When New Territory resident Farzad Azizi was looking to buy a home in Sugar Land, one of the deciding factors was its proximity to the local Life Time Fitness because of its squash court.
“I bought my house because of the location of this court,” Azizi said. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t even be in this neighborhood. But that’s how important it is to me and my family.”
Squash, a ball-and-racket game typically played on a glass-encased court with wood flooring, has been growing in popularity in Fort Bend County in recent years, in part spurred by the rush of immigrants into the county.
But the sport’s local popularity could be in danger if Life Time Fitness (LTF), 1331 State Highway 6, follows through on its plans to close its squash courts during upcoming renovations – the only such courts in all of Fort Bend County.
If those courts are removed, the drive to the nearest squash court would go from being mere minutes away to about 15 miles from the Sugar Land gym, according to those who frequent the upscale gym and health club.
Representatives for the gym, which has locations across the region, said the renovations are meant to invest in more children’s programming in Sugar Land, and that they plan to make one of their Houston locations a hub for squash.
“I will have to drive 25 miles away just to get to a squash court,” Sugar Land resident Shashank Khandavalli said. “If I have to do that multiple times a week, what’s the reason for me to keep my membership?”
Khandavalli said squash is a “sport for all ages” and that LTF members who play the sport range from grade school-children to seniors.
Squash players take turns serving the ball so that it strikes the wall above the line and lands clear of the service line on the floor. The rubber ball (which weighs less than an ounce and bounces very low and slow, unlike racquetball or tennis) must be returned before it bounces twice, or the serving player is awarded a point.
There are more than 1.6 million players in the U.S. and 20 million globally, according to U.S. Squash, the sport’s national governing body. And there are about 3.5 million U.S. racquetball players and about 20 million around the world, according to Sports Travel Magazine.
Andre Maur, who founded the website globalsquash.com and is one of the sport’s most decorated professionals, lives in Atlanta and runs the squash program at the city’s LTF locations. He said he frequently hosted LTF-branded tournaments in the Houston area.
“There’s a big squash following there and the reason behind that is because there’s a big Pakistani and Egyptian population, and squash is their national sport,” Maur said. “(Houston) is one of the biggest (squash hubs) in America. So, they’re very passionate about it.”
Rahul Gandhi, a …….