Peking University, Oct. 25, 2012: October 20 is this year’s World Squash Day (WSD). On the previous night, over 20 squash fans and supporters of Peking University (PKU) gathered at the squash courts inside the PKU Gymnasium and took part in an exciting team competition as part of global endeavor to back the bid of squash to be included in 2020 Olympic Games. 

The players were evenly divided into two teams: Team Squash against Team 2020. Then they would pair up to play one game up to 20 points, sudden death. A group picture was taken with each one holding a piece of paper with a team logo and a large board with a 2012 WSD logo, showing the support of squash’s bid, which would be uploaded to the official website. 

Two squash teachers were also present to play the role of referees. Prior to the showdown, they explained the rules of a squash game before the students did some warm-up and morale build-up under the guidance of two team captains.  

The two captains were first to play. They were equally skillful and gave everything they had before the captain of Team Squash edged ahead 20-18 to claim victory. For the next round, the winning team would choose a player first and then the other team would choose accordingly. Eventually, Team Squash defeated Team 2020 6-5. Though some students are new to squash, all the players had great fun playing and sweating, just as the organizers of WSD pointed out, “First and foremost, everyone should relish the joy of squash on World Squash Day.” 

The two captains rallied against each other.

PKU students were not alone. The organizers of WSD called upon squash clubs all over the world to hold a competition in such format. The scores from every club would count towards an overall global result between Team Squash and Team 2020, thus to create the biggest squash match ever in history. The organizers hoped the total figure of competitors will run into hundreds of thousands, through which to show a tremendous global support for squash and the Olympic bid. Currently , the overall score is 6287 against 6087. 

PKU is among the few universities in China that have built squash courts on campus. PKU has also pioneered to offer students courses of squash, worthy of one credit. Currently, PKU has four squash courts, two in Zhongguanyuan Global village, and the other two in PKU Gymnasium. The latter two are top-notch squash courts, each with three transparent glass walls. Students can borrow rackets for free when playing squash in the gymnasium. PKU Gymnasium has also invited teachers to provide free open courses of squash to students, with the purpose of promoting the sport.

Extended Reading

Squash 

Squash is a high-speed racquet sport played by two players (or in doubles 4 players on court at a time) in a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball. For its fast pace and requirement of mental agility, it has been described as "jet-propelled chess". 

Squash's use of stringed racquets is shared with tennis, which dates from the late fifteenth century, though is more directly descended from the game of rackets from England. It was believed to have developed at Harrow School in England. In 20th century, squash increased in popularity and spread to American and Canada.

Squash also became a very popular game in many parts of Asia, especially in Southeast Asian countries. It’s only beginning to gain popularity in mainland China recently, while Macao, Hong Kong and even Taiwan have a large squash population.

World Squash Day  

World Squash Day was launched in honor of Derek Sword. He was a former Scottish junior international squash player who moved to America and was the squash champion at New York Athletic Club. He worked at the World Trade Center and was killed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks on New York, just two weeks after he became engaged. A number of friends got together to do something special to honor Derek’s memory and at the same time do something tangible for the sport of squash, hence the birth of World Squash Day. 

World Squash Day is endorsed by the World Squash Federation and a different theme is chosen each year. The first World Squash Day event took place on January 11, 2002. The theme for this year, 2012, will once again be to support squash’s Olympic aspirations. This time we will be backing the bid by the WSF for inclusion in the 2020 Games, which will be voted on by the IOC in 2013.

Squash and the Olympics 

Squash has been featured regularly at the multi-sport events of the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games since 1998. Squash is also a regular sport at the Pan American Games since 1995. Squash players and associations have lobbied for many years for the sport to be accepted into the Olympic Games, with no success to date. Squash narrowly missed being instated for the 2012 London Games and the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games (missed out again as the IOC assembly decided to add golf and rugby sevens to the Olympic program). At the 125th IOC Session in Buenos Aires, the IOC will vote on whether to include one of the following sports in the program: floorball, baseball, karate, roller sports, softball, sport climbing, squash, wakeboarding or wushu.

Reported by: Chen Long