EARN THE RESPECT

2012 Singles Club Championships – Apr 2 – May 3

Is this going to be the year a new Club Champion will be crowned – someone other than Peter Logan or Kirk Haggarty who have shared the spoils since 2004? Are the up and comers such as John Rakolta and George Kordas ready and strong enough yet to threaten? Or could newcomer Jed Elley be the chosen one? Or could there be an unknown on the horizon..?

It may be the most competitive Open category in recent memory (hopefully!) which we all would be looking forward to witnessing. But let’s not forget the other divisions where many improved players are making a statement. Anthony Fracchia is one who has made significant advancement over the past 12 months; don’t look past Robin Basil either with his awkward racquetball style of play and court coverage speed; maybe Josh Slominski or Sante Fratarcangeli? And it’s not just the youngsters. Tom Fabbri has impressed many with his steady progress and would be tough to beat as well.

The seven divisions to choose from are: 5.5 – 5.0 – 4.5 – 4.0 – 3.5 – 3.0 – 2.5. Read the following important points very carefully if you are playing:

• You can enter ONE division only.

• When you enter, tell me what division you want to play in. E-mailing me “I’m in” without telling me where, does not help. If I think you are in the wrong category, I will make the adjustment. Do not play down.

• If you won a category last year, you cannot enter the same category this year. (Except for the Open category winner, or special permission from me.)

• ALL finals will be played on Thursday, May 3. If you are away on that day and you plan on making the final, do not enter.

• All matches are best of 5 games to 11 using point-a-rally scoring.
• No consolation draw.

• Each match will have a deadline for completion. If you do not complete your match by the assigned deadline, you risk being forfeited.

• If you are away for a significant amount of time during the month of April then you should not enter. The tournament cannot fall behind waiting for you.

Are you ready to take it to your fellow members? If so, make sure you enter before the registration deadline of Monday, March 26. There is no entry fee but you do need to be a Blackballer to play. May 3 is also the night of the Awards Dividend, so pencil it in on your calendars.

MEET A MEMBER - 11

It’s not very often we see women on our squash courts. Slowly, however, we are seeing an increase in their participation. I have had the pleasure of coaching this particular young lady for a while now. Strong, athletic, competitive and dare I day it – a little stubborn! Which is actually a good thing when it comes to learning the sport. She is determined to do it right, and works very hard on her game.

MEET… BRITTANY PAQUETTE

The Squash Joint (TSJ): You come from a sporting background and are involved in coaching yourself. Tell us a little about your athletic history and who / what you teach.

My love of athletics began at the ripe age of 2.5 when my parents enrolled me in figure skating. That only lasted a couple of years before they realized I’m not dainty or graceful enough to be on the ice with other small children, rather hazardous in fact, so I joined the swim team, a natural fit for a Pisces. Along with swimming came basketball, soccer, volleyball, golf and tennis lessons. My mom was quick to notice the benefits of enrolling her high-energy child in every sport possible. I decided to narrow it down to just field hockey and soccer, which I was playing year round. Come time to apply to schools, I had to choose between soccer and  field hockey since the seasons are the same at the collegiate level, so I went with field hockey. I played 4 years at Denison University, hands down the BEST years of my life. It absolutely made my college experience, wouldn’t trade it for the world. Post-Denison, my best friend & lifelong teammate approached me with a coaching opportunity at Cranbrook. Mind you, Liggett, my alma mater, and Cranbrook are archrivals, but my love for the outdoors, children, and the sport made this decision rather easy. How could I turn it down? So, two seasons later, and after turning the program around and rebuilding it from the bottom up, I find myself counting down the days until preseason starts. It’s the most rewarding experience, and the girls are simply a joy to be around. I couldn’t be more thankful to have the chance to give back and make a difference in these girls’ lives the same way my coaches and years of playing have done for me, all the while doing it with my best friend. It doesn’t get much better than that.

TSJ: All athletes have experienced injuries. I know you are no exception. What injuries have you suffered through and which was the most difficult to overcome?  

