By Mark Miano
Pictures by Steve Line/Squashpics.com
|
| |
There are many terms in the world today for describing the emotion of rage: exploding, erupting, losing it, blowing up, going ballistic, going postal, road rage, hockey dad rage. Now it’s time to add a new phrase to the anger lexicon: racquet rage. Here’s what seems to spark it every time. Take two athletic individuals with a tendency for aggression (males seem to work best). Arm said individuals with sword-length weapons forged from lightweight titanium or graphite and lock them inside a claustrophobic glass-walled arena. Toss a small rubber ball over the wall, then sit back and observe the murderous onset of racquet rage.
It is no little secret that our game of squash has a big problem with rage. From the pro tour to the amateur ranks, displays of brutish, boorish, bellicose, angry, aggressive and inappropriate behavior are becoming prevalent on court, with negative consequences for the sport.
“It just destroys the game and the image of the game,” says Rod Symington, a member of the World Squash Federation’s Rules and Regulations Committee. “I am convinced that one of the reasons why squash is not marching ahead is because sponsors do not want their names associated with squash. It’s not something you’d want your corporate name to be seen with. Would you put ten, twenty thousand dollars into a tournament when you’ve got this atrocious behavior?”
The atrocious behavior Symington is referring to is the overt displays of anger: yelling, cursing, throwing or smashing racquets, hitting the ball after points, arguing with the referee, arguing with opponents, storming off court, etc. All of us have witnessed such behavior and frankly, most of us have done it at some point or to some degree.
“When you’re on court and you’re matched up one-on-one with another person, the enemy is clear—they’re standing right next to you. So that’s going to up the ante in terms of anger and aggression,” says Dr. Steven Edwards, a sports psychologist at Oklahoma State University who studies anger in athletics.
Several other factors may also up the anger ante. Squash is an extremely strenuous sport, which can make it more difficult to keep emotions, especially rage, in check. When we’re gasping for breath and our muscles are aching and our shots aren’t falling, it physically and mentally hurts! The rules of squash, especially let calls, can also lead to disagreements because they rely on human judgment. During tournaments it’s up to a ref to make decisions, which is why they often bear the brunt of player anger. During club matches or practice play, decisions are left up to the honor system. In both cases, since strokes are often awarded just on a player’s positioning, it’s easy for someone to feel ‘cheated’ out of a point.
(To read the complete article, including comments from leading psychologists studying anger in sports and personal stories from some of today’s top squash pros, pick up the November 2002 edition of Squash Magazine. Also, read tips on how to prevent racquet rage.)
|
| |
|
