A Profile of Squash

Where is it played?: Squash is played all around the world, in 153 countries.

Who can excel at it?: Squash is a great sport for all body types. The best players can be short, medium or tall; they can have thin or muscular physiques. The best players are very fit.

How fast does the ball move?: Since the racquet is 27 inches long and the ball is light, the ball can come off the racquet at over 150 miles per hour. Luckily, it slows down when rebounding from the walls.

How big is the court?: A standard international squash court is 32 feet long and 21 feet wide.

Is it an Olympic sport?: Squash is not an Olympic sport. Squash was the top sport in consideration for being added to the Olympic program for 2012, and may be added for the 2016 Olympics. Squash is among the Olympic Movement's list of officially recognized sports.

Who are some all-time great players?: Some all-time greats include the Khans (Hashim, Azam, Sharif, Jahangir, Jansher), all from Pakistan; Jonah Barrington of the UK; Geoff Hunt, Australia; Mark Talbott, from the US; Peter Nicol, Scotland; Jonathan Power, Canada; Heather McKay and Sara Fitz-Gerald, Australia.

How long does it take to learn?: Learning squash can take a lifetime. You can learn the basics in a year of play.

How easy is it to start?: You need court shoes, a court, racquet, and ball to start hitting and get a feel for hitting. To actually play, you also need a partner and some protective eyewear.

How much does it cost to begin?: You can get on court on a trial basis at a club for free, or for a nominal fee. Courts located at schools are often available for free.

How many players and courts are there? : There are roughly 13 million squash players worldwide. In the US there are over 1,100 locations where squash courts are found, and over 2,700 individual courts. Worldwide, there are more than 50,000 courts.