1. Over-space game:

• Find a partner
• Each groups gets one ball, two markers, and a racquet each
• Set yourself up on the court anywhere and mark off a distance of about 10 ft. between you and your partner
• Partner#1 bounces and hits the ball with a down and up action toward Partner#2 who is standing waiting to receive the ball
• Partner#2 hits the ball with a down and up action and stepping into the shot back to Partner#1…repeats until you or your partner have hit several shots
• Emphasis on stepping into the shot and hitting the ball in front—“hitting zone”

Also, try to hit the ball with the under-over action.  This will put some spin on the ball and give your opponent less time.

• with a partner
• each group gets a ball (tennis, squash ball etc.)
• find a space on wall and set a cone off the wall as a target
• begin without the racquet throwing the ball against the wall above the line and then progress to a paddle and finally a squash racquet
• partner #1 stands on one side of the castle.  Partner #2 stands on opposite side
• partner who has the ball bounces and hits the ball up using a forehand grip
• partner who does not have the ball lets it bounce and then hits the ball in the same manner
• objective is to try and hit the ball up, pushing off outside foot, and trying to have the ball land on the castle
• emphasis on always moving to be aligned with your partner and hitting the ball up to create more time and have greater control

• with a partner
• begin using hands as racquets and then progress to paddles and finally squash racquets
• Each partner gets a marker, racquet, and one ball between the two
• Identify an area with the markers and the racquet on the court, and each player go to one side of the markers
• Partner#1 bounces the ball on his side first and in the direction of Partner#2 who is on the opposite side
• Partner#2 has to try and catch the ball before it bounces
• Emphasis on trying to take away your opponents time, and also, to increase your positional play
• Racquet push down on ball using a “chopping” action which creates more spin and control—use a backhand grip throughout
• Hitting zone right in front—constantly adjusting to your partner’s position
• Partner should be trying to maintain good alignment at all times
• To increase your level of success try using an easier ball or bounce and hit first

4.  Keep up in the grid

• with a partner, in half a squash court
• partner # 1 begins game by tossing the ball above their head and partner # 2 must catch it before second bounce
•  let students device scoring system and rules
• to increase difficulty use racquets or enlarge space
• focus on pushing off outside foot, staying low, and partner anticipation

5. Crows and cranes

• Students stand in two lines beside their partners, with a center line between them.
• The students are designated a crow or crane. The teacher calls out “crows” or “cranes”, the students who are not called  try to tag their partner by walking, running, shuffling, crab walking or running to them, whatever the teacher has told them to do.
• students are to reach a safety or free zone before partner tags them
• Progress from walking to running.
• This is a good game for trying to anticipate a situation.

6. Bean Bag Shadow Lunge

• Set up a square quadrant and put three bean bags in the center.
• In partners, one partner pick up the bean bag and moves it to a corner, then moves to pick up the second bean bag and put it in another corner…, their partner shadows them and picks up the bean bag from the corner and put it back in the center.
• Progress from moving and lunging at a slow pace to a full out fast paced lunging.

7. Throw-Catch

• Get a partner
• Each group gets one ball
• Set yourself up on court in the service box and #2 waits to recieve
• Partner#1 throws the ball underhand against the wall…Partner#2 catches the ball before or after it bounces and throws it back against the wall…repeats until you or your partner earns a point.  Points earn if ball bounces twice, or goes out of bounds
• Emphasis on always moving back to serve receive position, behind the service box.

8. Playing in Court

• Get a new partner
• Same rules as above except you have to bounce the ball, hit it up, and then hit it into your partner's court with your open hand, paddle or racket.
• Emphasis on trying to take away your opponents time

9. Gripomania
    A.

• firstly, give students a demo of the forehand grip
• with a racquet, palm facing up hit squash ball 20 consecutive times about 15'-25' in the air
• must try and control the ball, knees bent, and feet a little more than a shoulder width apart

• give students a demo of the backhand grip
• repeat drill A, but using backhand grip
• remember to keep palm facing down

• alternate between the forehand grip and the backhand grip
• use both sides of the racquet, always maintaining control
• 20 times consecutively

• same as C, except hit ball softly and then use more force
• do drill 20 times consecutively and then switch

• lastly, walk around the gym with the racquet bouncing the ball on both sides of the racquet
• progress to a jog and so on if control is not compromised

• students are in groups of 4-5
• each student has a racquet and the group has one ball
• can be either done in the squash court or in the gym
• group forms a single file line in front of a wall 3-5 meters away
• first person hits the ball against the wall using a designated stroke, and then they move to the back of the line
• second person hits the ball as it comes off the wall and the third and so on...
• the ball can only bounce once
• try and get as many consecutive hits of the particular stroke
• emphasis on accuracy, force hitting zone and consistency

• with a partner in a designated area against the wall or in an area of the court
• each student has a racquet and a ball between them
• pairs play a mini game of squash using the smaller area and only one wall(front)
• teacher can communicate the type of stroke to practice
• play games to five and switch sides
• objective is to practice different types of strokes and quick movement around court

• with a partner in the squash court
• standing in appropriate service box
• partner # 1 makes ten consecutive serves to partner # 2
• if # 1 makes the ace they gain a point...if # 2 returns and scores they gain a point...if a third shot is attained no points are gained
• play 4 games so each student can serve and receive from both sides
• works on serve and return accuracy and consistency
• also works on different types of strokes

The above games were modified from.     http://www.educ.uvic.ca/Faculty/thopper/WEB/archive352/warmupindex.html

13. Cone flipping game

• class is divided into 1's and 2's
• small cones are placed randomly around gym, but inside a designated area
• firstly, both 1's and 2's jog from cone to cone split stepping and changing angles, always finding a free cone
• then 1's are told to place all cones right side up and 2's upside down
• all students are now running, split stepping and changing angles
• making sure to stay low and exploding from each cone
• the game is to see what group gets the most cones their respective way

do this in between 40 - 60 seconds intervals