Yep, adults do not like to be told, and juniors have to accept the rules made by adults - a bit silly really when adults are supposed to set examples.  There can be insurance implications too if a claim is made for injuries, and moreso when a aclaim is made for a loss of sight.  Also, not good when a centre is sued for compensation.

Eyewear/spectacles are a pain in the butt no matter what age, or gender, standard of play, etc.  But having only one eye would surely be a bugger too, no matter what age, and it is bad enough when a deterioration in health causes the problem; double vision would be a bugger too; detached retina, etc.

It is really more about accidents, and they do happen, and not only to lower grade players (junior or adult).  The question is:

• Are you prepared to take the RISK and that is probably a personality thing too, eg risking drink driving, building (nail or metal flying) without protective glasses, fencing (spring steel wire flying around), fluke shots coming off the frame of the racket striking the striker or the receiver, etc.

I know of a person in all of the above circumstances who have suffered permanent loss of sight.  I also know of some who have completely recovered.

I guess it is about LUCK too.  Please, don't take the risk. This member did get a second chance but I bet eyewear is part of the squash kit

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Personally I don't think it is the same for adults of a high enough level of play. Most junior players have not gained enough skill and proficiancy in the sport to avoid injurying another player with the ball. They often mis-hit shots and mis-judge the position of their opponents, as do many adults of a lower standard.

As many of these lower standard adults do not enter into competitions, it is harder to enforce them to wear eye protection (although I would back it 100% if it was enforced for lower grade players). However with up and coming junior players, who do enter officially sanctioned events, eye protection is enforced to ensure the protection of junior players.

I have NEVER been hit by the ball whilst playing any opponent of a high team standard or above. All impacts anywhere on my body from a squash ball have come from lower standard players who play dangerous shots when they should have called a let (or most often had a stroke!).

The simple fact is that eye protection can impare vision of the ball at the peripherals and does not lend itself to higher standards of play. Players who reach this standard are usually well aware of where to and not to stand on the squash court, as well as when to stop and ask for a let for safety reasons. Most juniors simply aren't at this level of play until they have many years of court time behind them.

Cheers

Adz

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Same reason why wearing a car seat belt is the drivers responsibility when a passanger is below 14, but the passengers responsibility after that age.

People are expected to make adult decisions for themselves once they are adults! This is not expected of juniors, hence why you tend to see more regulations.

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