Squash Vs. Racket Ball
Squash and racquetball are both sports that can be played at a recreational or competitive level and by people with a wide range of skills and abilities. Both games are fast-paced and provide a workout, and both are played indoors using rackets and balls. Despite the similarities, though, there are many differences between the two.
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Squash History
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Squash has its roots in an 1830 game called "Racquets" played by boys at Harrow School in London. They added an interesting twist to their game by puncturing holes in the ball, so that is "squashed" on contact. This changed the dynamics of the game, making more types of shots available and requiring more skill and stamina. The new version of the game soon caught on, and the school built its first squash courts in 1864.
Racquetball History
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Tennis and handball enthusiast Joe Sobek gets credit for inventing the game of racquetball, but not for its name. Looking for another fast-paced game to play, Joe designed a strung paddle, devised a set of rules based on squash and handball, and called the game "paddle rackets." In 1952, the history of racquetball begins with Joe Sobek starting the International Paddler's Racquets Association (IPRA). The sport became very popular, and in 1969 the International Racquetball Association (IRA) came into being, using the name coined by Bob McInerney.
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Court Differences
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The squash court measures 32 feet long and 21 feet wide, and a racquetball court is 40 feet long and 20 feet wide. A ball that hits the ceiling in racquetball is still in play; in squash, the ball is out of play if it contacts the ceiling. There are "out" lines marked on the walls of a squash court, particularly lines 19 inches down from the ceiling and up from the floor on the front wall. If a ball is hit above or below this line, it is referred to as "hitting the tin" and is out of play.
Racket Differences
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In squash, the maximum length allowed for a racket is 686 mm (27 inches), the maximum head size is 215 mm (about 8-1/2 inches), and the maximum hitting surface is 500 square cm (77-1/2 square inches). The string length can be no more than 390 mm (roughly 15-1/2). In racquetball, the only racket requirements are that the length cannot exceed 22 inches from the bumper guard to the butt of the handle, and that the racket must have a wrist cord allowing a player to attach it to her wrist.
Ball Differences
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The ball used in squash is smaller than the one used in racquetball. It is 4 cm in diameter and weighs 24 grams (about .85 ounces). There are four different types of balls to choose from, based on your ability. Blue-dot balls and red-dot balls are designed for beginners, white-dot balls are for advanced players, and yellow-dot balls are for experienced players. The color dot refers to how lively the ball is and how high it bounces. Yellow-dot balls have the lowest bounce. In racquetball, the ball measures 2-1/4 inches in diameter and weighs approximately 1.4 ounces.
Game Scoring
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A squash match is typically the best of three or five games and is played until one player has won 9 points. In racquetball, a match is best out of three games with a game going to 15 points. In both sports, the winner must win by 2 points.
Skill
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To be successful at either sport, you need a certain level of skill and fitness. The difference between the two is that in racquetball, as you become more advanced, the rallies become shorter. However, in squash, as you become more advanced, the rallies tend to be longer. This requires more strategy and a higher level of fitness.
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References
- Photo Credit racket ball girl image by Paul Moore from Fotolia.com
