Squash memories pt.2: Toothless, alone and abroad

It was the year of the Lord 2003, when young mr Killingberg had been squashing for about a year and was invited with the netional team to Sweden to play the Nordic Junior Open in Malmø, Sweden

Proud as a Rooster to be included and to play on the National team. The feeling was intense. From what I remember, I was travelling with great company. Thomas, Steffen, Bjørni, Karianne, Majken, Eline, Stig, Lotte, Maren and Edvard I believe. This was 10 years ago, so please forgive me if I forgot someone.

I did not have a ranking going into this tournament, so I was put in the B-group of the under 19 class. Which was suitable, as I think I lost all my matches.

In one of my last squash matches I faced an English player named Ben. He has been known as Ben the "Dentist" after this incidence, and I will tell you why.

In the second game, Ben decides to fake a backhand drop shot, Killingclumsy moves forward as Ben decides to hit a hard length instead and throws his racket back...into my Face. My team mates sitting outside watching the match, said they could hear the cracking sound of my teeth. I remember something along the lines as lying horizontally in the air before lying on my back swearing hard.

There was blood and teeth everywhere, as my two front teeth were not chipped of, but in thousand fragments all over the squash court. I wanted to kill that player, but that would be the end of the squash career I guess. My opponent just walked off court as my coach brought me out.

I remember sitting in the stairs and people coming to watch.... they quickly turned away.
I asked my coach to go straight away to the dentist, but he said we had to wait until we returned to Norway. He didnt trust Swedish dentists, which is funny, as in Norway all the dentists are Swedish. I didnt like my coach either at this moment, and took my icepack firmly in my face and took off.

Looking forward to meeting some nice squash girls, but it was hard to work my game with 3 cuts in my lip giving me an Eddy Murphy look, and no front teeth, making my S" into an PH".

Pho... Where u from phuper phexy lady??

I actually went to the movies with the rest of the group.... It was embarassing

Showing up to the courts the next day to complete the match was equally embarassing as I could not run... If I got my pulse up I had to breathe through my mouth which meant cold air straight on my nerve... That was hanging loose in my mouth. Two words: Paaa--IIINNn
It was even worse that my opponent gave me a consolation game, before destroying me in the last one. I was over the whole squash thing anyway, and tried to get away as soon as possible.

The rest of the week consisted in a lot of porridge, a desperate attempt of eating lasagna...which failed, and a snack pack called risi frutti, which is basically ricepudding. I am not the most lactose tolerant person on the planet, but at this stage I was at my lowest so I didnt care.

Leading to next day: No teeth, Diahrrea, feeling sorry for myself, telling my mum over the phone who laughed hysterically made me feel like a million dollars. Sleeping in could be a perk as I thought I was done for the weekend. My coach called me as I was snoozing, telling me I had to go play my last match... 30 minutes ago. Guess what...I lost.. To an islandic player....

Returning to my hometown arranging a dentist appointment as soon as humanly possible, trying to avoid all human contact, I meet on the airport the only person I did not want to meet. The girl I had a crush on at that time.

FML...

I am trying to retrieve some pictures from that incidence but I can only show u the second round of toothache/break

This is what my teeth used to look like:                                   

 

This is what they looked like last week, with courtesy of  Geoff Hunt....

Squash Basics pt. 4: Crosscourt drop

Pack your bags, hold your horses and keep ur socks on!!! Finally the 4th video of the squash basics school is back.

A perfect beginners course to this wonderful game of ours, today covering another hit the bottle exercise, where the goal is to hit the bottle.

Instructions:

S et up the bottle in your favourite corner
W ear your Apple bottom Jeans and Boots with da furrrr
A ssess the wind direction, all Newton's laws of physics and calibrate racket v ball ratio interference
G row a mo, as it is Mo-vember and walk in slo mo at the end of the session

 

 

Memories... pt.1: "Grimstad"

So I was Googling myself... Yes I admit it. I DID IT!

And I found some pictures I did not see before, and this triggered some nice, and some not so nice memories from my squash past.

So I thought I would share some of these glittering moments with you, and trigger some memories for some of you as well :))

This is the first part of The Good, The Bad and The Ugly squash memories

We start with a good one:

 

 

This picture was taken in a Norwegian Tour Cup final called Sørlandet Open in Grimstad, south of Norway.