By the grace of God, I’ve never really endured a major injury, per se… ailments that come and go, yes. Going full throttle all these years, it’s bound to happen, but I wouldn’t change a thing. I play hard and I push through. I’ve never really known the difference between pain and discomfort, so I just go until I can’t. The list includes rotator cuff issues (complements a la field hockey), various forms of tendonitis throughout my lower extremities, occasional asthma attacks, and the worst at this point is my back. My scoliosis has required weekly chiropractic visits for some 20-odd years. My back flares up every now and then, most recently with squash and indoor (co-ed) soccer. I can’t forget about my ‘broken’ toe, probably the most annoying injury of them all, because it simply won’t go away. I got spiked by a 230-pound dude in soccer. Felt like someone took a meat cleaver to my foot, and 5 months later, I’m still dealing with it, and still playing soccer, and still wearing pumps. I probably should go see a doctor, but the most they’ll tell me is to rest and stop playing, and that clearly is not an option, so we shall see. Squash is not the friendliest of sports on my joints, but like any athlete would, you do what needs to be done with regards to daily maintenance, strength training, RICE, etc.

TSJ: You win the lottery and are set for life. The catch is that you have to live anywhere that is not the USA. Where do you go and why?

I’d definitely move to Malta. I’ve grown up on the water, and who wouldn’t opt to live in the Mediterranean if given the chance, so yes, Malta it is. Not to mention every third person on the island is a (maternal) relative, so that’d make for a fun time.

TSJ: What job would you be doing if you were not currently working as a real estate agent?

Simple. I’d own a ranch out West, a dude ranch, in Wyoming or Colorado. Few people know this, but I’m a cowgirl at heart. I come from a long line of cowboys and rodeo stars on my dad’s side. Rode my first horse at 2 and fell in love. Been riding and instructing since. It’d be an absolute dream come true to work and play with horses day in and day out.

TSJ: What attracted you to play squash? Did you believe you would pick up the game quicker or slower than what you are currently doing? Is there anything you find easy about the game?

Soon after joining DAC, I saw a sign for the beginner’s clinic that caught my eye. Figured what the hell, I’m willing to try most anything at least once. To be honest, I was just so thrilled by the idea of being able to learn a new sport I could eventually compete in. There are very few things, athletic-wise, that I participate in for “fun”.  I’m a natural competitor, but if I can have fun and make new friends while doing it, even better. It feels good to be playing a competitive sport again; it’s all I’ve ever known and I’ve missed it a great deal. Granted, I’ve always played team sports, so this is a bit different, but as with any sport, I needed to enlist the expertise of a ‘coach’, whom I absolutely adore, and implement a regimented practice schedule. After about 6 months of lessons, 2 times a week, all of which were fun-filled and laughter-infused, I felt confident enough to begin competing. I was pleasantly surprised with my progress and the ease with which I picked up the game. The most challenging aspect was retraining my muscles; I’d often go between “field hockey mode” and “squash mode”.  It’s like learning a new language; it’s hard not to confuse or blend the two, something I’m still working on. On the flip side, my years of field hockey and soccer training have really paid off. Anyone who knows anything about field hockey players knows we’re a big-bottomed breed with legs that could kill – Ha-ha! - so the lunging and agility comes quite naturally.

TSJ: Who is your one sporting hero (dead or alive) that you would love to meet?

Honestly, I’ve never been drawn to one athlete in particular, mainly because I’m not a huge proponent of professional/contracted athletes. The athletes that really impress me and earn my respect are college and Olympic athletes. Their passion for their respective sport is so genuine and pure, totally untainted by the elements that plague professional sports. Perfect example, and one of my most favorite movies, “Miracle On Ice”.

TSJ: What was your worst / most despised subject in school?

I’ve never really despised any class because I love to learn, but I’d have to say Chemistry takes the cake on this one. Only reason I passed is because I had all my sister’s old labs to refer to.

TSJ: Not counting squash, what do you find the most enjoyable and rewarding part of being a member of the DAC?

Bar none, the Intermediates. I’ve made the MOST wonderful friends who, in truth, have become more like family. We have such a close-knit group of friends; I am truly blessed.  

