Home Court Advantage
With Japan’s top squash players set to square off at the Club this month, Member Yuga Koda reflects on his Club roots.
It was at a summer camp in the US in the early 2000s that Yuga Koda got his first taste of squash.
When he returned to Tokyo, his parents signed him up for kids’ squash classes at the Club. Although he was more into baseball at the time, playing on a local team, the call of the courts grew stronger and stronger. Today, Koda ranks in the top 20 among squash players in Japan and has been a regular participant in Club competitions. Ahead of this month’s TAC Premier Classic, he takes INTOUCH through his rally to the top.
What shifted your focus from baseball to squash?
Although I grew up in Tokyo, I went to boarding school in the US for middle and high school. My middle school didn’t have access to squash courts, so I only played on breaks when in Japan. My high school had courts, so this is where I got more into squash. My junior year, I decided to only play squash. Our squash program was competitive—we finished second in the country my junior year—so I had plenty of good people to play with. I then went to a small liberal arts college in the US and played there for four years.
How are the Club’s squash facilities and community?
The Club squash community is great! Some of the players have known me since I was in elementary school. It’s not the biggest community, but it’s very close-knit. The facilities are the best in Tokyo, both in terms of quality and availability. When I graduated college and came back to Japan, I joined a club in Ebisu. During the three months I was a member, I wasn’t able to play a single time because all the courts were booked. After experiencing the serious lack of availability, I decided to come back to the Club as a Member on my own.
How do you prepare for competitions?
I used to be a lot more serious about preparation. I’d start doing a lot more cardio about a month before—a bunch of court sprints and ghosting. Right now, I honestly don’t do much. My priorities have shifted from winning to enjoying the game more. If anything, I stretch more than usual. Match play is a lot more intense, and injury is the main thing I want to avoid.
How was the Tokyo Squash Grade Tournament in March?
The tournament didn’t have points, but I played because my friend, a former pro player, was retiring from squash and this was his last tournament. I usually don’t play these kinds of tournaments, but the combination of it taking place at the Club and my friend’s retirement prompted me to do so. Win or lose, I was hoping it’d be a fun and memorable tournament for him.
The home crowd always boosts Club players: Toshiyuki Masuda
What do you find most challenging about the Club tournaments?
Not just the Club tournament, but in any tournament, getting in the right mind-set is challenging. I know that I play better when I’m enjoying the time on court. But it’s not always rosy—you make mistakes, get annoyed with yourself, know you can be playing better, the ref makes a call you don’t agree with, etc.
Striking the right balance of fun and seriousness, and creating the atmosphere and maintaining the mind-set for optimal performance, is something that I’m working on to this day. I experiment with my pre-match routine and other parts of my game, looking for the optimal point. If you know the answer, I’m all ears!
What competitions do you take part in outside the Club?
I play five or six a year. Your ranking is based on your five best tournaments, so I essentially play the minimum. I’m part of a (not-very-active) team, and we try to align the tournaments we play in.
What are your expectations for this year’s TAC Premier Classic?
I’ll have to see the draw first, but my main goal is to play as well as I can. I play a lot better at the Club than I do anywhere else. The home crowd also helps.
What are your future squash goals?
I don’t have any concrete goals. My main goal was to break into the top 20 in Japan, which I’ve done. Now my goal is to continue to improve; I’ve been working on changing various aspects of my swing for about a year. If anything, I want to break into the top 16 in Japan, since I’d start in the main draw in the All-Japan tournament.
TAC Premier Classic
July 19 (9am–6pm); July 20 (10am–8pm); July 21 (10am–6pm)
Words: C Bryan Jones
Top Image of Yuga Koda: Yuuki Ide
July 2025
