Watching two players in an enclosed court, smashing a rubber ball against a wall — racquetball, you say? Maybe not.

After a closer look, there is something different — the racquet handles are longer, the strung face of the racket is smaller, the court dimensions are smaller — even the rubber game ball is much smaller, and seems to have less spring than a racquetball.

This is squash, and despite its smaller court confines with its less-lively and denser ball, it makes those who play the game work a sweat.

"Because the ball is not as 'bouncy', and doesn't come back to you (as quickly) when an opponent hits it, you will find yourself running, twisting, lunging, and extending your body just (to make a return shot)," said state singles squash champion Chad Morisato, 39, of Honolulu.

Morisato started playing squash five years ago when he was once employed at the Honolulu Club.

"I played racquetball a while back and stumbled into squash by accident," Morisato said. "After my first few tries (at the game), I was hooked."

Morisato plays two to four times a week for 1 1/2 to 2 hours each outing.

In January, Morisato won the state singles title in the men's open A (top level) division at the Honolulu Club.

HISTORY OF SQUASH

Ken Kawamoto, the Honolulu Club's squash pro, said there is a lot of history behind the game.

"The game of squash was discovered by accident," Kawamoto said.

In 1822 at Harrow School in England, a few boys got into the habit of hitting a ball around a narrow three-walled area and turned it into a game. They used a soft rubber ball that "squashed" against the wall at impact. By the 1880s, the first squash court was built at Oxford.

"In 1911 formalized rules and court dimensions (were established)," Kawamoto said.

Kawamoto added that before the 1980s, squash was played in Hawai'i in, "a crude fashion ... on converted racquetball courts.

"During the mid-'80s the popularity of the game started to grow with the help of a real squash pro from New York who had moved to the Islands. It was during this time that the Hono-lulu Club built three regulation squash courts."

BENEFITS OF THE GAME

Along with promoting hand and eye coordination, Morisato said he finds it challenging in other areas.

"It will test your patience, stamina, strength, flexibility and in some cases your mental toughness," he said.

Kawamoto cited a Forbes magazine article, in which a study was conducted to find the "healthiest sport" to participate in, and squash was ranked first, beating out swimming, cycling, rowing, basketball and running.

"The study was based on total fitness of cardiovascular, muscle strength, endurance, flexibility, calories burned (in 30 minutes) and the limited risk of injury," Kawamoto said.

SAFETY

With the exception of goggles, the sport doesn't require any other protective gear, except quick evasive skills to a ball that can whiz through the air between 130 to 150 mph, as well as being aware of an opponent's position and swinging racket.

"I've gotten hit with the ball many times ... one hit bruised and 'left its mark' on my leg for about two months," recalled Morisato.