TSJ: You have squandered your lottery winnings by betting it all on the Lions to win the Superbowl. (The odds were astronomical.) As they take away all your expensive possessions that you purchased with your money, you are allowed to keep one. What do you keep?

Hands down, I’d hold onto my horse. Nothing can break the bond shared between a cowgirl and her horse.

TSJ: Tell us your favorite…

a)      Couch snack… Pita chips, green apple, and asiago cheese or carrots and PB

b)      Electronic gadget that is not your cell phone… Electric toothbrush. I’m obsessed w/brushing my teeth.

c)      Best looking actor… Zack Morris and Kevin Costner, you know I can’t pick just one.

d)      Cartoon character… I didn’t really watch cartoons, but I was a huge Barney fan.

e)      Clothing store… Ann Taylor / LOFT

f)        Horror movie… Cape Fear and the Exorcist movies, none of which I dare watch since living on my own.

TSJ: What is the weirdest thing you have ever eaten?

In honor of keeping family tradition alive, fresh, aka LIVE, crabs off the cliffs/rocks in Malta… that was an experience.

TSJ: The final question has the goal of being a teensy bit embarrassing and to see how much you are willing to reveal of yourself. What is the naughtiest thing you ever did in school, did you get caught and if so what was the punishment?

This is cruel and unusual, I’m well aware, and I’ve since repented for my sins, but you asked. All throughout Liggett lower school, we had assigned seating during lunch. Well, in 1^st grade, I sat next to someone who was said to be severely allergic to PB. Not saying I didn’t believe it to be true, I just wanted to test it out for myself, confirm the facts. Our teacher should’ve known putting us at the same table was a bad idea to begin with, based solely on the amounts of PB I consumed as a child. My devilish self decided to conduct a little experiment. I waved my PB & J sandwich under his nose, may have even skimmed it, who knows, and thought it was absolutely hilarious. I couldn’t stop laughing. I mean, what’s the worst that could happen? Well, he went ballistic on me, started heaving and breaking out in hives. His mom came and picked him up, after she gave me a stern talking to, along with my teacher, principal, and parents. Long story short, he was definitely allergic to PB, though I still wonder, if he had such an extreme nut allergy, why even allow him to come close to PB. First graders like to test their limits; you tell them not to do something, and guess what, they go and do it! Anyhow, unless my memory serves me incorrect, this was my first and most significant run-in with Liggett authorities during my 12-year tenure.

A big thank you to Brittany for taking the time answering these tough questions! She will no doubt improve on the court rapidly, so player beware if she has you in her sights – she seems to be a little like the Terminator. She absolutely will not stop until she takes you down! I have to admit though, I never saw the ‘cowgirl’ thing coming. The DAC community is very pleased to have her on board and until (if) she rides off into the sunset with a big “Yee-Haw!” and chewing on a live crab dipped in PB, we’ll enjoy and make the most of her company!

NO EXCUSES FOR THE TOLEDO TOURNAMENT

Oh boy. I can think of multiple factors, explanations, justifications, anything to help me stomach the nasty taste of a beat down. However, there is no excuse. There never is. Age, injuries, fitness: it all means squat once you are on the court. Especially on the Toledo courts. A claustrophobic causing coffin-like mini version of the real thing that even after entering this event for the 8^th time I cannot for the life of me figure out how to play on them. But it’s the same for my opponents as it is for me. No excuse.

I lost the semi final 3-0 to a 22 year old ‘child’ from Canada. No disrespect intended to Tom Brinkman – he is a fine young fellow, ranked 147 in the world, and could reach both side walls of the court when yawning. I was outplayed by a steadier opponent on the day – no excuse. I will need to work harder if I want to compete with these guys in the future. I cannot expect to be able to if I don’t. Simple reality that may sound very familiar to many of you.

The DAC had unfortunately minimal representation for this event. Peter Logan made the trip – as he does every year. In fact, flipping through their tournament magazine, I found Peter’s name in the winner’s column waaaay back in 1987 (I think) – for the C draw! Sheesh! I was a child back then… Peter’s tournament form this year has been deficient. Not from lack of playing, he just hasn’t been able to hit the clean ball when it counts. And these courts certainly are not the remedy for bad form either. Peter bowed out relatively early in both of his events.

