Squash Tips: Gameplans - What they are and why you should have one - even a bad one!
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- Опубликовано: 27 сен 2024
- In this video I talk about gameplans, what they are, what affects them, why you need one and the things to consider when making one.
I also introduce a Traffic Light system to help you plan for some situations, I talk about the difference between strategy and tactics, Ask you to keep a notebook of the people you play, introduce a "Number" concept that explains why we lose points when we shouldn't and finish the a personal anecdote.
Phew! That's quite a lot, well, that explains why the video is nearly 30 minutes long.
As always, if you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to ask.
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Hi, I'm phillip. I'm an ex-professional squash coach and have been lucky enough to work with some amazing coaches and players.
Although I no longer coach squash professionally, I feel I still have knowledge and insight to offer. That's why I started making videos and hope that viewers find them useful.
I have plenty of plans and ideas for future videos, but I won't detail them here at this time.
If you have ANY questions about me, my coaching videos or this patreon, don't hesitate to contact me at CoachPhillipNet@gmail.com or even visit my website: CoachPhillip.Net
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CREDITS:
The music used in the intro is by Bazz Facey and is used with the kind permission of Marc Woolhead.
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☆ Please RATE, SHARE and SUBSCRIBE - Thank You :) ☆
Email: coachphillipnet@gmail.com
I can feel your huge passion to squash! keep making long & detailed video! =)
Yes, there is no denying I am passionate about it.
What a great video. The "Number of shots" is very insightful. Also the quick point summary is brilliant. Often someone will say I hit too many boasts and I don't even remember doing so. Recently I've been "resetting" while waiting for/doing a new serve and its helped tremendously. The summary will hopefully let me see a bad trend before it costs too much.
I am glad you like it. Geoff Hunt used to say that when you want to hit a boast wait. On the tenth time - do it. Maybe that could help you. Please let me know how you get on using the summary idea.
Hi Phillip, I am 59 and have played squash since my teens as a club player. I have two teenage boys who are really enjoying their squash now and I am trying to help them with what you have neatly described as a Gameplan. It's so difficult to get across but your videos have helped me help them. Unfortunately they don't have the attention span to watch more than a few minutes of your videos but I do so I am using your lessons to help them. This video is brilliant, it is an excellent summary of how to approach a match and exactly what I have been trying to teach my boys. Particularly when they are playing in a competition the idea of using the warm up and the first few points to suss out your opponent and then try to exploit a weakness is something I have been banging on at them about for ages. But you have explained it in much better detail than I can - thanks a million.
Thanks for your kind words but I feel "the idea of using the warm up and the first few points to suss out your opponent and then try to exploit a weakness" is very well put. COndition games can really help cement basic tactical ideas. One thing I would like to suggest is when one boy is playing, the other has to give you his assessment of his brother's opponent after the first 5 points of the first game. It might be easier for them to start doing without the pressure of actually playing.
Great video! Thanks a lot! The idea of red, amber, green traffic lights brought me immediate effects! To focus on first few points to set a gameplan is also great.
Great to hear you noticed a difference immediately.
Hi coach, you're right on with a number. My number has been around 5, and with some recent coaching and better footwork I've felt comfortable with long rallies, increasing my number to over 9, and have been beating people I'd lost to, by simply being patient, thinking length and lightness, and my opponents have all been breaking down mentally usually hitting tin. I notice in the professional game the average rally is 22 shots.
Great work getting to 9 from 5. Too many people dismiss this concept as simply hacking, but it's much more subtle than that.
highly underrated content!
Thank you for saying so.
great stuff coach... your advise not just applies to squash but also to everyday life as well! keep up the good work! keep the videos coming!
Yes, I suppose having a gameplan in life is important too.
Thanks Phillip - informative and enjoyable video!
You are most welcome, I am glad you liked it.
Greetings from Poland. I appreciate your videos very much.
Pozdrowienia z Hiszpanii. I am glad you like them.
Now that is COACHING ! Thanks coachPhilips :)
You are most welcome.
Very useful, thanks
You are most welcome.
Good day Coach! Since I have discovered your videos on RUclips and followed your guidance, my game has improved a lot. I still have much to learn, as I am only an intermediate player, but I am really determined to get better and be the best I can be. You are doing an excelent job in improving not only my squash, but a lot of other individual's squash too. Thank you! I hope you see my comment. Keep up the good work! Greetings from South Africa.
