A Few Things I’ve Learned in 2013

By Peter Nicol

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Rivals throughout their playing careers, Peter Nicol (back) and David Palmer have both joined the coaching ranks. Palmer, long-time coach of U.S. Junior Open Girls Under-17 champion Chloe Chemtob, hosted Nicol for a week in Florida. During that time, Nicol further developed coaching insights of his own by gaining a better understanding of some of the things Palmer professes, including Palmer’s use of his index finger and thumb when working the front court.

As a player I prided myself on trying to learn from every possible avenue—from the best coach in the world, my opponents, and to a club player who observed a specific weakness in my game. However, in hindsight, I was probably not as open to other opinions as I first thought.

The reason why is fairly simple—self-preservation and maintaining confidence in my own game. To either admit I had a major deficiency, or that one of my opponents was far superior in an area, would be to potentially allow for doubt and, therefore, a tight win could be turned to a tight loss.

The reason for bringing the topic up is that in my first year as a full-time coach here in New York, I’ve learned so much and, without the need for me to compete, am also able to accept this and be open to new techniques and coaching options.

My overwhelming lesson learned this year from another coach and former rival, is to focus strongly on preparation, which includes racquet head, movement and balance. It was my trip to visit David Palmer in the summer to film for SquashSkills where I learned about his philosophies and techniques.

David had his players work on routines where they had to hit two shots in a row; this forced them to focus strongly on preparation and transfer of weight—the latter being something I use regularly in my coaching but never in this manner. It was very simple but incredibly effective. From there, David then would create routines and games that forced the players to be committed to hitting the right shots and be in position to return their very own shot. I have used this extensively over the last few months and created lots of varied practices incorporating the style to great success, thanks to David.

David also reminded me that squash is played for a minimum of three and maximum of five games. Sounds simple enough but all of his training and practice revolves around three to five sets. Whether it’s five Beep Tests (brutal!) or five sets of conditioned games, everything is match specific. I have always thought the same way but David showed me that being clear and focussed in this regard pays off handsomely.

This year I’ve also learned that using your thumb and index finger in playing touch shots is the key to much more severe angles, as well as consistency. Letting the racquet handle be connected more there, than in the palm of the hand, gives players so many more options with regards to where they hit the ball in relation to their bodies and then also, as a result, what type of shot they want to hit. I have always had a relaxed grip but never really focussed enough on the racquet being guided by the thumb and index finger. Try it and notice your newfound ability to change the swing in mid-flow, extend the follow through and, though you may feel like you are losing power, feel the increased control over the racquet head.

My advice as a player is that we all should be learning continuously. As a coach it is necessary to remain relevant and give your players the service they require—by continuing to learn from your own experiences and those of others.