Our other delegate was Alan Howard who played the D draw and the 60+. It was Alan’s first trip to Toledo and he was jolly glad he made the effort. Not just for the squash – where he reached the final of the 60+ but went down 3-0, but he made the most of the hospitality too. Alan was carrying an injury over the weekend but nursed his way through very respectably – again, no excuse. I’m sure the beer numbed the discomfort anyway!

The event is well known – probably more so – for the socializing. As usual, the attraction of the models that refill your beer cups on Friday night kept us all awake and not pay any attention at all to the squash going on, and the Saturday night party always seem to create some type of head-shaking, snickering, “what-were-they-thinking” moments. Names have been removed to protect the guilty, but here were some stand-outs:

• The guy who was physically attacked at a local bar on Friday, was punched and bloodied before the bouncers blamed him for the incident and roughly escorted him out of the establishment although he didn’t even throw one fist. They escorted the instigator through the back door – a girl. 
• The guy who even though has a body skinnier than mine and tan whiter than an albino polar bear, decided to “dirty dance” during the Saturday night shin-dig topless for at least 10 minutes. It was caught on camera and now threatens to be released to the world. The parties are negotiating! It was not pretty, but it was hilarious. 
• The guy who passed out in the bar at 2pm Saturday before his match, but still managed to win. I am not sure whether to be impressed or disgusted!

It was another weekend full of squash and fun. Pity we had only has 2 members make the trip, we’ll keep on trying to build the numbers. Just ask Alan – he certainly doesn’t regret making the effort. Nor will you!

WINDSOR TOURNAMENT – PART 2

Tony Tomicic Challenge – Mar 23-25

When we left Windsor at the end of Part 1 (the “Fall Down Classic” in November), there were 15 DAC members (and me!) storming the front lines of squash court combat. Many survived the carnage, but alas casualties of war are simply a fact of life and are expected, so we do need as many reinforcements as possible! Part 2 is upon us…

Keep in mind that during the recent DAC Classic, they shipped 28 troops into our territory, and many of them succeeded in their missions. With all the special op training some of you have been doing, it’s time to retake some of that terrain. Infiltration is unsophisticated: hike 1 mile south until to reach the raging torrent of the Detroit River. Once there, navigate your way through the already built foxhole, where your most difficult task is to get pass the vicious Canadian guards on the other side that will stop at nothing to halt your progress. Use the code word “Squash” when questioned – this should miraculously open doors. (Word of warning: DO NOT use that code word when creeping back onto home soil – that will only spark of a barrage of more questioning, searching and probing.)

Once passed that check-point, hike another mile and half south(ish) through urban landscape and using your high-tech global positioning systems you should be able to discover the well camouflaged Windsor Squash Club – the trench warfare of the squash world. Get racquet-weapons at the ready and… attack!

Skirmishes will be separated into A; B; C; D; 40+; 50+; Doubles A; Doubles B and Doubles Mixed categories. Click on the poster for more details – there will be beer to consume to either ease the pain of defeat or enhance to ecstasy of victory. You must register voluntarily by March 16 – don’t make me enforce conscription! So get mobilized, represent, and join me as we invade Canada!

SECOND HALF STATS

Boasters League ~~final round

Not many surprises here. Well, maybe one – the fact that the final round was very quiet considering everybody should have been scrambling to play as many matches as possible before the deadline. The standings only had one change over the final week which was “Vivio’s” swapping places with “1^st Place Lounge” to take the 3^rd spot - which wasn’t unexpected since “1^st Place Lounge” had the last round bye.

The one team that will be kicking themselves is the “O’Blivions” who missed out on the final play-off position by one point. Tracking the scores over the last couple of days, they actually held 6^th spot up until the final moments before the cutoff, but a late score entered by “The Tap Bar” burst that bubble.

