Age Groups and Different Balls

[Maverick]

I didn't enter any of the tournaments this year as none of the categories seemed to fit my standard.
I wasn't good enough for the A grade (who use the black ball i use), i would have been too strong for the B grade (and wouldn't have wanted to resort back to the blue ball) and not quite old enough for the over 40s!
I would like to see an over 35s category or maybe have a 'B' and a 'C' category (if enough players) where the B is for decent club/team players and the C for beginners/lower league club players?

[Matt]

There is definately a problem with the Blue ball, Black ball. In the West Midlands League the rule is that you use the Blue Price ball unless both players agree to use the Black ball but when we are all used to the Blue ball then who's gonna agree to that!. Blue ball is more competetive and fitness becomes a real issue as the ball doesn't die and is hard to kill. It does put us in the Midlands at a disadvantage tho in the national competitions where the slow heavy Black ball is used. It can take a few sets to adjust and often by then its too late. I think with the introduction of the Black ball the powers-that-be have tried to make the game more like Squash when it is a completely different game.

[Maverick]

What about the Warwickshire league? I believe at the league meeting they agreed that the black ball would be the default ball unless both players agreed to use the blue ball?

[Matt]

Exactly. You can't get two players who both agree to play with the Black ball. I've played a few Warwickshire prem games this new season already and the Black ball hasn't reared its ugly head once yet.

[Dave]

I have heard a rumour that England squash and racketball will be scrapping the price ball all together and will change to Dunlop ones instead!? Can anyone confirm this?

[Maverick]

Not heard about this but it wouldn't surprise me at all. If Dunlop think that racketball is getting more and more popular, they are bound to throw some money at it to get the official ball. They sponsored the national racketball champs and had their rackets on show etc so i suppose the next thing will be to relaunch the balls? The old blue ones were very bouncy so let's hope they bring some decent new ones out if they do become the official ball.

[Maverick]

Perhaps Dunlop will bring a ball out that is somewhere between the Price Black and Price blue ball and make this the only sanctioned ball, then everybody 'should' be happy! It would still allow the skill element of the current black ball but also utilise the fitness element of the current blue ball.

[John]

the sport really needs a ball that it can be confident with and that everyone wants to use. don't know why they looked to build a ball for Daryl Selby and the top guys when they play a couple of times a year. the ball needs to be one that club players want to use everyday. am sure daryl will make the game look quality no matter what ball he uses! how many sports out there have different balls they use, tennis, golf, squash, cricket. i'm not sure anyone got any info, are there other sports that use different balls?