Former rugby player, Rob Frame had never considered squash as anything other than a filler between rugby matches to keep his fitness levels-up. After noticing that he and a friend were having strong rallies on the squash court, he decided to put a team together to play in a league.
Since he started playing in 2017, Bridgend-based Rob (35) now plays squash once a week – although he would prefer to play up to six times a week as he has, in his own words; “caught the squash bug.”
Rob now plays for the Bridgend C team and is planning to make his way up the ranks at the club. He holds the Bridgend Club Christmas Handicap tournament; a social competition that is taken very seriously by the players. Through connections he’s made at league matches, Rob has also played games at other clubs, including Maesteg.
Discussing his initial ambitions to finish in the top position of the league when he first started playing squash, Rob said: “Unfortunately for me and the team, our dreams were quickly shattered when we realised that, as rookies, we weren’t up to the standard of the other players. I even lost to an eleven-year-old-boy!”
But the initial loss hasn’t put the father of two off the sport: “You can get a truly brilliant game from the most unsuspecting opponents and that’s my favourite thing about squash. No matter who you’re playing against, young or old, experienced or beginner, it’s all about their individual style of playing and how they clash and mix together. It’s very much like a game of chess; it’s all about the strategy, the tactics, and playing the long game.”
“If you’re thinking about getting into squash, stop thinking and just get into it. It’s a brilliant game, it’s loads of fun, great craic and a really social game.
“You get the best games when you play a variety of people. You also get to learn different things from each and every person you play against. It can be competitive, if you want it to be, but at the end of the day everyone is always helpful and will give you different hints and tips. I’m learning all the time.”
“I like to play fast and I can be really competitive when I want to be because I love to win. At the end of the day though it’s more about having fun for me. I often overrun the ball and bring loads of enthusiasm to the court which gives me a good sweat out and is great for my fitness.”
“As a member of Squash Wales, you get really good discounts from big brands – I’ve got most of my kit from there. It also helps me to keep up to date with training courses and other events, as well as saving me money and helping me to improve on my game too.”
