Aaaaand here we go again! Into lockdown for the foreseeable and that means back to the computer for Zoom fitness classes and match analysis. Whilst the novelty of the original lockdown has certainly worn off, this is still a very useful tool to have to keep in touch with players and maintain fitness and motivation. So, it's time to get creative with ideas to keep online fitness fun & find interesting new ways of analysing matches.
Here's a few ideas i'll be doing for my classes: 1. Quizzy fitness - ask 5 general knowledge questions during the rest time before your next block of 5 exercises. Quickest person to answer in the chat function gets to skip an exercise! 2. Fitness testing - I'm going to provide some competition in the group with some simple fitness testing. Broad jump, flexibility, number of sit ups and press ups in 30 secs are all easily measurable at home. 3. Improve my Zooming - I've added break-out groups and polls which allow my participants to interact in different ways during a match analysis call. Any other good ideas out there, please let me know! Always keen to keep things fun and informative. email: [email protected]
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Chris has started running a weekly instagram 'squash tip' on how to improve technically. Follow Chris on instagram @rydersquash. Here's the latest one as an example that had some help from club player @danielflower ![]() Keep eye on ball. One of my favourite shots in the long range backhand drop and this image produced by @danielflower highlights the technique. The way I like to play and coach this shot is to make contact with the ball very low, almost just before the second bounce when it's come off the back wall; well below knee/tin height so i can send it upwards off the strings and use cut to bring it down off the front wall, which i find less risky than hitting down on the shot. Hopefully, you can appreciate that I'm intentionally slightly 'off-balance' when I make contact and then you can see by my head height that I'm gradually standing up out of the shot as I look to link my movement in and follow up with a volley ideally! We're looking forward to getting back to group coaching now that England Squash have lifted some of the restrictions surrounding squash and coronavirus.
Both junior and adult groups will be up and running as soon as next week, 7th September. Try booking a class on this website to get you up and running again! Check out the latest guidance here: www.englandsquash.com/back-to-squash/guidance Prime Racketball Tournament 2019
Kevin Johns Prime staff are currently undertaking a 6 week healthy living programme. To coincide with this we recently hosted our third annual racketball tournament. Taking place at the Solihull Arden Club, 17 players from Prime took to the courts on Monday evening. The emphasis of the evening was to have fun, be active and try something new, however for some the competitive spirit took over. There were some competitive games throughout the evening, none more so than the semi final played out between Joe (from our audit and accounts team) and Jamie (one of our directors). After the game went to a tiebreaker the match was finally won by Joe 18-16. A quick exhibition match was played by Chris Ryder (club coach and former 33 world ranked squash player) and Jonathan Stobart (our marketing manager) leaving Jonathan a little worse for wear. The evening ended with the final been played out between Joe Laird and Matt Walker (one of our tax managers). Matt who had been dominant throughout the group stages and earlier knock rounds succumbed to Joe’s superior technical ability despite pulling off some amazing shots and impressive displays of energy. Prime Racketball Champion 2019 Joe Laird comments “It’s a great to get everyone down and have a game of racketball. Obviously I’m delighted to have retained the title and look forward to defending it next year!” Prime director, Jamie Skelding “We have a great team spirit within Prime and to have 17 members of staff turn up to a social event on a Monday evening is an example of this. Many thanks to Chris and The Solihull Arden Club for hosting us this evening and letting us use the courts”. Ismail 'Smiley' Khalil won the Under 11 national title last weekend despite only being ranked 7th in the country. He overcame the 3rd seed in the quarters, 2nd seed in the semis and the 1st seed, Dylan Kalar, in a tense final, where he recovered from match ball down in the 3rd game to win 11-9 in the decider!
Other members of the RyderSquash junior academy that were playing the event finished as follows: Hassan Khalil - U17s - 3rd Jack Awuye-North - U15s - 12th James Averill - U13s - 6th Ali Khalil - U11s - 10th Solihull Arden Club won the Warwickshire Squash League on Monday night with another accomplished performance, this time overcoming a strong Kenilworth side. The win sees the Solihull team lift the trophy for the first time in the club's history having been unbeaten since before Christmas and with a match still to play.
