Harshy Patel's Squash and Pizza night on Tuesday, 2nd March was an evening of much squash, and less pizza, soft drinks or beer. Games were biased towards the healthier side of life.
Some Tuesday night regular squashers were not in attendance. It seems the end of financial year is a time when (for many) racquet and balls are replaced by mystical "deliverables". A reality no doubt for some, far beyond that of smashing a rubber ball around an enclosed squash court. Mike Yetisir, John Lock, and Andrew Moore were three junior squash players who showed up to offer a stiff challenge to senior squashers.
Despite low attendance, much huffing and puffing was evident on the squash courts. Squash is not just a game of brute strength, as anyone who was chasing the ball around the court that night will confirm while playing against a bright junior Mike Yetisir. While the junior coach Brian Leitch could not attend due to out of town commitments, his coaching was evident in the highly effective style of young Mike's squash shots.
Devious squash tactics of Allan Symons and Al Okazaki were specially noteworthy. Observing a game between Al Okazaki and Lachlan Cranswick, Symons noted that Cranswick was unreceptive to Okazaki's drop shots. Lachlan eventually won against Okazaki, however, Symons used his knowledge to beat Cranswick with frustrating "Al Okazaki style" drop shots to the opposite corner of the court.
Profits of the night, for what was officially a break even event, would win one yellow dot squash ball for each junior player who attended. We hope these will be used to further prove that in squash, good strategy and technique can beat raw physical strength.
In other Squash News, retirees who play morning squash will be satisfied that their agitation against slippery bar soaps in showers has paid dividends. The squash director Cranswick has relented to supply showers in the DRCSC building with liquid soap and shampoo dispensers. May their euphoria be increased by their wins, and undiminished by their defeats on the squash courts.