“Town Pump” and “Old Shillelagh” secure the first round bye in the finals, something they really did a few rounds ago as all they did from week to week was to increase their lead. Play over the second half of the Boasters League season felt down from previous seasons, even though overall court usage is well up; statistics support that observation…

• Only 62% of the matches were played compared to 71% in the first half. A significant decrease.
• Rounds 1, 2 and 5 had the most matches played with 73%.
• The lowest completion percentages were rounds 7, 8 and 9. Round 9 was only 40%.
• “Town Pump” and “1^st Place Lounge” had the highest playing percentage with 72% of matches completed. “Old Shillelagh” had 71%. All three teams were in the top 4 of the standings.
• Hardly shocking, but the top 3 teams on the standings received the most bonus points. “Town Pump” had the most with 62.
• “Jacoby’s” played only 44% of their matches. They finished last by a long way. No one should be astounded to hear that they also had the lowest bonus point total with just 32. That’s an average of 4 people (out of maximum 12) per week.
• Every team had at least one player who played all 8 of their matches. “1^st Place Lounge” had four. Overall there were 17 – none of them went through undefeated.
• Only 6 players picked up all 8 bonus points. They were all members of one of the top four teams.
• No one played all 12 matches in any round.
• The 187 points scored by “Town Pump” is the most ever in a Boasters League half season.
• The most points any team picked up in one round was 31 by “Old Shillelagh”.
• The most points “Jacoby’s” picked in any round was 13.
• 67% of “Jacoby’s” score was made up by 4 of their players.

On top of the best team overall, there is also the individual prize of the “All Star” team. This is calculated from the highest point getters from each level – including bonus points – for the all round consistent performer. Each player listed will receive an special “All Star” shirt. Here are your stand-outs:

1. George Kordas - “Vivio’s”
2. Paul Ward – “Anchor”
3. Patrick Petz – “Town Pump”
4. Kevin Kennedy – “1^st Place Lounge”
5. Andy Housey – “O’Blivions”
6. Sante Fratarcangeli – “O’Blivion’s”
7. Chuck Doyle – “Vivio’s”
8. Ted Mabley – “The Tap Bar”
9. Jason Massey – “Town Pump”
10. Dane Fossee – “Old Shillelagh” – Lead the league with 50 points
11. Tom Delaney – “Vivio’s”
12. Jim Miller “The Tap Bar”

Nice to see three captains in that list – leading by example! Also nice to see 7 of the 9 teams represented – no prize guessing which two teams are missing…

So now we get into the business end of the season. Head-to-head, winner advances, loser gets eliminated. Will Patrick Petz and his team once again be the one left standing for a third title in four years? I am sure most players will be able to find time (now) to play their match over the week since it is the finals… If only they found tine to play their weekly matches over the first 9 weeks…

IT’S BLITZING TIME

If you always wanted to play a tournament, but couldn’t possibly commit to an entire weekend to do it, then the Blitz Tournament could be your answer. All you have to pledge to is a couple of hours starting at 5pm on Friday, March 16. After that, your weekend is free to do whatever you fancy. And for your appreciated support, we’ll also have a keg begging to be emptied. And if that wasn’t enough, for the first three place getters we’ll have nice prizes, and since we are such a friendly organization, we won’t charge you an entry fee either… so long as you a Blackballer.

This is how the event works: Part 1 is the round robin format. You’ll be thrown randomly into a group of 4 or 5 players and play one game to 15 against everybody. Handicaps will be assigned to make the match as competitive as possible. Some of you may think you already have a handicap, but they don’t count. Once the round robin matches have been completed, the top 2 winners in each group move on to Part 2 – the knock-out phase. In case of a tie, straws will be drawn to see who advances.

In the knock-out phase, you’ll go head-to-head and play 1 game to 15 points, and the handicaps will be assigned as we go along. The entire event should take about 2 and a half hours to complete – about the same amount of time it takes you to empty the keg if you really concentrate on it!

If you would like to be a part of this quick, fun, social event, make sure you e-mail me your entry no later than Wednesday, March 14. We need a minimum of 16 players to run it, but no more than 40 otherwise you’ll be playing into Saturday. Are you up for the Blitz?