Victories from Canadian import Ryan Picken at 3, England junior Hassan Khalil at 4 put Arden in pole position before the result was assured by club coach Chris Ryder defeating the Kenilworth coach Guy Pearson 3-0. It was then left to the touring professionals at first string to put in a masterclass in guts and determination with Kenilworth coming out on top 3 games to 2. Club manager Robert Saffery said "This is fantastic news for the club; it's great to showcase the mix of elite junior talent being developed here alongside top club players plus the professionals who all train under the guidance of Chris [Ryder]" Another solid 5-0 performance last night from the 1st team despite missing a several players. For the first time this season we had to call up players from our 2nd team but they both duly won; 3-0 for Nigel Clemett at 5th string and 3-1 for Stewart Lynch at 4th string.
Ryan Picken, Luke Parker and Sam Osbourne-Wylde picked up the other wins. Our next 3 matches will be tough tests against the highest teams in the league and the crux of our campaign to win the division! Follow the results online here: warwickshiresquash.countyleagues.co.uk/ 21st January A 4-1 win over Four Oaks, despite a weakened team keeps Arden on top of the league. Team captain Chris Ryder out on paternity leave left Ryan Picken, our Canadian pro, to play at 1st string. He came up short this time, losing 3-1 to PSA player Miles Jenkins. However, the rest of the team stayed in the winning habit, namely: Luke Parker, Hassan Khalil, Sam Osbourne-Wylde & Justyn Claydon. 14th January
Solihull Arden first team were back to winning ways on Monday 14th January as two new recruits helped them overturn Coventry and North Warwickshire first team 5-0 to remain top of the 1st division. Rob Downer and Luke Parker have both been training at Solihull Arden in the Pro Academy this season and have finally got their call up to the team, both producing convincing wins. Rob produced the display of the evening with some entertaining and powerful squash that has become his trademark to dispatch Jack Turney 3-0 at number 1 string. Luke looked relaxed at number 4 string despite dropping the first game to Howard Lancashire, always a tough competitor. Luke's court coverage has always been excellent but now he is adding more consistency to his front court game and becoming a more rounded player. Picking up the other wins were Chris Ryder, Ryan Picken and teenager Sam Osborne-Wylde. The next match is on 21st Jan at home to Four Oaks. The British Junior Open 2019 was a fantastic opportunity for RyderSquash juniors to play in the best annual junior squash tournament in the world on their own doorstep!
In total we had 8 players competing in the event who all had their ups and downs but everyone came out of the tournament with plenty of positives and showed a great attitude throughout. Below are the final finishing positions. U11 Ryan Bennett - 24th U11 Smiley Khalil - 41st U11 Ali Khalil - 45th U11 Vinayak Chikerane - 61st U13 James Averill - 40th U15 Jack Awuye-North - 79th U15 Sam Osborne Wylde - 13th U17 Hassan Khalil - 20th A special mention goes to Abd-Allah Eissa who won the U13 event and provided England's only winner in a fantastic match that saw him winning 14-12 in a tense finish! Abd-Allah, who is coached by his dad, has been training at Solihull Arden Club weekly in the build-up to the event and attended our Pre-BJO elite camp. We send him our warmest congratulations and look forward to seeing him back in training next week! Solihull Arden 1st team included 3 teenagers last night as they beat Edgbaston Priory, who brought a teenager of their own. Ryan Picken, the Canadian 19 year old playing at 2 string won from 2-0 down, saving match ball to win 15-13 in the decider. Sam Osbourne-Wylde, England's u15 number 1, was equally as close, beating Edgbaston's head Coach Mike Edwards 11-9 in the fifth. Hassan Khalil, aged 15, won 3-1 at 4th string.
Arden's departing assistant coach Josh Saysell finished his final match for Arden with a 100% win record this season. Josh is leaving to coach in Connecticut, Ohio and many of the club members came down to watch his final match. The evening was finished by the 1st strings with Chris Ryder beating Edgbaston rising star Lewis Anderson in 4 games after a slow start. Not many club matches have such a plethora of young talent on show and it was great to see two more 15 year olds (Dom Bayley & Tom Watkins) performing well for the club's 3rd team on the back courts, whilst a third 15 year old, Jake Wild, represents the 2nd team. |
About RyderSquashRyderSquash is the squash coaching company of former professional player Chris Ryder.
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January 2021
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