Handball Walls And A Tribe
There are over 2000 handball courts across New York City. On any given day when the weather permits, you’ll find them being used in any variety of ways. People in a solitary pursuit of hitting a tennis ball against them, or kicking a soccer ball, or even tossing a lacrosse ball, are not uncommon sights on these concrete courts. The open access makes for optional usage by the public, but the courts themselves are mostly known for the native sports historically cultivated on them.
Handball has always been and is still the undisputed subcultural king in these spaces. I can say with confidence that some of the best handball players in the world hang out in these parks, all day, weather permitting. Being an athlete is taken very seriously by this set, where wafting cannabis clouds and dialed-up bravado create a gladiatorial aspect to the games. It’s the prevailing culture at some parks, where a good day at the courts results in cash in the pocket, because cash has to be doled out just to get court time with serious players. It is the most notable tribal use of the open access these courts offer.
We’re Outside With Squash
According to the NY Squash website, “the squash community of the greater New York metropolitan area revolves around over 40 squash clubs, both private and public.” I admit, I’m still learning about how deep the player demographic for squash is here. Last summer, I was informed about an outdoor squash tournament that was to be held on a set of handball courts in Park Slope, Brooklyn. The location had to be changed the day of because of a permit discrepancy with a handball event occurring on that same day. They simply found another set of empty courts not too far from the original location. Oddly enough, I initially thought that an easier problem to solve than the problem of adapting squash to a one-wall court made of heavily weathered, pebble-encrusted concrete. It seems they found a way and also to my surprise, there was a good number of squash players who showed up.
Court Rats held their second annual event a bit earlier in the season. Lessons learned from last year, they garnered a permit to host this year’s event at McCarren Park in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. For those who don’t know, McCarren Park is a very active location with sporting and fitness endeavors. Showing up with a tribe of squash enthusiasts was a solid play in the “something new” section of the park.
Court Rat Andrew Leung hitting a squash ball along side someone hitting a tennis ball.
I asked organizer Andrew Leung for an elevator pitch for Court Rats, the moniker they’ve given to this event… “The Court Rat Invitational is our ongoing experiment to see what it looks like to bring squash outdoors. We broke it down to its core components: a handball wall, a ball, a racquet, and some friends. The result? An accessible way to bring friends together to enjoy the fresh air and play the game we love. It’s also a testament to the “court rat” mentality: As long as you have a racquet and a ball, there will be a way.”
I also asked Andrew if passersby had questions about the event. He mentioned that about 2 or 3 strangers came up to inquire what was happening. And he noted some handballers came later and also asked. As for me, I was able to note more about what squash players look like here in New York City. One thing I know for sure is that you’ll have a very non-traditional view of the game from these courts. I mean, they literally had to change the rules to play the game here.