Thank you for your kind words about my videos. Don't worry about having a lot to learn - we all do.
Keep working smart and hard and I am sure you squash will improve.
Yo bruzzer
Some advice I can offer:
If you are Cape Towns side - make an effort to go see Richard Castle, Gary Wheadon or Milnay Louw.
They are all fantastic coaches who will help you reach your goals as well as raise & improve your game in no time.
Alternatively, find your local pro at the club and take it from there.
Always wake up and get on court with the intention of being a better player than the day before.
Train hard buddy!
-L
Great videos! Love the organized thought process, which leads me to my post and question...
I'm wondering if you have 'default' game plans for basic player profiles - an analysis checklist or thought process as a guideline to follow to help speed up the analysis process? I.e. Tall player - Strategy: start with high/low, short/long to expose movement and conditioning. Short fast player - Strategy: keep the ball high and to the side walls as not to open up the court. Drop-shot artist that hits drops off everything with incredible accuracy - Strategy: ???. Endurance player that never hits high-risk shots - Strategy: ???. Power player - Strategy: ???. I realize it's dangerous to generalize, but if you don't know the player but can size them up quickly in warm-ups and/or the first game to a general profile (and make basic adjustments to those profiles in your own game), it would serve as a good starting point or 'default' game-plan in which to build a more complete approach... might make a good episode! Thanks in advance and keep up the great work!!!
BTW, love the solo practice approach and will definitely be implementing!
Hi Pat, I'm not sure I am convinced that having a default gameplan for different styles of opponent is the right option. I've been meaning to make a video about whether we should be Diamonds (Only focused on our game) or Waters (Focused completely on an opponent). Often the best I have played is when I focus totally on my game and force the opponent to worry about me instead of the other way around.
We can often over-complicate tactics when all we need to do is the basic right and if we can't due to our opponent, then that's the time to adjust.
Anyway, it's probably best left for another video.
Phillip. thanks for the effort of doing this great videos. great stuff.
just for the record personally I try to have a game plan that oftenly is betrayed but my lack of precision and technique. I plan for something but the ball ends up going into the middle of the court. I'll will focus more on my shot selection next time, specially if is a red one. regards.
Yes, you raise a perfect point. Even with a gameplan, if the execution is bad it might not help, but it's like going on a journey without a destination. You might enjoy the walk but you want get to where you want to. At least you have a plan and can work on improving your ball control. Good Luck.
Thanks coach, that was a great lesson. I love the idea of the shot limit - it's true, we all have one. I try to fool myself that mine is about fitness, but deep down I know it's got to do with anxiety, which is contingent on a number of things. I have a question. Coming from a tennis background I'm very tempted to take any ball well out in front of myself after the opponent produces a weak response? How do I keep such balls tight up the line?
The answer to your question is both simple and complicated. I have been recording footage for a new video called "Bounces, Angles and Spin" that will cover it in depth but essentially, "the only way to hit the ball tight to the walls is to make contact with it close to the walls". That's the simple part. The complicated part is that you don't always decide when to make contact with the ball AND if you make contact more than about a racket head's width away from the wall you have to calculate the angle you need to hit it and where you want it to reach. Now, I love players to hunt the volley down and coming from a "Serve and Volley" tennis background myself I encourage tennis converts to do that but only if you are in the right position. Taking the ball early and taking it too far in front of you are two different things and it has been my experience that tennis players generally hit the ball too far in front of themselves.
Great video! I really appreciate it.
Thank you, you are most welcome.
Hi @CoachPhillipNet. Thank you for making these videos. I find them very informative. Question for you is that most middle aged men have bad knees or shoulders. What advice do you have to compensate for your ailing body ;).
PS: started my squash diary after watching this video :)
You are most welcome. I am glad you find them helpful.
With regard to your question, I believe that it is case of using our skill and experience to negate a younger opponents fitness and health. However, I fully recognise that it is very easy for me to type those words and sound wise but actually doing it in a match is a completely different thing!
If you are playing players the same age, then I suppose it's about damage limitation, as they will be trying to do the same to you.
Specifically:
* I would always recommend plenty of warm up - essentially you can't warm up too much.
* Slow the ball down as I have found that my speed around the court has suffered the most.
*Don't be afraid to use "less than gentlemanly" tactics: aim at the body (Not directly) as this make it harder for people to hit the ball hard.
* Use the serve to maximum effect.
* Lose weight (don't know if that applies to you but it certainly helped me.
