There's no denying racketball is catching on a big way, with converts up and down the country warming to its easy, aerobic appeal and either combining it with squash or adopting it as their new preferred pastime. Racketball is not the same as racquetball, a primarily North American game played on much larger courts with no tin and a different type of ball. The World Squash Federation is doing its best to eliminate the confusion by re-naming racketball as Squash 57, due to the ball having a maximum diameter of 57mm.

It is credited with keeping generations of squash players fit and active beyond the time they might otherwise have been forced to hang up their racket, and there is no better way of doing it than combining the fun of hitting a ball and manoeuvring your opponent round the court with the most thorough of work-outs.

It really couldn't be simpler, and the differences between the two sports are minimal. Both are played on the same court, and while the server must bounce the ball before hitting it in racketball, the required skill set and tactical nous bear a marked similarity to squash.

So why bother, if they are so alike? Because racketball is not only ideal for helping youngsters build confidence and feel at home on a squash court, it also significantly extends participation for those at the other end of the age scale.

The larger, bouncier ball and shorter racket handle makes it easier to learn the basics of hand-eye coordination and movement, while the extra time available for reaching the ball and keeping a rally alive lessens the intensity and alleviates the strain on creaking limbs.

So, it's Squash 57 officially, racketball unofficially. Either way, it's an increasingly popular and hugely enjoyable game that's accessible to all ages and abilities and it's here at Warrington Sports Club.
We already have a hardcore of racketball enthusiasts - some who play nothing else, others who continue to alternate with squash - but we would like more to come on board and give it a go.