THE DRIVE
Hello everyone to, Harry's story time of how he is trying to play squash at a world class level.
As with everything great in life, it very rarely starts off great. My story started with me rolling my ankle and having my foot in a cast for 6 weeks. After starting to play squash on a more regular basis, I discovered it was a great way to get away from most things in my life. My life at that point consisted of very few things, Family, School, Porn and Computer Games and not necessarily in that order. I was 14 years old, wasn't super athletic and if I was not at school I was at home trying to get on our computer or in my room. Squash was the escape in 2002
Trust was never something I had with my parents growing up (don't think it is there now either) but the school bus drove right past the squash centre and since I was trying to live and breathe the sport 2 or 3 times a week, they didn't seem to have an issue picking me up later that day after bashing a ball against a wall. Also, the owner was under strict instructions not to let me leave the premises.
So after almost a year of playing Saturday morning Juniors and Friday afternoon group training, I was entered by the centre operator into my very first squash tournament, the HOLLAND PARK GRADED. The tournament itself is clear for me still. My very first opponent was Sam Fife, at this point I think he was a 9 or 10 year old prodigy of the sport. The format was 15 minute timed matches against people of similar levels, not age groups. Which meant go hard or go home, at least that is what it meant to me. None of this game plan bullshit or think about your next shot. Run and hit that was clearly the only way to play squash......... I don't remember the score but he beat me convincingly.
Many things were taken from that day.
Firstly, I needed a squash bag like everyone else. It was so totally uncool to have my squash racket hanging out of my school sports bag.
Secondly, I knew jack all about the game I was falling in love with. Seriously a 9-year-old, I was 15. He was a left handed 'little boy' whose mother when looking at the draw said “You are playing Harry Londy......... who is that?”
Luckily later down the track I became good friends with Sam and his mother. Sam also went on to win every national title known to man from the ages of 12-18.
Thirdly I met a lot of squash players that day, in particular the amazingly beautiful and tall Leanne Ward who I actually dated for a week and a half late down the track (go me! She also has never bested me in a game of squash). Also, two brothers, the older of the two was only 2 months younger then I was which allowed him to be in the age group bellow me. The younger brother was 2 years younger than I was I think or close to it, but the most import thing was THEY WENT TO MY SCHOOL!!!! these guys were absolutely amazing both of them were in the top 3 of their age groups in the country........... Zac and Jake Alexander
So after that traumatising Sunday event, school the next day was completely different for me. I had found something that I could call my own, because up until then no one in the school really played squash. It was mine, but not anymore. So naturally I started running into these guys at squash courts more and more and every now and then at school. We all became pretty good friends, but back then would have been happy if they never picked up a racket again.
My head which is still a very dark and fun place to hide, made the connection at 14 that I do not need to secretly dislike these guys. There were/are cool guys who were awesome at squash. How do I play more like them, what made them be that way? Yes, as time went by and we became better friends I learnt their father was a former awesome player and currently a state level coach. They had trained more times in the last month then I had in the last 10 months. They were playing with the big kids and I was still in the sand pit pissing my pants. I had to change something, I had the motivation I just needed the direction.
What I learnt from that all those years ago is that there is always going to be someone better then you. ALWAYS ! I could have given up because they were obviously so awesome at such a young age. That they were set on a path for greatness. A path that someone the likes of me could never follow or achieve........or could I? Why couldn't I have what they have. Age is just numbers I wanted to be better, I was going to make myself better, some way or another. I wanted more.
Within 6 months after the tournament that direction, that change I had been wanting came to my squash club in the form of a new centre operator and coach. The owner was bored with the business and was in the process of organising it to be developed. So for the last 2 years of the clubs life it was managed by one of the most influential people I have ever met and glad to call one of my very good friends. …. Marc Forster.
Stay Tuned readers for the training is about to begin....