Randy Barlow
Squash.
Isn’t it amazing this time of year?
And no, we’re not talking about the delectable, seed-filled gourd that many families across the nation will be digging into next Thursday as part of their Thanksgiving meal.
We’re talking about the racket-and-ball variety, the kind played in the basement of Carmichael Gymnasium on most weeknights. The Squash Club, which went through a long stretch of inactivity, has reorganized and sports a roster of about 10 players.
“This is really our first year in existence,” club president Thomas Hughes, a junior in philosophy, said. “Last year we had sort of a quasi-year, but this year we’re really going to try and pick it up.”
Squash, named for the soft, squishy ball that flies around the court at breakneck speeds, is usually played in a 32-by-21-foot court. The court is marked with lines, including the front line, out line and service line, that designate where the ball can be hit.
It’s similar to its American counterpart, racquetball, except for the fact that the ball may only be played to certain areas of the court as opposed to all four corners.
Hughes said the sport was popular in his high school, which was just outside of Washington, D.C., but when he came to N.C. State, there was no organized squash team to speak of.
“Eventually, I found a small group of people who were interested in the sport,” Hughes said. “We just sort of gravitated toward each other.”
Leo Perugini, Hughes’ teammate, learned to play squash in Raleigh after playing tennis in his home country of Argentina and racquetball after he moved to Kansas. According to Perugini, a graduate student in crop science, the transition from racquetball to squash was an easy one.
“To me, racquetball is easier because the ball bounces much faster,” he said. “In squash, you have to chase it. It demands much more aerobic exercise.”
Although the club has not been in existence for very long, Rahul Godbole, a graduate student in electrical engineering, said it was recognized this summer as an “up-and-coming” squash team by a college squash magazine. It is scheduled to take part in its first match, against UNC, Saturday.
“N.C. State had been listed as an emerging team until about three months back,” Godbole said. “We are now supposed to be proving our listing by winning some tournaments. The matches with UNC next week are a hopeful start on that front.”
The team’s long-term goals include a trip to the College Squash Association Men’s Nationals in February, hosted by Harvard University. The team would love to make an appearance if it can find the funding.
“I really hope we can make it there,” Hughes said. “Some of the best teams in the country will be there, and it would be awesome to play against them.”