Myself, Sindre,  Niclas,Thomas and Karianne stayed in Niclas' cabin, where midnight dips in the pool caused direct hypothermia

The tournament was played the 16. 17. and 18. of September, in the year of the Monkey 2009 (I think... :/) It was the period when I just started challenging the no1 spot in Norway, and it was still tight between myself and a few national players.

I got to the final without dropping a game and faced my Nemesis" Kristian in the final, and after a classic Tie break in the 5th game, I won by the skin of my teeth. I believe it was 12-10 or 13-11 in the last game.

 

Reason for the victory tasting extra nice was because it was my birthday on this day, and I lost the last Cup final against Kristian.

My mum had asked the tournament organizer to arrange a big plant with dollars and chocolate on it and a big chocolate medal saying no1" What if I lost? Would be slightly embarassing :P

 

The squash guys also arranged a cake.. or more like a cake bottom with heaps of cream on it. I saw it coming a long way and it ended up in my face.

 

After I was given a warm plastic cup of beer and Joined Sauna master Eivind Strømsvåg in the sauna, where he had been for the last 90 minutes with a six pack.

The beer was horrible, and the smell was worse as I dragged some cream with me in the sauna.

 

At the banquet we were faced with bottles on bottles with champagne for the birthday child, a great dinner and a free bottle of wine shared with my friend Daniel Hilde.

 

Bjørn Borg played Bongo drums, Jan Tore Nilsen wanted us to feel the inside of his pockets for nuts.... pistachios it turned out to be... people were in a good mood.

 

We hit the club, "Dynomite" was playing loudly, of all us kids, (mostly 18-20 years old) Kristian (31) was the only one asked for an ID.

 

Bjørn Borg brought his bongos and set them up next to the DJ. The were well used. Øyvind Steen played with his head, Niclas slept in the car, and my legs were killing me from a hard day.

 

Drinks were spot on, Kristian thought he was mr Popular, but he didnt notice, as he was held up at the door, that the woman next to him, tried to get with every other man in the club before he entered.

 

aaaaaaaahhh.. what a great weekend that was. hohohohoho



 

Ramada Hotel Squash Open 2012

Day 1
Its time for my first tournament in Qatar after my move to Doha. Ever since Monday this week (3 days ago) 102 people (!) have been competing at the luxurious Ramada hotel, just a short walk away from my residence here in Doha.

The professional class did not start until today, and I was last on court for the day against a Pakistani shotmaker. 50% of his points were from nickshots, like expected I would say, playing these players, but today he was no match versus the Norwegian "headless chicken style" I got away winning 3-0.

Day 2

Found out the tournament is actually called Radisson Blu Olympic Sports Open. Which is interesting, since it is not an olympic sport yet. But maybe it has something to do with the Olympic campaign.

 





After passing the singing fountain, passing the chinese gardens and the pools, the squash courts are located next to a nice Italian restaurant called "The Italian Job" I will come back to that one later ;)

 

I arrive at the squash courts 30 minutes early for my semi final, and see I will be playing Azlan, one of the most talented Aspire boys. We have been training together briefly at the Aspire Academy, so I knew what to expect.

3 tight games later I walked away with the match 3-0, 11-9, 11-9, 11-5

An ok performance, but still need to be more diciplined under pressured situations.

After the match a man comes up to me. "you're not playing that well. You played much better last year"

This was Azlans father who saw me play in Khalifa stadium  some time ago. So I guess my game is still on its way down, and have not turned around yet. But I feel I am on the right way, and once I am more comfortable with my hitting I think I will ascend faster than my descent. 

After winning the semi finals, I celebrate with an Italian Job pizza. AaVeeryy AAniice Luiigii!!!

 

 



 Day 3:

I HATE LOSING!!

Doesn't matter how much I tell myself that its not important, just play for fun, no pressure etc etc
Big or small tournament, world champion opponent or club player. It always sucks.

Today I played the former Qatari no1. I was told by other people that he was a fast player with good shots and a strong backhand. He was more steady than I expected and made few errors. I had my gameplan, and even though I reminded myself after every ball, after midway I tensed up and threw in the boast to open up the court and lose the rally. This has been my biggest problem before, and it is back to haunt me. I think now that it is because I tense up too much

However there is a positive side to it, and that is that what I am focusing on at the moment is improving. I probably focused more on my technique than for my own good while I was playing, but it felt better than before

Oh, and by the way, I lost 1-3.
But the best player won, no excuses

Today we celebrate with leftovers....

