More about Counterattack

 

MORE ABOUT COUNTERATTACK

by Jack Barnaby 

July/August 1991

I've written articles about defense and how to counterattack. As defensive play becomes more expert it merges with and becomes almost a part of one's offense. I attack you and you don't just get my shot; you attack back so now I, in my turn, must scramble to get to the ball. Last month I talked about this and emphasized that both a defensive lob and a counterattacking shot depend on reversing what we usually are taught: get your racquet near the ball, as contrasted with getting the racquet back. This affects how you run. 

A track man uses his arms when he runs. He "pumps". In squash (and tennis) you do not pump, you run with your legs only, and your right arm prepares the racquet to play while the legs get you there. The upper body and arms merely stay balanced; they don't actually do anything until you play the ball. Many players don't realize this. They run like a track man, pumping with their arms. Usually this means that by the law of averages, the playing arm, holding the racquet, is way back fifty percent of the time when you get within reach of the ball. It thus requires a wild last minute forward swipe to get the strings on the ball. A sloppy shot or an error usually results. Haven't you heard that anguished cry, "Why do I miss it when I get there?” Because they got there but were not ready to play. Running like a track man is often the cause of this distressful result. 

In sharp contrast: if you run with your wrist cocked (so you can snap if you wish) but your arm out in front toward the ball (not back away from it) you will be much more poised, i.e. on balance, so you will execute well whatever you choose to do. Even more important, you will have options: you can tweak a drop shot, snip a quick corner shot, or snap the ball deep. You can even flip a lob (some times a good play). It is a wonderful feeling to know that you not only can get to your opponent's shot, but that you can actually exploit it as an opportunity. 

All that has been said in this article and in the preceding articles about defense and counterattack can be drilled. I recall a grueling lesson administered to me by Harry Cowles. First he hit a beautiful low reverse corner, out of his hand. He said, "Get it.” “I can't get that-it's too good.” “Yes you can. Get it.” So I crouched low, learned to start like a cork out of a champagne bottle and I got it. But that wasn't enough. "Drop it when you get there.” Now I had to get there not only with my racquet ready to play, but with my feet arranged properly also so I could crack it down the wall with speed and accuracy. Not easy. 

Running like a track man 

is often the cause of 

this distressful result. 

At the end of that lesson, I was totally exhausted, but I was inspired. Now, when I made a poor shot that came out, I actually hoped my opponent would make a corner shot. I figured, “If he corners, I won't just get it-I'll put it away.” Even when in a losing situation I was planning to turn the tables and win the point. No longer did I worry about getting there. That was taken for granted. The question was, what did I choose to do when I arrived? Naturally these new skills gave me a grand increase in inner confidence: I didn't care who you were. You're good, are you? O.K., I've got some tricks myself. Let's play! 

I was ready to take on the world. Of course, I didn't quite conquer the whole world, but I conquered a much larger proportion of it than I had before; I was a dangerous opponent. And the point to be made here is that a considerable part of my increase in skill was in the areas of defense and counterattack. They are areas of great importance and great potential in the development of a young, eager but green player. 

I can add two thoughts to this general picture. First, the game is more fun when you really scramble yet are thinking and planning under stress. It is also more fun to watch as attack and counterattack shift the advantage from one to the other. Second, women are not as fast as men, so it is true there are some shots they can't get. However, they can proceed on the assumption, “If your shot isn' perfect, I can get it, and I'll put it away if I get it.” Thus, women can do what men do most of the time even if not quite all the time. As a generalization, it can be said that right now most women are MUCH slower than their intrinsic potential. They ought to remedy this. They can do this if they recognize quickness and counterattack as an area that can be drilled and markedly improved by such isolated practice. 

Perhaps I should add that I was far from a super athlete. I was not one of these kids who could challenge, “Race you to the corner," and usually win. I remember when in high school, they tested us all on our speed in running a hundred yards. I also remember the guffaws and raspberries that greeted my best effort-sixteen seconds. Yet I became reasonably fast in a squash court so that I was known as pretty good at covering the court. So in my case, at least, it was definitely not talent. It follows that if a clod like me could LEARN to be quite quick, then so can everybody else, even if we do not get to be quite as phenomenal as Mark Talbott or Kenton Jernigan or Alicia McConnell or Diana Edge.