Testimonials
Father and son from Sweden find the steel court in NYC
On September 6, 2023, Sten and Axel Forsaeus came to Maspeth to play on the steel court. It was Axel’s idea. They were staying in Connecticut for three weeks of summer vacation.
How and when did you hear about the steel court?
I heard about it through seeing Nathan Lake's post about it on Instagram, so I wrote a comment asking: "Where is this and how can I play there? ". So he kindly forwarded me to Robert!
Where are you from? Tell us a bit about your squash.
I’m a 24-year-old student from Umeå, Sweden. I started playing at the local Sports Complex IKSU, 3 years ago. I've been attending the in-house squash league and climbing my way up to the top 15 in town! I have found squash to be an amazing sport, forcing me into a state of flow every time! My favorite pro to watch is Paul Coll.
Describe your day visiting Maspeth Squash. What was it like to play on the court?
It was an early cool morning, traveling by train from Connecticut to New York, taking the subway to Queens. When we took the last steps from the subway up to the street, the heat hit us straight in the face. We took an Uber the last bit to the address we had found. When I stepped out of the car, I heard the sound of a squash ball hitting a big metal surface, and the squeaks of gym shoes. I knew we had come to the right spot.
At first, we walked into a backyard on the opposite side of the entrance of the court. We asked how to find our way to the street leading to the court, and walked towards the sound. Then suddenly, there it was. I recognized it from the pictures on Instagram — this majestic huge piece of art made of steel. It was time to play some squash!
What did you tell your family and friends about your day? What will you remember most? Will you visit again?
It was such an amazing experience to be able to share the passion of squash with new and friendly faces from the other side of the globe. Squash connects people and leaves you with experiences you never could have thought of. I will for sure come back the next time I set foot in New York again!
Do you recommend it?
It was a really unique and amazing experience! It gave me new perspectives on what squash can do for someone!
Nick Matthew OBE
“…one of the truest courts I’ve ever played on.”
“I felt like a kid again.”
I recommend you come down here to try it out, in Maspeth New York, and hopefully, we’ll have more outdoor courts around the world soon.”
“The court plays like a dream,“ says Arnie Dratt, President of the PSA Foundation.
“I was really blown away with the court yesterday. First, it's aesthetically stunning! With the landscaping and sculpture garden?? It should be in a museum. Second, it plays better than most courts!! Third, it was a lovely sunny but not-too-hot day. Fourth, kind and lovely squash people abound. Fifth, I got to swat at a mosquito with my squash racket. I posted the photo on Facebook and gave a shout-out to Maspeth squash. Thanks for doing all this: it's a real boon for squash.” Lissa and Lulu Hunsicker Kenney
“What a treat this was! To spend Sunday afternoon chatting with Robert and testing out this amazing outdoor steel squash court. Aesthetically it looks so cool, hits like a dream and the sound of the ball hitting the steel wall was just appealing. Made me want to suit up and play more squash, just so I can keep creating the sound of the ball hitting steel! I love it. I also like this concept of bringing squash outdoors, a whole new fresh perspective, a fresh feel. Would love to bring/introduce this outdoor steel squash to the New Haven community, an outdoor racket sport and a functional art piece.” Lynn Leong with Blake King.
“I thoroughly enjoyed hitting on the steel-walled outdoor squash court. It's an interesting, innovative and exciting project and a fantastic idea for Squash during the COVID-19 pandemic. The feel of the court was good, the bounce of the court was true and it felt similar to hitting on a glass court. It's also refreshing to practice on a completely new type of squash court. I'm sure the court will be popular and the continuous work they are doing around the court will make this new idea go from strength to strength." Campbell Grayson
“I love the court! It plays beautifully and is beautiful. Strong and sturdy, the ball bounces true and the floor has just the right amount of give. The artful attention to detail and blend of natural and industrial design are striking. And it’s simply surreal to feel the breeze and see the sky while playing a game we’ve always thought of as being for the indoors. Visiting Maspeth is to expand your conceptions about what’s possible for squash.” Tim Wyant
“Hands down the coolest court I’ve ever played on. The guys @maspetheweldingarts have created a masterpiece and it plays just as good as it looks. I sense something exciting on the horizon, time for a facelift, these courts are made for everyone!” Adrian Grant
“It’s been so much fun playing on the Metal court, I can’t tell you. Robert and Jeff have done a great job and it would be awesome to help get some of them out there for more people to experience. It really is like playing on a glass court... true, severe, rewarding, challenging and fun outside!!” Chris Walker
“It was 60 degrees and partly sunny. I was amazed at how well the court plays! Honestly, it plays better than the tour glass court. Even in the cold, the walls have a “pop” to them...not those occasional mushy, dead spots you experience on the glass court from the seams. In addition, the steel walls, naturally turning color (oxidation?) in the open air I found to be aesthetically pleasing. Even though you are in a box, it really feels like an outdoor experience. I had zero problem following the white ball as the contrasts are just fine. Maspeth Steel Squash is the real deal.” Jon Foster
“In terms of playability, consistency of bounce/rebound and feel, steel matches any of the preferred existing materials used in court construction. This court meets the hard charging demands of the pro game while providing an exciting space for players all other levels to enjoy the game.
Another step in the evolution and improvement in our great game.” Richard Chin
“You get rewarded for true length,” Jonny Smith
“Playing squash on the steel court on a perfect outdoor weather day gave us all a reminder of how much we love the game, regardless of where it’s played. I expected the floor to be hard as the side/front walls were entirely steel. However, the plywood floor offered my body a comfortable level of springiness. The white ball moved off the walls with a soft sound and there’s no mistaking a shot that strikes any portion of that triangle-shaped tin. Lobs are easy - wish I’d hit more of them. I didn’t hit one drop shot (I never do!) so I can’t speak to that! The court is truly the intersection of art, sport and access. You’ve created some amazing innovation here and I hope we see more outdoor - fresh air - access!” Hope Prockop
“ I am not sure it gets more perfect: outdoors + squash!! Being able to enjoy the sunshine and play a sport we love all at one is pretty remarkable. The court played and sounded like a glass court and honestly, the beauty of squash is just how different every court can be from temperature to materials to a nick being bigger or smaller. This court, I feel, is special in that it’s bringing people from different places to bond in a different part of New York and also via the common bond of squash and fun. Felt pretty lucky to have had the chance to hit on this court and will certainly be back!” Reyna Pacheco
“In terms of court feedback, it was an incredible experience. For me, it felt and played like one of the pro glass courts on tour. As you mentioned, I think it would make a lot of sense for pros to train on it prior to big tournaments where they would be playing on a glass court. Occasionally it may get tricky to follow the ball especially when your partner hits a lob (in daylight), but again, I actually think even that would be beneficial in practice to be forced not to lose sight of the ball’s path no matter what!! Also not sure if you’ve heard this one before, but noticed that hard hit (closed angle) boasts generally find their way to the nick. Which we clearly loved! Otherwise, all I was thinking of as we were hitting is ‘what a great idea!’” Osama Khalifa