World Open 2012

It has just been confirmed!

I will be given the chance to repeat last years success in the World Open squash championships 2012, this year held in Doha, Qatar. Home court advantage for me!!

Royal Jordanian Squash Open 2012

Falling 3 small spots on the world ranking in October 2012 to #211, and currently residing in the Middle East indicates an adventure in Jordan this coming weekend 5th - 9th of October.

Although I am basically in my summer training programme at the Aspire academy and working full time, I will not let an opportunity to travel, play squash and hopefully add some cred to my world ranking, slip away.

It is a 5K tournament, in Amman (which I believe is the capital), and I am 2nd qualifyer. I have no expectations at the moment, and I refuse to put any pressure on myself. It's just nice to get out of the rock hard focus in training, relax, and just play. And like my team mates always say: Die on court.




Day 1:

 After travelling all night through Dubai, I hooked up with a driver who took me to my hotel. There was no squash matches on this day and so I decided to go to the Dead Sea. Someone said something about "The deepest inhabited place on earth. Well, it sure is deep. Going down the Jordanian valley, must be something like descending the Grand Canyon. But well in the end, passin the Hilton, Marriot and all these nice hotels, I found a nice pool/restaurant
facility with access to the sea.

It is such a bizarr and nice feeling to be pushed up by the water. The buoyancy..boyanc..buy.. anyway. The water is thick and u float like a goat on a boat. The water must be over 30 degrees warm. Its warmer then the water in my sink at the hotel. It must be experienced. It is the greatest feeling ever. Laying back and chilling with a big CH!!!




Other Jordanian experiences worth mentioning: Watching Jordan UFC in the streets with random parents, a coloured truck filled with minors, a guy sleeping between garbage bags in the back of a truck, tasting Yellow curry coffee, an arabic wedding party in my hotel room, and seeing a donkey.



Day 2:

Early morning, bad brekkie, no people, taxi tour Amman, squash centre...no people..no opponent...WO. Back to the hotel, blog, need to eat

First match against Mr Rawden from England, who beat his opponent 3-0 in his first match today. I lost 0-3. 2-11, 9-11, 9-11.

Even though I said I would not have any expectations, it it still difficult to lose for a competative soul. Question is: should I wait until I am 100% matchfit to play? I feel it comes down to not playing enough tournaments, as I  fell into old habits. With this I mean lessons learned about myself from former matches that is now forgotten as I didnt play a tournament of this stature for months. So I do the same mistakes, and see after the match that this was something I worked on 6 months ago.

I will keep on working on my technique until next summer and from then on I will try to have a full program playing tournaments for a year. I believe that I can then progress more in a linear curve and gain what they call routine"..

Day 3:

Oh wait!!! there is more!!

I was planning on a couple of physical sessions today in combination with some sightseeing at the great al petra, but I got a phone call from the tournament organizer this morning. An Egyptian player pulled out, so a spot opened for a lucky loser. The Kuwaiti went home, The Jordanian didnt want to play (!), and so it was between me and Welsh David Haley. The little girl drew me, and so I will face the same opponent as yesterday, Pablo Rawden in the first round...except this time the result will not be the same

Post match report:

Yesterday the tactics worked great, although I did not move at all or was anywhere close to hitting a normal shot. Today Pablo played better as well, cutting down his errors. It was more like a proper squash match though with good play, winners instead of errors. Fair and fluent. I lost in 3 again, 9-11, 10-12, 5-11. I stepped up from the beginning and it was neck and neck in the first 2 games. I oticed I was a little rusty, not playing competatively for a while, making the correct decisions, only not executed well enough. Then again experience played a major role as I did not play the big points well, gave away easy lets and did not take my strokes. When it is this tight, these small things can make a match. Lot better than yesterday, but still not enough to win. In the last game, Pablo gained more confidence and I did not step up as I did in the first 2 games. Also something I have been aware of doing before. Old habits die hard...Yippie Ki Ya.

At the end I am still walking away from the tournament with a better feeling, and I am glad I got the opportunity as a lucky loser.

The rest of the tournaments first round created some surprising upsets, as the local Jordanians did really well. Almost all the matches I saw, I would put my money on the loser, and both top seeds lost lost their matches. weeeeird

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE!!!

From the 6th until the 9th of September this year the European club team championshiph were held at the Hamr sports club in Prague housing around 10 squash courts, tenniscourts, beachvolleyball and a restaurant.

