A 2011 study by Forbes Magazine ranked squash number one on their list of top 10 healthiest sports. This high-speed racquet game won the title for having the most complete body workout, yet many people don’t even know what the sport is.

The Forbes study showed that just 30 minutes of playing squash offers a well-balanced workout. The game forces an athlete to move quick with very short breaks between rallies, providing an impressive cardiorespiratory workout and endurance training. In addition, stretching and lunging for the ball increases an athlete’s flexibility.

On Nov. 16 and 17 the University of Saskatchewan held their annual fall squash tournament at the PAC, attracting some of the highest-ranked players in the province.

The tournament’s round robin format placed the 24 male and female entrees into four different draws based on their skill level.

The tournament’s top-tier draw included Tim Landeryou, the number one ranked player in the province. Landeryou won the tournament, beating out eight other provincially ranked players in his draw.

Will Chan, who narrowly missed the cut to enter the top-tier draw, won the second-tiered draw without losing a single set the entire tournament. Chan, a U of S alumnus, graduated with a commerce degree in 2004 and has been playing squash for 12 years. He holds first place on the U of S PAC squash ladder.

“I started playing when I went to the U of S. I switched over from badminton. Squash seemed like a fun sport and it’s a good cardio workout so I jumped into it,” said Chan.

Chan says squash offers so much more than a traditional gym workout.

“You burn twice as many calories as hitting the treadmill; it’s way more fun and it’s social,” Chan said.

He will be play Nov. 23-25 in the Saskatoon Boast at the Saskatoon YMCA. The Boast includes an amateur draw and is also a stop on the Professional Squash Association tour. The tournament will see 14 of the world’s top 100 ranked players play in a separate pro draw for a $10,000 purse .

Australia’s Zac Alexander is the defending champion of the tournament and is currently ranked 37th in the world.

Brad Bernie, executive director of Saskatchewan Squash Inc. and court manager at the PAC, says it’s easy for newcomers to get started in the sport.

“Basic strokes: forehand, backhand, serve and returning the serve,” Bernie said. “From there all those basics get better. A lot more shots stay tight to the wall and go the full length of the court once you’re beyond the beginner stage.”

Bernie puts on a squash night at the PAC on the first Friday of each month during the school year. There he helps new players learn the basics and invites experienced players to compete against each other in a friendly environment.

“It’s an easy-going atmosphere and, for first-time players, it’s a good way to come out and learn the game,” said Chan, who frequents the monthly squash night.

[box type=”info”]You can watch some of the best squash players in the world for free at the Saskatoon Boast. Qualifying matches started Nov. 20 and the main draw can be viewed on the third floor of Saskatoon’s YMCA Nov. 23-25.[/box]

Want the low-down on how you can get into squash yourself? Check out our blog for more info.

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Photo: Raisa Pezderic/The Sheaf