by Ted Gross
With the World Team Championships just nineteen days away, only one American men's team member, Chris Gordon, chose to play in this week's British Open, the most historically significant event in the sport.
It is a disgrace that in early June, US Squash will be sending a team to the World Championships in France, all expenses paid including a coach, when only one player demonstrates a commitment.
Playing the British Open should have been a requirement for all US team members and alternates.
More importantly, the team members should have wanted to play, in what would have been the ideal tune-up environment before the World's.
And this time, there can be no ranking-related excuses: the British Open pre-qualifier was open to all players worldwide.
May 5, 2013
Reader: 'Wannabe Reporters' Writing for DSR
After reading two of your so-called "articles" in the past week, I suggest that you rename your publication to the Daily Squash Blog , which to me connotes more of opinions of wannabe reporters than any firm of objective journalism. How childish was tonight's post that the Hyder team didn't get back to you. Wow! The unpaid volunteers at NY Squash were running a tournament and didn't respond? Soooo terrible of them. Doesn't Rob Dinerman live in NYC? Spring for the $2.50 bus fare and send him over to report!!!!
And the mostly Greenwich jab about the mixed doubles? Last time I looked, the tournament does change venues and I am sure that US Squash will confirm that entry was open to any doubles team, without regard to what state they were coming from!
Grow up, DSR, and why not publish this on the main page rather than burying it in your reader contribution section, unless you delete it entirely (which is my precise expectation).
Alan Goldberg
NYC
March 7, 2013
A Walk Down Memory Lane
by Guy Cipriano
DSR posted recently comments from Mr. Robert Hanscom in response to observations on the state of softball singles squash in America, which I’d dashed off four or five years ago. One of the topics addressed was the level of adult tournament play.
Here is an interesting point for the consideration of your readers:
In 1980 the National Championships were held on 15-18 February in Princeton, NJ. That’s 33 years ago.
There were 47 men in the A division and there were 48 women in the A division.
Yesterday DSR posted the 2013 national championship draws:
16 in the Men's division and 8 in the Women's division.
In the 1980 Men’s age group draws there were 49 in the 35+, 56 (!) in the 40+, 39 in the 45+, 38 in the 50+, 32 in the 55+, and 16 in the 60+ . 60+ was the highest age group competition.
There was also a five-person men’s team championship in which there were 21 teams with a total of 105 players. In addition there were two women’s age group draws with 16 in the 35+ and 8 in the 40+.
It’s self-evident that the level of junior play at every level and in every division has exploded . Everybody associated with squash should be overjoyed with that wonderful trend. I understand that there were to be approximately 1050 players in the high school team championships which had to be canceled due to bad weather several weeks ago.
That having been said, the level of adult tournament participation can also be judged by the numbers, and to paraphrase Coach Bill Parcells, You Are What The Numbers Say You Are.
DSR posted recently comments from Mr. Robert Hanscom in response to observations on the state of softball singles squash in America, which I’d dashed off four or five years ago. One of the topics addressed was the level of adult tournament play.
Here is an interesting point for the consideration of your readers:
In 1980 the National Championships were held on 15-18 February in Princeton, NJ. That’s 33 years ago.
There were 47 men in the A division and there were 48 women in the A division.
Yesterday DSR posted the 2013 national championship draws:
16 in the Men's division and 8 in the Women's division.
In the 1980 Men’s age group draws there were 49 in the 35+, 56 (!) in the 40+, 39 in the 45+, 38 in the 50+, 32 in the 55+, and 16 in the 60+ . 60+ was the highest age group competition.
There was also a five-person men’s team championship in which there were 21 teams with a total of 105 players. In addition there were two women’s age group draws with 16 in the 35+ and 8 in the 40+.
It’s self-evident that the level of junior play at every level and in every division has exploded . Everybody associated with squash should be overjoyed with that wonderful trend. I understand that there were to be approximately 1050 players in the high school team championships which had to be canceled due to bad weather several weeks ago.
That having been said, the level of adult tournament participation can also be judged by the numbers, and to paraphrase Coach Bill Parcells, You Are What The Numbers Say You Are.
March 1, 2013
Why Only One American In North American Open?
From a reader:
In looking at the qualifier draw and the main draw of the North American Open there appears to be only one American playing. How come there is only one American in the North American Open? It is a world series category tournament and one of the most important in the world.
In looking at the qualifier draw and the main draw of the North American Open there appears to be only one American playing. How come there is only one American in the North American Open? It is a world series category tournament and one of the most important in the world.