ONE WEEK TO GO

Boasters League round 8~~

Unless something dramatic happens, it looks like five teams have punched their ticket to the finals already. The only really close race is for the last play-off position between 6th place “The Tap Bar” and 7th place “Oblivions”. It would be fitting if these two teams played against each other for the final round, but they don’t, and a lot will also rely on how many matches the two teams makes up between now and March 1.

The top two teams look set and will receive the first round bye for the finals. Third ranked “1st Place Lounge” has to sit out week 9 and most likely will watch “Vivio’s” and “Anchor” overtake them but are not in any real danger of slipping outside the top 6. As far as “Speakeasys” and “Jacoby’s”, I don’t think even divine intervention would be enough for them to rise above their deficits.

It wasn’t a terribly hectic evening for round 8; I am presuming most players prefer to wait until the final couple of days before the deadline to start catching up so I expect a lot of scores to be pouring in all next week. (Can you smell the sarcasm?) As always, though, there were some rather competitive matches played. Chip McDaniel (“Jacoby’s”) took Todd Baker (“Vivio’s”) 2-1, but by the way the two came off the court it looked like it went 5 games and 90 minutes. David Devine (“1st Place Lounge”) picked up his fourth win of the half with a well deserved 2-1 victory over Greg Baker (“Town Pump”) and he did it with a demo racquet. So he purchased one. Because it’s obviously the arrow, not the Indian. And Kevin Kennedy (“1st Place Lounge”) handed Brendan Fossee (“Town Pump”) his first loss of the half with a dogged 2-1 win.

Seven days to go. 168 hours or 10,080 minutes – give or take. March 1 (inclusive) is the deadline to get any and all scores to me. The finals schedule will be sent out on Friday, March 2.

SQUASH IN DETROIT?

One of more depressing things about living in a city such as Detroit is the amount of abandoned houses that litter the neighborhoods. Houses that are dilapidated, burnt down, derelict, and discarded by previous owners that only scar the surrounding residences and cast a continuous shadow of despair throughout the remaining population. The choices left for those lingering families are minimal. The easy thing to do is maintain the same attitude and slither down the spiral of hopelessness, or you can take the path of Gina and Mitch – who created a non-profit organization called “Power House Productions” – and do something positive about it.

These people are artists. They are also builders. But they are more importantly community activists who have a vision of dragging the tiny pocket of their neighborhood in Detroit, just north of Hamtramck, back to a level of respect it once enjoyed, and back to a place where people will want to visit, live, and be proud of the identity rather than be ashamed of it.

By choosing select locations around the streets where they live, and by employing the help of visiting artists from around the world, volunteers, money from donors and private foundations, (and they are also hoping for assistance through government grants), Power House Productions is slowly transforming houses into themed dwellings. The aim is to have an abundant variety of activities for the families in the area to enjoy; bringing people together as they play music and have concerts in the ‘Sound House’, go and skate on tracks and obstacles through the ‘Skate House’, then pick up a racquet and have a game of squash at the next. Yes, you read it correctly – a ‘Squash House’. In Detroit, five minutes from downtown.

Graem Whyte dreaming of his 'Squash House'

I went to visit the location with Gina and Mitch and also Graem Whyte (the artist taking the reins on project 'Squash House') on Klinger St. one very cold Saturday afternoon. The house was burnt to a crisp – although the floor and the walls were still pretty solid. Graem had some experience with racquetball, but his vision of the house focused more on squash – helped along no doubt by the fact another aspect of the transformation was to create a squash garden behind the structure and actually grow the vegetable. The house is exactly 21 foot wide; the same width as a full sized squash court but about 10 feet longer. It was certainly high enough which wouldn’t have been an issue anyway since the roof would have to be rebuilt. Being artists, Graem wanted to ‘jazz’ up the squash court as well. I have no idea how to ‘jazz’ up a squash court, and I’m not sure Graem had much of an inkling either, but it will be interesting to see what he comes up with.

It is a wonderful idea. To bring a neighborhood back to life through imagination and initiative, and to have squash as a part of the grand scheme is a splendid plug for the sport. I wonder how many of the people in that area would ever have heard of squash before...?