Hi Coach Phillip
Thank you very much, I think you have opened my eyes to strategy and game plans for the first time to be honest. I have 1 question though. Do you ever read the notebook? or is the complete purpose of writing things down, not to read them later, but to train my mind to be observant? if so, is it necessary to keep the things we write down?
Hi Alexi, I'm glad I have started you thinking about strategy and game plans. In answer to your question, YES! I definitely read them again, but not as a random, abstract exercise, but before I play the same player again. I have always found that if you play leagues, tournaments etc, you normally play the same players quite a lot.
However, even if you never read the notebook again, you are right that the action of having to write it down improves your observation - it's almost like a self-exam.
Wicked! "You re nooot a professional" Now I ve got a question :What kind of game plan could I have with an aggressive and small player (As you can guess I'm quite tall so the "streching stragegy" is really good against me )? I think of a specific player who's playing lots of (maybe to much) winners like volley boast or deceptive shots. The opposite of my game and I think he understood that : I like to slowly buid points and not rushing he likes to kill the point in three or four exchanges He's gaining a lot of confidence each time his shots are good while I m getting more and more uneasy with my shots and it ends up each time with a frustrating and loosing game for me. Probably he's way better than me but as you said I want to make him doubt, make him struggle and not only suffer from his shots.
To be honest, I find it so hard to give tactical advice via text without seeing the player. Also, as a coach, I sometimes focus on the technical aspects of a player and forget to see the whole picture. What I am trying to say is that I don't consider myself a tactical expert.
Right, now onto your specific challenge. The first question I would ask myself is "Why is he going for winners so quickly?". Is it because he lacks fitness or is it because he is much better than you? It could be both! In general, keeping the ball tight should be your number one priority. It's much harder to play fancy shots if the ball is touching the wall. Next, it sounds like he is in front of you quite a lot, so let's change that by using the width and height of the court. If he is small, don't be ashamed to simply hit the ball high. Learn to use the height of the court and take away his ability to get in front of you.
For now, that's the best I can offer. Try it and let me know how it works.
I tried today your recommandations and I was stunned I didn't beat him but the game was tight. I m pretty sure that if I stick to the same game plan I can beat him next time. The worst thing is to struggle with mental issue and game plan really help you not be lost on the court cause things don't go the way you want. Thanks again Phillip
Well, stunned is a strong adjective. Remember, without seeing you or your opponent any advice I give is just a generalisation. But as you said, it's better than feeling lost on the court. One last point, the gameplan might have been right but your shots might not have been good enough. It's not my intention to blame you or sound rude but even the perfect gameplan implemented badly is likely to fail. ANyway, good luck next time you play him.
Well it is surely not the best game plan with this specific opponent. But a game plan even if it's not the best one helps me to concentrate and not be bothered by mental issues. I keep "stunned" as an adjective to qualify my improvment with this player. Thanks again coach!
Hey man
I can relate to you and your experience - I have been there myself..
My conclusion:
As Phillip says, a gameplan is all and well, but with bad lengths and bad shot selection it is likely to fail.
First and foremost - you need to be able to keep quality of drive/length while under pressure.
Very easy when you practice and stand still - but when you are running diagonals or just severely under pressure in a match situation you 'd be surprised how many balls you'll hit loose unless you've put in that squash specific training (or conditioned games)
This is where you're opponent is hitting the 'easy shots' with nicks or making you run the wrong way - as your you are out of position, dragged off the T and he can dictate you as he wishes.
Now I know how you feel about "knowing you can beat the player", its tough mentally if you know deep inside you can beat him but you just cant seem to do it.
A person I admire a lot once said:
"You don't need to play at your very best - you just need to play better than your opponent on that day!"
Be patient. Hit good lengths. And as cliche as it is, Make a conscious and concise effort to get back to the T as quickly as possible after playing the ball.
Remember: Accuracy beats speed all day. Everyday.
Warm regards in Squash mate
Cheers
-L
Masterclass, maybe we need more whiteboard videos
Thank you, I'm glad you like it. It seems though that people want on court videos, and if I am honest, a mix of voice over, headshots and real-match footage would be the best for this sort of thing.
Genial. Thank you very much! My squash has improved a lot since I watch your videos
That's great to hear, thank you. Keep working hard and smart!
great video coach.. specially the idea of how many shots are you.. I'll keep it in mind next time I play.. I have a question.. I am an above average player with a good reach but I lack the intent to go to every ball.. I like to end rallies quickly and if my opponent plays a good drop I usually don't even try to get it.. (I'm 6'3").. a lot of people who have seen me play tell me that I've been very lazy on court n not playing seriously.. what can I do to be more active on court and go to every shot?