February 13, 2013
College Squash Should Not Have Paid Referees
by Guy Cipriano
I don’t agree with Bob Hanscom's recommendation of having paid referees for college squash matches.
The essence of the culture of squash is that it’s a gentlemen’s game and that it is a lifetime sport.
You are going to see the people you play again frequently throughout your life.
The players are to be instructed by each coach to perform his/her refereeing duties ethically.
That is to be taken seriously.
Most of the players know one another pretty well from prep school/junior competition, etc.
After graduation, sooner or later, the players are going to want to join the same clubs in the same cities.
A player who has disgraced himself on the court through bad conduct, or as a biased referee, will not be elected.
Is that snobbish? No. It’s reality. Bad conduct generates a poisonous reputation which endures.
The solution is to instruct the players in refereeing carefully and comprehensively, and for all the coaches to insist that the players behave ethically.
And then if a coach sees one of this players refereeing in an unethical way he is to intervene.
I saw that with my own eyes, done by John White and Mark Devoy.
Collegiate squash is intended to be a learning experience. Refereeing is an essential part of that process.
I don’t agree with Bob Hanscom's recommendation of having paid referees for college squash matches.
The essence of the culture of squash is that it’s a gentlemen’s game and that it is a lifetime sport.
You are going to see the people you play again frequently throughout your life.
The players are to be instructed by each coach to perform his/her refereeing duties ethically.
That is to be taken seriously.
Most of the players know one another pretty well from prep school/junior competition, etc.
After graduation, sooner or later, the players are going to want to join the same clubs in the same cities.
A player who has disgraced himself on the court through bad conduct, or as a biased referee, will not be elected.
Is that snobbish? No. It’s reality. Bad conduct generates a poisonous reputation which endures.
The solution is to instruct the players in refereeing carefully and comprehensively, and for all the coaches to insist that the players behave ethically.
And then if a coach sees one of this players refereeing in an unethical way he is to intervene.
I saw that with my own eyes, done by John White and Mark Devoy.
Collegiate squash is intended to be a learning experience. Refereeing is an essential part of that process.
February 10, 2013
US Squash Should Fully Refund Entry Fees From High School Championships
by Ted Gross
February 11, 2013
US Squash on Thursday made the difficult but necessary decision to cancel the US High School Championships, a mammoth three-day event involving nearly 1,500 players, in light of the impending weekend storm.
Near the end of the official US Squash statement, however, is a passage which comes across as ham-handed and offensive.
After broaching the topic of possibly rescheduling the tournament later this winter, US Squash notes that if this cannot be achieved, “we will then evaluate the potential for full or partial refunds of entry fees and also communicate a decision with regard to finances to the coaches and school administrations at the earliest possible time.”
You have got to be kidding.
It is shocking that the Association would even consider not refunding all entry fees paid by all the schools, in full. The schools entered their teams and paid the applicable fees into the tournament in good faith, in the hope of enhancing the athletic, cultural and educational experience of their student-athletes.
But then the event got canceled, which happens.
For US Squash there is only one course of action: You open your checkbook, and you give everyone their money back.
December 2, 2012
Hong Kong Open Production Bolstering Olympic Chances
From an anonymous reader:
With two important IOC Olympic delegates watching the semi finals and finals of the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Open men's and women's matches, how is squash and the "production"of this event faring this far?
Do we have a chance? I say YES!
I am so impressed with the refereeing for the most part, the players' efforts and behaviours on court, Psasquashtv's astounding coverage and hi quality camera work, and of course the venue on the harbour is truly beautiful and as majestic as the World Open was in front of the pyramids in Egypt or when said World Open was in Bermuda with the light blue ocean as a backdrop.
I would only offfer to the PSA and Psasquashtv , who are working hard and doing a fantastic job at this upper tier event to take a tip from professional tennis: the well versed, highly knowledgeable and very entertaining commentaters, Joey Barrington, Paul Johnson, Lee Drew need to be seen in between games and post match by a separate camera as is done in tennis. They are good looking guys or camera friendly as are most of the players as seen in their interviews, so lets make it happen so we all look more complete as professionals.
Lastly, i would shoot some live action fr front wall cameras to see how the players lunge as back out of the front corners.
Other than that the production and product of this Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Open should highly impress if not win over the IOC delegates who are im the audience experiemcing what must be an awesome show!
Good luck to squash!
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