What's On My Mind
by Richard Millman

November 6th, 2014


Evolution

As I grow older, slowly - some would say very slowly, I am learning to make more informed decisions for the good of the community rather than just myself.

It's taken a while but I have finally realized that by doing this it is usually of greater benefit to me also in the long run.

Like my decision making, our sport is also evolving. People are forever thinking about the way forward: better rules, better organization, more efficient movement, better stroke  production, better equipment, better TV coverage etcetera.

Squash is, in my opinion, still very young as a sport with a long way to go. Almost none of the ideas in the sport have been held to any kind of empirical testing. Most of what we hear is opinion, albeit based  on experience, but with little proof of either logic or rationale as would be expected of ideas in an academic setting.

Naturally when hearing this opinion there will be a great deal of puffing up of the chest and defensive protestation. But also very little attempt to change the situation and almost no interest in actually holding traditional ideas up to the candle of real logic.

Part of the reason that opinion and surmise continues to survive is a lack of funding. In other spheres where there is plenty of finance, there is less room for charismatic personalities to force their opinions through because those communities hold ideas to a higher standard of proof.

The PSA and WSA are merging and I for one am happy about this particular piece of evolution. I think the women joining the men is the best chance for Men's Squash and Women's Squash to move forward as I think the women will bring common sense to the table and perhaps more consideration of policy and leadership.
 
Like it or not, the Squash playing world takes its lead from the PSA and WSA. This is a big responsibility, especially when one considers that these are associations for young athletes run in the main by slightly older though still quite young former athletes.

So how seriously do these associations take their responsibilities? And how  well qualified are they to judge what constitutes responsible behavior.

In the USA in all sport including Squash, some estimates suggest the annual cost of eye injuries is between $175million and $200 million.

In Canada, before eye protection became mandatory, Squash was the number one culprit for sports eye injuries. After Squash Canada made eye protection mandatory, Squash completely disappeared from the ranking list of sports responsible for eye injuries.

In scientific studies it has been discovered that recreational players have a 25% chance of having a Squash related eye injury in their life time.
 
Loss of vision in an eye can completely destroy an individual's quality of life. One Israeli pilot lost his job, his pilot's license, his livelihood and his quality of life - through one Squash eye injury.

I know that many responsible authorities such as US Squash want to tread carefully in persuading the WSF and the PSA and WSA to come to the realization that their behavior influences the behavior of the Squash playing world.
 
I respect that view. However here is the fact: 1 in 4 Squash players without eye wear will receive an eye injury of some sort in their Squash careers. AND THIS IS TOTALLY PREVENTABLE. If the PSA and WSA and WSF make the wearing of protective eyewear a rule of the game of Squash - for everyone everywhere, no-one need lose their sight through a Squash injury again - ever.

I have heard it said that this is a personal choice. If people were not wearing eyewear in the privacy of their own homes I might sort of understand that, but if you are a public figure, vying for public competitions, viewed by the public, and respected by the public then it is not a personal choice. You have a responsibility to behave as a leader and to promote safety and behavior that is in the best interests of the community.

Freedom is only free if your freedom of choice does no damage to those around you. When the PSA and the WSF promote the playing of Squash without  protective eyewear they are contributing - whether they wish to or not - to the loss of sight of Squash players who take their lead from the sport's great players and the World's governing body and who play without eyewear.

Remember, if players wear protective eyewear in the correct manner, these injuries are totally preventable.

The SDA - a wonderful professional tour, has all its members wear eye protection. As a consequence almost no-one in the USA or Canada plays doubles without eye protection.
 
Ignorance is the primary reason for players not wearing eye protection. You are at least as likely to be struck by the racquet or the ball on a singles court as you are on a doubles court. People don't know the statistics - and so every once in a while a player who ' has never had an eye injury in all the years they have been playing' has an eye badly damaged.

Perhaps if you are Pro Squash player or an official from a ruling body who is allowing people to gamble with their sight  and you really focus your mind, you can persuade yourself that things are Ok the way they are. And the next time you hear about someone who has received an eye injury - make sure you look at yourself in the mirror the next day and think about how things might have been if you had stood up for them.

But like I said at the beginning:

As I grow older, slowly - some would say very slowly, I am learning to make more informed decisions for the good of the community rather than just myself.

It's taken a while but I have finally realized that by doing this it is usually of greater benefit to me also in the long run.




Richard Millman is an international lifelong squash professional - and husband, dad, grampa, writer, coach, player, referee, innovator, maverick, mentor, team player, thinker, listener, promoter, developer, retailer - who lives squash.

What's On My Mind is a column by rotating authors.
Contact: DailySquashReport@gmail.com



Back To Main