Rishad,

 

I just read your commentary on eye guards, and I’d like to be one of the most vocal proponents of making it a mandatory condition of playing in any event here in Houston, if not elsewhere.  Here’s why…..

 

I spent the night in the hospital after I was hit in the eye by a ball during a match with Charlie Neuhaus during an “A” league match here in Houston back in 1994.  Know this - He and I had both played college squash in the northeast (Yale and Army respectively) during the ‘80’s. And from what I recall, no one ever really played with eye guards back then.

 

As for the night of the incident, I had my eye guards with me, and after some casual conversation prior to the match, I walked on court without them – I just wasn’t thinking about it.  Before I knew it, we started the match.  I honestly remember saying to myself, “We’re both fairly experienced players – no need to stop this game to get my glasses.”  Boy, did I regret that!

 

At about the fourth or fifth point into that first game, I served a lob serve from the right service box to Charlie’s backhand.  I moved to the “T” as any good player would do, all the while watching the serve and watching how Charlie intended to return it.  He hit a fairly hard and high backhand return (as most returns are with high lobs to that corner) heading to the right-hand wall in sort of a reverse corner return, when I literally watched the return right into my left eye. Immediately, I dropped to the floor.  I knew the match was over.

 

I remember Charlie asking if I was OK and grabbing my two hands to move them away to check the damage.  The eye was already swollen shut.  Charlie said so.  All I saw was stars.  My right eye was fine, but I just couldn’t seem to open my left. After a few minutes and some ice that Charlie rushed to get, I told him that I was OK and that all I wanted to do was to go on home.  I would see him the next time the Y faced the Texas Club.  He repeatedly asked if there was anything he could do, but I said no.  I was fine.

 

I slowly showered and put my work clothes back on and walked to my car for the hour trip home to the Woodlands.  All the while, I kept the ice pack on my eye hoping that the swelling would go down.  By the time I got on I-45 heading north out of downtown, I looked in the rear view mirror and with my good eye saw that my left eye was open and not too swollen.  Yet, I knew then that I needed to go to the hospital.  All I could see out of that eye was a white and red milky texture. Nothing else.  Nothing.

 

After several hours and tests later (now about midnight), the ophthalmologist told me that I was VERY lucky.  Had it been the old hardball game Charlie and I played in college, there would have been a good chance I could have lost my sight in that eye.  What an eye opener!

 

I have played every match and every practice session since then with goggles.  Period.  So should every squash player.

 

Here’s to seeing you again at the tournament this week!

 

Edward J. Hlopak, PMP

Project Manager - Englobal Engineering, Inc. (EEI)

281-821-7100 office                281-620-5725 mobile