Tokyo American Club iNTOUCH magazine; September 2014

Wall-to-Wall Workout

Following the success of the Club’s three-day TAC Premier Classic tournament in July, iNTOUCH finds out what drives people to pick up squash.

by Megan Waters

Photos by Irwin Wong

(l–r) Peter Amaglio and Greg Lyon

18 September 2014 iNTOUCH

RECREATION

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kid boast. Mizuki. Kill. Philadelphia. Some of squash’s stroke names might sound unusual, but the game was voted sport’s healthiest by Forbes magazine a few years ago. The survey extolled squash’s ability to provide a competitive and effective workout in a relatively small amount of space and time. Despite the benefits, though, the sport’s popularity has waned since its heyday during the 1970s and ’80s.

Invented in London’s Harrow School in 1830, the fast-paced game was soon in demand, and the Titanic even had a court in its first-class quarters. Following its decline over the last 30 years, the sport has been working hard to gain Olympic recognition.

While it missed a berth in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, officials are lobbying for it to be included in the 2024 Games.

“I’m disappointed that squash is yet to be recognized for the great sport it is. If perspiration, elevated heart rate and effort were financially rewarded, then squash would be among the highest-paid sports,” says Peter Amaglio, one of four squash professionals at the Club.

Introduced to the sport by a friend at age 13, the Australian says he was “hooked.” He went on to represent Western Australia as a junior in countless tournaments before starting his professional coaching career in Switzerland in the ’80s. Since moving to Japan in 1991, the 51-year-old has coached at sports clubs in the Tokyo and Yokohama area and has been teaching part-time at the Club for more than a year.

“The most important thing about coaching is to analyze what the student is doing wrong and try to fix it,” he explains.

“I enjoy watching someone get better and being a part of their improvement.”

Starting with the basics of the game, Amaglio says it is crucial to teach students how to play correctly right from the start.

“Every student wants to play for different reasons, whether to lose weight, get rid of stress or improve their game. I tailor my lessons around this and concentrate on areas they want to work on,” he says.

The Club has been a hub of squash for decades. Members, from children to adults, can learn from professionals, join one of the “low-key and friendly” leagues or just practice shots and strategy with the Club’s designated hitting partner, Noriko Kamiyama, a Japan Masters winner.

So what’s the attraction of the sport? “For me, I love the intense adrenalin rush you get while playing, as well as the variation of shot options available during a rally. Squash is a very interesting game, too,” Amaglio says. “It’s physical chess in a lot of ways. You have to be a tactician and try [to] dominate the ‘T’ in the center of the court, so your opponent has to do all the running.”

Beginner squash player Kumiko Shimamura has been taking lessons for just two months but says she has already seen an improvement in her game. “[Amaglio] gives precise advice, which helps make a big difference in my game,” she says.

Playing once a week to help release stress, she has introduced her children to the sport, who, she says, have learned “strength and agility.”

A former keen soccer player, Greg Lyon was looking for a different sport to try. He took up squash in 2003 and joined the Club’s squash league two years later. He has since worked his way up to the fifth level. “The lessons give me something to focus on other than work and have helped me improve my technique,” says the Club governor, who takes lessons from Amaglio.

Although missing easy shots remains a source of frustration, Lyon says he enjoys “feeling that the time, energy and effort spent on improving is paying off” when he plays well.

Since squash is played indoors, Amaglio says it offers the opportunity for quick, intense workouts in any weather, at any time of the year. “You can get a good sweat on in 20 or 30 minutes, shower and go back to the office feeling refreshed for the rest of the day. All the facilities here at the Club are geared around that purpose,” he says.

According to Amaglio, a good squash player needs to love the game, understand the basics and be willing to practice. Those interested in picking up a racket, he says, can expect to enjoy more than physical health benefits. “[Squash] can teach you how to focus, it teaches you discipline and shows you how to be patient,” he says. Skills we could all use. o For more information on playing squash or taking lessons, visit the Recreation Desk or the Club website.

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