Here is short video clip of the beginnings of Squash House: Introduction . You will have to excuse the use of racquetball racquets in the clip. At least they were wearing eye-guards! The Squash House is slated to be up and running by September this year if everything goes to plan. But they do need a little assistance. If you would like to help out on this or any other project they are doing you can check out their website http://www.powerhouseproductions.org/ and facebook page and their is additionally a special facebook page for the Squash House. They are also looking for racquets and eye-guards to use for when they do open, so if anyone has any old gear they wish to get rid of, I can take it off your hands and willingly donate!

DOUBLE TROUBLE

2012 Doubles Club Championships – Mar 12 – Apr 18

The best piece of advice I can give you if you are planning on competing in the Doubles Club Championships is – confirm your partner early. The longer you wait the less options you will have to find a suitable team mate. Every year, I receive a bunch of e-mails close to the registrations deadline from the ‘lingerers’ that want to know who hasn’t yet registered and who I would recommend. So get on the blower and start sending out feelers now!

Doubles is slowly becoming more competitive at the DAC, more players are trying their hand at the hardball. We had a very competitive event in 2011 and I expect we’ll be even better this year. You can enter the A, B, or C draw. When entering, please take note of the following very important points:

• You MUST enter as a team. I will not accept individual entries. It is also important that you actually ask your partner to play with you before you sign up.
• Tell me which category you want to play in. If I think you are out of your league when you enter, I will place you in a more appropriate level.
• Each match will have a deadline and it is your responsibility to complete that match before that deadline. I recommend you contact the players involved in your match immediately after receiving the draw to organize a time. Do not wait until just before the deadline to start sending out e-mails.
• If you are going to be away for a significant amount of time during the event, then probably a good idea to sit this one out. We cannot let the event fall behind.
• All matches are best of 5 games. There will be no consolation.
• Be fair and courteous when dealing with ‘let’ calls. Safety first. The expectation is that all players conduct themselves as would be required at the DAC.

The registration deadline is Wednesday March 7. It would be great if all 3 finals could be played on April 18 – we’ll try and hopefully everybody’s schedule can cooperate. The winners of the A draw will automatically qualify to represent the DAC at the 2013 Farris Cup which is scheduled for January at the DAC.

Start calling…

ANOTHER CLASSIC IN THE BOOKS

When I was informed the tournament this year would be the weekend after the Super Bowl, I was very relieved. There was no way I was not going to watch the football, but I didn’t relish the idea of forcing myself to stay awake with scotch tape on my eye-lids to do it. I also believe that most players prefer it too. The feedback was all positive and it was proven in the registrations. Player capacity was reached 10 days before the deadline – a definite luxury as an organizer.

The support from our friends in London grows from year to year. Incredibly, they had the most representatives with 32. Windsor came a close second with 28. We love hosting the Canadians for the weekend, they are delightfully social, first-rate drinkers, and even better squash players. It is getting tough to schedule, however. If more Londonites enter next year, some may find themselves playing on Thursday night. I sincerely hope they can accommodate…

We ended up with 37 doubles matches and 192 singles matches over the 4 days. Results are as follows:

Anil Kathuria and Chuck Doyle



2.5 draw – A DAC winner in this category was virtually guaranteed. There were only 4 non-members in the draw and they were all women from London. I know that sounds a little harsh and sexist, but by sheer weight of numbers the odds were with us. None of the ladies reached the quarter finals, although they definitely get the prizes for best dressed and best technique and Cheryl Mayer also gets the runner-up prize for the best dancer on Saturday. (The first prize goes to my daughter! Rob Doherty gets the prize for best use of a dining chair on the dance floor and Michael Jackson impression…) 

Chuck Doyle and Anil Kathuria were the 2 left standing by Sunday afternoon. They had only dropped one game between them on their path to the final. Chuck was in the same position in 2011. He lost that final as was determined to go one better this year. He did, but not without having to play all 5 games. He eventually tired Anil out in the 5^th to earn the title.



