If you play squash or know someone who plays, you know how obsessive they can get about the sport. Here are some gift ideas for the squash obsessed in your life–maybe yourself . . . I’ll add more as I come upon them, so check back occasionally.
- Buff headwear (sweatband) is my new favorite squash accessory. I usually wear cotton bandanas around my noggin, but during a long match I can go through three of them. Enter the ‘buff’ which is a stretchy circle of wicking stylishness. You can wear them in a million ways, including the ‘pirate’. Got one in lieu of a t-shirt on a ‘turkey trot’ race over Thanksgiving and it’s the next best thing since terry wristbands. Jack Rabbit Sports sell them in NYC, as does REI, and also online at BuyaBuff.com
- A sure fire way to get on a squash player’s good side is to get them a whole box of Dunlop double yellow dot squash balls (the standard for international softball). And their squash partners/opponents will love you, too. Why? Because a squash ball only lasts for a match or two and once it gets shiny, it really should be retired. But it ends up being used a lot longer because we rarely have a new one on hand. That’s why every squash player should have a box or two of these babies in their locker. Order a box (dozen balls) or two and we’ll love you until the last ball breaks. You can get them online or maybe your local pro shop will give you a deal?
- Shoes: I love my Asics Gel Domain 2 shoes in Diva Blue (and more 
recently, in Red Pepper). I have highish arches and medium to narrow feet. They lace up nice and tight, feel secure but light, and let me change direction quickly. I almost forget they’re there…until I look down. Most importantly, they make me happy. I bought mine online, 
but if you can find them at an independent store, all the better. Oh, and they also make them for guys in Jet Blue and this cool black/red/silver combo that I could only find on a Canadian site, but they ship free to the States!
- Doubles racquet: I just discovered hard-ball doubles this past year and fell in love with it, but I had no idea that you really need to play with a racquet suited for a bigger court and a faster ball. So I played with my singles racquet…until my arm started aching…a lot. Then a friend pointed out that if I didn’t want to get ‘tennis elbow’ and wanted more power and to place the ball better, I should get a racquet with more stiffness and strung much tighter. So I demo-ed a bunch of racquets and fell in love at first sight with the Harrow Jewel. Yes, it’s flash. Yes, it’s pretty. But it’s also super strong, feels just right in my hand, and the first time I played with it I was pulling off cross-courts and reverse boasts with an ease and accuracy that I’d yet to experience. I got mine from a generous friend, but support you local pro shop (CityView carries it) or get it here. If you’re not into pretty, Harrow makes a more ‘handsome’ and heavier species good for doubs, including the Syncro.
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Wristbands: I sweat. A lot. Some say it’s healthy, but when I’m playing squash all I care about is that my hand sticks to my racquet grip. These babies do the trick. And they come in great colors. Get a pack. Get a dozen. You can never have enough. I got mine here.
Apparel: 
I have way too many t-shirts, and I’m usually against the color pink…but for whatever reason 
I want this. Get it for yourself. Get it for a girl. Get it here.
And if pink isn’t your color, you can never have too many caps. In vintage blue. Wear it back and forth to the courts. And everywhere else. Check U.S. Squash for even more cool stuff.
- DVD of “Keep Eye on Ball: The Hashim Khan Story,” a 
documentary film about the first great legend of the sport of squash, Hashim Khan who grew up in Pakistan, taught himself to play squash in an open-air court, and went on to win the British Open seven times. Hashim is a gregarious and charasmatic figure and what makes this film so engrossing. To know Hashim is to know why the Khan family dominated squash for decades. The film is now available for purchase on DVD at www.squashfilms.com and www.squashgear.com. And it’s produced and directed by Josh Easdon who runs a terrific Junior Squash Program in NYC.
- Book: Run to the Roar: Coaching to Overcome Fear by Paul Assaiante and James Zug (author of the classic Squash: A History of the Game). Leading the Trinity College squash team to twelve straight national championships and a record 224 consecutive matches, Coach Paul Assaiante describes the finals of the 2009 national intercollegiate team championships and what it takes to coach young men from all over the world. Much more than a coaching book, it’s also a very personal and emotionally powerful story. Great for squash kids, parents, and coaches of any sport, but also for anyone interested in this squash dynasty. Fascinating.
For full review of the book, see my post Obsession, Addiction, and Reading a Book About Both.
