. Yes, honesty.

You can learn all you like about fitness and movement, learn a dozen different ways to hold a racket and hit the ball, but, above all, the most important thing that will affect your game is your brain and how you use it.

Squash has a variety of different ways in which you can bend the rules. You can scrape the ball off the floor after it has bounced twice and desperately play on. You can try to get away with it if you serve a fault or hit the ball half an inch out of court.

You can ask for a let when you know you wouldn’t stand a cat in hell’s chance of reaching your opponent’s shot.

I could go on, but I am sure you get the drift by now.

In short, if you did any of the things listed above you would be guilty of cheating. Yes, CHEATING. Let’s stick it up in BIG capital letters so you understand.

CHEATING.

It’s awful. It stinks. It should have no place in squash.

Just imagine if you did pick up a double bounce and you played on, and won the match. You will remember, in five minutes, five months, and probably five years, that you cheated to gain that victory. And so will your opponent and the people watching you from the gallery.

Cheating, and arguments about on-court behaviour, damage the integrity and appeal of our sport, no matter what level you play at.

Now let’s focus on the opposite side of the coin and concentrate on honesty, and how it will really help you to improve your game.

If you know you picked up a double bounce, if you know you served a fault, if you know you hit the ball out, here’s what you do: You instantly, immediately, GIVE THAT POINT AWAY.

Why? Because you have already lost the rally.

Don’t try to argue your way back into the game and claim your shot was good when it wasn’t.

If you do, you are nothing more than a cheating, miserable punk. And, if I was coaching you, I would kick you off court straight away.

But there is much, much more to it than that. Honesty can give you a massive psychological boost. Honesty will make you a better player. Here’s why. Because if you give that point away, in the circumstances described above, then you can instantly focus on your next shot.

If you remove the anxiety and hassle of arguing over the legality of certain shots, you will IMPROVE YOUR CONCENTRATION.

We have roughly 1.5 seconds between shots in squash, and much less if players volley. So anything that can help you concentrate has to be a good thing.

When players get embroiled in discussions with opponents and referees you can usually tell what’s going to happen next. They lose the next two or three points very quickly because they have lost their focus, lost their concentration.

Get the picture?

Now let’s get back to that amazing champion Peter Nicol. In 1998 he lost the final of the British Open to Jansher Khan.

Peter pushed the Pakistani legend to the limit, but the match was littered with lets and Jansher knew enough tricks to block the young man who was destined to take over from him as world number one.

Peter went away and spent the summer months working on a solution with his coach, Neil Harvey. In short, Peter decided to ignore the interference, to get to every ball and play the shot, no matter how bad the blocking. The last thing a blocker wants is for you to actually get round him and play the ball. But that’s what Peter did, no matter who he was up against.

His honesty was the crowning glory of a phenomenal game, and his honesty and sportsmanship was his lasting legacy to the sport.

Wouldn’t you like to play like Peter Nicol?

I interviewed Peter before the prizegiving ceremony at the British Junior Championships a couple of years ago and asked him if he had any message for the young players gathered around us.

He said: “Yes, simply this: Always remember why you took up this sport in the first place and enjoy it. The most important thing is to love the sport and enjoy your squash whatever your ambitions and whatever your ability.”

He didn’t mention winning, or pushy parents. I’ll save that one for another time.

Read Previous Issues of The First Word
   A Love That Never Dies 
   Every Racket Tells a Story 
   Squash Phrases & Jargon


About the Author:  Alan Thatcher is a journalist, event promoter and TV commentator.  Alan recently joined Squash360.com as Contributing Editor.  Come back each Monday as Alan offers his unique insight into the sport.  In the weeks and months ahead Alan will interview key figures in the game and share plenty of stories from down the years.

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