Squash Championships Taking Over Philadelphia This Weekend

By Pat Gallen

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) –– It’s not tennis, it’s not racquetball. It’s squash.

And Drexel University has one of the top programs in the country.

Former number one player in the world John White is the coach at Drexel.

“When squash came to America the court was a little bit narrower and we used to have to convert the racquetball court.”

White adds, “It is a very small sport in America against baseball, hockey and football, but it is growing.”

It’s growing so much that the sport is taking over Philadelphia this weekend for the US Open Squash Championships at Drexel University.

“It’s the best of the best guys and girls in the world. Everybody’s coming to play.”

But before the tournament invades Philly, Pat Gallen got a lesson from Mary and Ryan of the Drexel women’s team.

Mary Fung-a-Fat, a Drexel senior says, “It’s intense. You have agility skills, technique, fitness. I’m surprised it’s not in the Olympics yet.”

Ryan Morgan, also a senior at Drexel, says,  “I just explain it like racquetball because most people know what that is, but they think it is an older person sport. So I tell them it’s a younger person sport version of racquetball, but the size is a little different and the lines are different.”

If you want to see the best of the best, the US Open runs through October 15th at Drexel University.

Last season, the Drexel team finished ranked 10th in the country. Their new season starts next month.