Writes Nicholas Champness, Teacher of German
It happened on the Hill. The Squash First V undertook a pilgrimage to the omphalos of their noble sport, Harrow School, to compete in the first round of the National Schools Championship.
It is a fact little known amongst players of the noble game of squash that it was invented around 1830 at Harrow when some boys realised that a punctured ball ‘squashed’ against the wall and offered more variety to the game of rackets than the normal ball, which is more akin to a golf ball than a tennis ball. With such heady innovation in our minds, the First V made their way to the Tube in the sure knowledge that they were soon to be standing of the shoulders of squash giants.
Upon disembarkation, Neel K. (U6) guided us knowingly toward the knell upon which the School perches. The eponymous hill makes up for what it lacks in altitude in steepness. Reader, a sweat was broken. With our lungs exercised and our pulses quickened we greeted out hosts. The warmth of the welcome was only outdone by the warmth of the squash courts, already busy with action. The teachers availed themselves of the opportunity to talk squash with other squash masters. The opposition was threefold: Harrow, St Paul’s, and Haberdasher’s Aske’s. Thus, a local rivalry was taken to a national stage.
Having observed the opposition and studied their games, the boys began to limber up, ably instructed by the seasoned Master-in-Charge of Squash, Mr Hilton-Dennis.
The end of the initial games heralded the start of the play for our boys. Each boy played three games. Nishil M. (U6), our number one seed, faced some stiff opposition from his counterparts. Nevertheless, his game rose to the challenge, with many of his shots being met with an approving hum from the viewing gallery. The second seed, Neel K. (U6) was moving delightfully around the court, almost as if he were gliding over ice. He battled valiantly against his opponents, winning over rivals. Indeed, one of his games became so heated that he managed to break a ball. Josh R. (U6), the number three seed, had some especially hard-fought games against the competition. Ibrahim K. (5ths) won his match and showed great composure in the face of fiendish opposition. Finally, the dark horse of the First V emerged in the figure of Arjun G. (Divs) who defeated both Harrow and Habs – a great feat given this was only his second ever fixture.
Throughout the afternoon, the courts resounded with the din of squash. The boys had the privilege of playing the game in the place where it was invented. Each and every one of the boys displayed a mature and ameliorated game. The Masters-in-Charge of Squash could not be prouder of the effort and verve that was on display at this fixture. It was in such spirits that we descended the Hill and everyone made their way home for some rest and relaxation and an evening of contemplating their sporting exploits.
As the dust settles on the fixture, it can be considered a veritable success. The game of each one of the boys improved at this fixture. Furthermore, each boy showed sportsmanship with aplomb, ably scoring matches and complimenting their opponents on their game. All in all, this was a great sporting fixture enjoyed by all involved.
