My Journey in Squash

I’ve had an interesting journey in squash. I’ve been lucky enough to play all over the world in some spectacular locations. My path has been entwined with different cultures and characters from all walks of life. The idea behind Doughty Squash is to pass on some of the knowledge I’ve gained during this time.

From the grey skies of Manchester to the sunny shores of Melbourne, Australia, I’ve always tried to learn from the places I’ve visited and I’ve found it fascinating how the relatively niche sport of squash has sparked people’s interest in almost every corner of the world. Squash is an addictive game, no doubt about it. It draws people in and once they get a taste for it, they’re usually hooked.

I’ve been competing on the PSA World Tour for 8 years and in that time I’ve been lucky enough to visit countless squash clubs, study under legendary coaches and train with some of the world’s best squash players. And I’m still learning! I’ve recently reached a career high of #169 in the World Rankings and I aim to keep climbing whilst growing my influence as a coach.

It’s the people I’ve met and the places I’ve been which have had the greatest impact on my squash and swayed my decision to venture into the career of sports coaching. I’ve been fortunate to learn from some of the best.

I lived in Melbourne, Australia for a period of 18 months just after graduating from university. This was such a great time for my squash. The Aussies are sporty people and have a long history of success in squash. I was welcomed into the community by people who took an interest in me and I was lucky enough to play and train with legends of the game like Sarah Fitzgerald, 5x World Champion and a bunch of other great characters.

I spent a number of years living and training at Pontefract Squash Club under the guidance of legendary squash Coach Malcolm Willstrop. Malcolm had a great impact on the way I approach coaching. I don’t need to list the amount of amazing squash players he produced in his time. You only need to show up at Pontefract Squash Club on any given night of the week and you’ll see ex-World champions, Masters champions and future stars.

Malcolm’s simple and unique brand of coaching is something I’d like to pass on to aspiring players. ‘’take it in’’, ‘’DELAY’’, ‘keep calm’’, are just a few of the phrases which were constantly echoed down from the balcony above and deserve to be repeated in squash clubs for years to come.

I’ve been lucky enough to work with a few coaches who have inspired me in a similar way. Jamie Maddox, the enigmatic creator of the online squash community Squash Stories, is another.

Jamie’s energy for the game is unrivalled. He has an almost encyclopaedic knowledge of the history of squash. Barely a week goes by where he hasn’t managed to find an obscure topic to debate, posted a slightly tongue-in-cheek article or brewed up a storm of controversy over a current squash-related issue. It is fantastic for the game of squash. He’s a champion of the underdog and will be the first to point out any miscarriages of justice and that’s important.

Jamie has helped me hugely with my squash, his understanding of technique is something which has benefitted me a lot. His eye for spotting simple things and attention to detail make him one of the best coaches I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with and the time he’s put into helping me with my game is something which I hope to bring to my own coaching.

In more recent times I’ve been working closely with Andy Whipp, a former top squash player based in Manchester. ‘Whippy’ has a lot of experience playing to a very high level. His no-nonsense, relentless style is something I’ve tried to take into my own approach to the game.

I’ve also had the benefit of working with one of the country’s current leading coaches, Josh Taylor. His initiative ‘The Club’ has brought fresh life into squash clubs around the North West of England and it’s been great to see such a buzz about the place.

Doughty Squash is my endeavour to bring the skills I’ve picked up along the way to aspiring squash players of all levels. There’s a few exciting projects for me to get stuck into, having recently accepted a position at Rochdale Squash Academy as head coach. There’s a really good group of young players who are already well on their way to becoming decent squash players, thanks to the work that has been done before me by Eddie and Andy.

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for monthly updates

Lewis Doughty