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It’s never too late to find your sport
- England Squash
- 4 min read time
After looking for a new way to get active, Georgia discovered that squash gave her more than a sport – it gave her confidence, a new challenge and the courage to step outside her comfort zone.
I was looking for a new challenge and wanted to find a way to get more active that I’d actually enjoy.
I’d already tried running, but quickly realised it wasn’t for me. I get bored quite easily, and running just didn’t hold my attention.
So when a colleague at work arranged a squash taster session at Northern Squash Club in Newcastle, I thought I’d give it a go. There were eight of us there, and I’d never even seen a squash court before, so I had absolutely no idea what I was doing.
The session was a lot of fun – and a great workout! I was surprised by how quickly I picked up the basics.
I’d played badminton before and a little bit of tennis, but squash felt completely different. It was much faster, with something always happening, and I liked that it kept both my body and mind busy.
By the end of the taster, I knew I wanted to give it another go.
A colleague and I signed up for a beginner course at the club. I was quite nervous before the first group session because I’d only done the taster and I couldn’t make the first class.
Luckily, Bob, one of the coaches, did a separate one-to-one session with me so I didn’t miss out. That made a huge difference to my confidence going into the group.
I really started to enjoy myself, and having different coaches showed me there was no one way to play squash. Being left-handed also gave me an advantage with certain shots. Little things like that made me realise I could find my own way of playing.
As I got more into squash, I started to notice a change in myself off the court too. Trying something completely new, and enjoying it, made me realise I was capable of more than I thought.
Bob’s enthusiasm for squash is contagious, and his coaching made me feel completely at ease. Even though I was a beginner, I never felt like I was terrible at the game or that I didn’t belong.
That really mattered to me.
For the first time in a while, I’d found something I genuinely enjoyed that wasn’t just going to the gym and working out. I was getting active, but I was also having fun and putting myself in a good headspace.
It felt like I’d finally found my sport.
One of the best things about squash is that because you’re always concentrating on the ball, you forget about everything outside the court, and you feel invigorated afterwards.
Squash also gave me the courage to step outside of my comfort zone. I was in a bit of a rut before I started, unsure about my career and where I wanted to live. I needed something new to challenge myself with. Squash gave me that, but it also gave me the confidence to travel on my own and seek new experiences.
I didn’t think it would be a sport I’d even play, never mind enjoy. But it’s ended up becoming something really important to me.
For me, trying squash reminded me that it’s never too late to try something new. Sometimes the thing you don’t expect to enjoy can be the thing that makes you feel most like yourself.
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