We were accommodated at a gigantic hotel that also housed the glasscourt with surrounding tribunes. The beds were worse than anything slept on in the army, including a male corporal, but playing 2 matches per day luckily wears you out enough to sleep well on the floor.

I was this year as last year representing the legends of Hafrsfjord Squash Club from Stavanger. 6 times national champions to represent Norway in the squash equivalent of Champions league. Last year we ended up with a respectable 12th place, and beat Denmark in the battle of Scandinavia, which must be said to be the highlight :)))

This year the field was much stronger and all the teams brought their A game and their A players. The top 3 players in the world were there as well as several living legends within the game. We were in a group with Aberdeen, Fitzwilliam and Nottingham. They are all very stron teams from Great Britain, and although we had some good battles, we had to accept defeat against all three teams in the group stages.

Personally I have had so much focus on technique lately that I went into the tournament with an attitude of enjoying myself and enjoying my squash to the fullest, not worrying about anything but to hit the ball where I wanted it to go.

Starting off with the world no11 Daryl Selby was not an easy task. especially not for a first match. I lost 0-3 and was not able to repeat last year when I snuk a game.
My second match was against Mark Fuller of NSRC. We had a good, long tight match which unfortunatelly ended 1-3. I felt I played well and gained confidence from this.
Versus Derek Ryan (former world no4) it was very patchy and I played well in periods. That meant that versus such an experienced player I just lost out 1-3 in a close match, that I was very disappointed in losing.

As my fingers are tired and I am lazy, I will rather upload some pictures from the weekend and let our coach Mark Hornby get the mic to comment on the last two matches:

Mark Hornby:
 The last day of competition saw the Norwegian Champions competing for a possible 13th       Position. To achieve this they would have to win both of their remaining matches.

The first was against Slovakia commencing at nine in the morning.

On court first was Kim he showed why he has the potential to break into the top 100 players in the world in the near future. He played disciplined squash particularly in the first two games closing the court down and not allowing his opponent to get into the match winning them comfortably. The third was a bit tighter as the Slovak player raised his game. However it was not enough to upset the steady play of the Norwegian who came home in three straight games.

On the other court at the same time was Ronny. He just lost out in a hard fought five set match.

Sindre followed on after Kim he played some good long rallies helped by the physical training he has been doing over the summer. He managed to win his match in three. The two victories and the two games Ronny had won was enough  for the Norwegian champions to take the tie.

 Kristian who was the last player on court only played a best of three games as it was a dead rubber.
 

The final playoff match was against the Swedish champions Roslagen from Linkoping.

The playing order was the same as the first match. Kim was against the experienced French player Romain Tenant who now resides in Sweden. He started tactically the same as he had in his first match closing the court down well and taking the first comfortably.
The experienced Frenchman tried to break up the rhythm of the match in the second and succeeded in changing to pattern of the game to suit himself. This part of the match was characterised by short rallies and more trading of shots. Kim just managed to maintain enough length in the latter part of the game to take it and go into a two game lead.
In The third game Kim managed to close the court down again increase the pressure on his opponent by doing so and closed the match out in three. A fine victory against potentially a difficult player!

On the adjacent court was Ronny who had another five set marathon match against a player of similar age and stature to himself. Unfortunately he again just lost out in a tight match for the second time in the day.

Sindre followed Kim on court. He took a bit of time to settle into a rhythm losing first two games against a smaller more agile opponent. Re-grouping and drawing on the stamina he has built up over the summer he clawed his way back into the match winning the next three tight games. This has proved a break through event for him!

Meanwhile Kristian was involved in another titanic five set battle on the other court. Unfortunately he could not manage to take the last few points in the fifth game and lost the match on a no let decision.

Kristians result produced a tie in both the number of matches and the number of games won by both teams. The winner was then decided by the number of points won by the teams in every match.

Hafrsfjord just scraped home by the narrowest of margins taking 13^th place. A great effort!
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]-->
<!--[endif]-->

COMMENT! Actually I won 3-1 versus Romain Tenant, and Ronny lost 3-1. Kristian lost 3-2, and Sindre won 3-1. Due to the fact Romain did not get as many points as Ronny, we won on points. And that my friends... to beat Sweden in ANY sport no matter the situation, time or place feels SO D*** GOOD!!! Ahahahahaha

We are claiming the title of best scandinavian squash team. There it is!!