Try setting yourself a "volley target" per game. Over time, increase that number slowly. Start with 5 volleys per game. See how that works.
thank you coach.. I'll let you know after I try it :D
Phillip, I find all your vids really insightful and very useful!, thanks for taking the time to post. I found the 'how many shots do you have' very interesting, as i have also found that extending rallies beyond my opponents 'shot limit' means that you tend to win more points than you lose, I am certainly consious of my limit and I try to tell my self to stay calm and not to panic when rallies go beyond it. i would love to know your views on executing deception and 'the hold', I do struggle when opponents use this, leaving me flat footed even when the shot played is not particularly tight and want to get better at using it myself. Getting onto the ball early and early racquet preparation seems to be the key, but would welcome your thoughts and if there are any drills that would help improve this skill. keep the vids comming they are awesome.
Sorry for the delay in replying. Simply knowing your limit can help you extend it. Also, don't be afraid to become slightly more defensive once you past it in each rally. That way, you slowly increase your limit (both mentally and physically) but also reinforce the idea of playing sensibly when under pressure.
With regard to deception, it's a video I have been planning. For a quick reply though, I suggest watching the moment of impact (not exactly the ball) but the opponent's racket head and also waiting until after the ball has been hit. Let them try to bluff you without you moving first and making it easy for them.
Thanks 👍😊
You are most welcome
You are most welcome. Let me know if you have any questions.
Thank you so much for the video, and for answering my original question! I'm certainly far lower a level than the thoughtfulness of my question suggested so this is incredibly helpful for me personally, and I'm pleased to say that I've actually tried some of the things you mention before. For me (and perhaps for others as well) I'm useless at using the knowledge I gather. So I'd watch the opponent in the warmup and see them struggle to get a ball out of the back corner. Eureka right? Sure if you remember that face when you actually play which I foolishly don't. I'm an amateur to the degree that I'm almost just playing myself in a match and forget the other person entirely (working on it!).
That said, I won all my games bar one 3-0 (5/6) in the last month and that was down to two things (for anyone struggling with the same as me, perhaps this'll help which is why I mention it):
* Discipline - forcing myself to have - and think about - my game plan from start to finish and not being afraid to adapt it if clearly it's not working (if you saw my other comment, the old chap I lost 3-0 to is one of those I beat 3-0 last month by keeping the rallies going and playing it short)
* Awareness - actually trying to play a plethora of shots (within my ability) at the start of a match. See what they can and can't do. If they're hitting everything, well, it's a 40 minute workout for me and at least I can learn from it, but if not, favour the shots they're weaker on
As Phillip said, it sounds so obvious it's unreal but squash is a very fast-paced thing and without discipline doesn't lend itself to actively thinking and analysing on the fly. Obviously I've got 1% of the knowledge Phillip has, but this has really helped me. Funnily enough my technical ability isn't much better at all - it's literally just using my brain that's helped me win matches.
Thanks again Phillip!!
Oh also thanks. I've been humming your intro tune for the last 20 minutes and can't get it out of my head. Looks like that's my mantra for this evening's squash match!
You are right, "having" and "using" this knowledge of your opponent are two very different things. But look at it this way - before the video you didn't even have the knowledge. At least you have become aware of the possibilities within the limits of your technical skill.
I can play left handed and if you were to watch me hit the ball with my left hand you would imagine that I would be easy to beat - WRONG! Even though I am just a beginner with my left hand I play the right shots at the right time (most of the time) and can beat people who are technically much better than me. In effect, I am maximising my limited technical ability.
And that is what you are starting to do - THINK, not just run and hit. Sure, in the "heat of battle" it's sometimes hard to think clearly but it's a process that improves over time.
You are on the road to becoming a smarted squash player, not just fitter and better able to hit the ball.
hi phillip first of all i have to say that ur videos absolutely brilliant and i just cant believe how u are not a professional . as usual loved the video. i just wanted to ask that what can i do as in the drills to improve court covering .
Hi Ajay, well, I used to be a professional coach but I started too late at 15 to ever be a professional player. Ghostiing is the best way to improve and I hope to produce the second part of my Ghosting video series.
thank u I will be looking forward to it 😁😁