Josh Slominski

3.0 draw – In this draw, we also had heavy numbers on our side. So it was also not surprising to see 8 DAC members reach the quarter finals here. Three quarter finals ended up 3-0, the fourth 3-2 where Chip McDaniel knocked out the 2008 3.0 winner Walter Fisher. The two semi finals on Sunday morning also went to 5 games. Chip marched to a 2-0 lead over Sante Fratarcangeli before the weekend started to catch up with him. It was Chip’s 4^th match of the event and the muscle soreness was kicking in rather nicely. Sante smelled blood and stormed back to win the match 3-2. As disappointed as Chip was, he was also relieved he did not have to play another match that day. The other semi was a real nail-biter. Josh Slominski was 2-0 up over Tom Fabbri when Tom started to establish a much better length and thereby much better control of the ‘T’. He evened it to 2 games each and then bought himself 4 match-balls at 10-6 in the 5^th. But Josh kept his composure very well and extended the game to a tie-break where he eventually took it 15-13. I didn’t get to see the final, but on paper it seemed pretty even since both players had taxing 5-setters that morning. I am presuming the match was arduous when the 3-1 score line was reported back and I am also presuming that since Josh won he won’t be feeling the aches and pains as much as Sante! 



3.5 draw – Once again, the biggest draw of the event. It now starts to get very difficult for our members to complete successfully from this level onwards. Most of the outside participation start to show their skills a little more prominently. We did however have 2 semi-finalists. Chris Van Tol won his first two matches 3-1 before coming up against the lone entrant from Grand Rapids, Jake Chapman. A resilient competitor, Jake had a grueling 5 set win over Seth Rogers (who isn’t a member anywhere, but should be one here…Seth?!) and was too good for Chris this particular Sunday morning taking him down 3-0. His finals opponent was Fermin Fernandez from Franklin. Fermin also had a very demanding run to get to this stage. A 3-2 win in round 1 was followed up by another 3-2 win in round 2, and then two 3-1 wins in the quarters and semis. I watched the final few points of the match as Fermin’s wife was having a heart attack from the nerves as she watched her husband win 3-1. I think she almost fell off her chair twice. Fermin’s smile was almost as wide as Srini Krishnamoorthy’s afterwards who had nothing to do with this match, but is forever smiling anyway!

4.0 draw – Cue the Canadians. Only 2 of our 6 players reached the quarter finals of this category. The semis involved 2 Londonites, 1 fellow from Windsor and Andrew Pritchard from the BAC. Andrew lost 3-1 to Marcus Plowright (London) who happened to win his first match 12-10 in the 5^th, and his second match 13-11 in the 5^th. Meeting Marcus in the final was his buddy club member Martin Langdale. Martin had only dropped one game to get there (to Scott Adlhoch in the second round), and he continued his dominance against Marcus. The 3-0 score was not indicative of the closeness of the match, however. All three games were decided by 2 points: 13-11, 11-9, 15-13. I apologize to Martin for the sandy taste he experienced drinking out of his winning stein. The bag broke.

4.5 draw – It was a good day for Life Time Fitness member Jason Heywood with a victory in the category, taking the final over David Suelzle from London 3-0. Jason dropped two games in the event – one to Dean Lansens (Windsor) in round 2 and one to Gary Sullivan (London) in the semi. Gary requested I place him and Jon Anderson on separate sides of the draw so they could have an all-out battle to the death in the final. Jon lost the quarter final to our Ryan Bendzinski in 5. I guess we’ll have to wait until 2013 to witness that pleasure.

5.0 draw – The biggest 5.0 draw we have ever had, it was logically also the most competitive. Last year’s winner Brian Porter (Windsor) received the rough end of the pineapple with the draw when his first match was against Mike Blythe from London. Mike won 3-0 and immediately became the player to beat in the event. His toughest test came in the next round playing Ali Somani from Windsor as Ali pushed him to 5 games but couldn’t quite close the deal. A 3-0 pasting over a hazy Andrew Caille (Windsor) in the semi on Sunday morning had Mike in the final. There he met another Windsor player in Kevin Furmanek. Kevin went quietly about his business, also receiving his toughest test in his second match winning that in 5 close games before beating last year’s finalist John Rakolta 3-0 in the semi. However, he was not able to counter the steady and intelligent play of Mike in the final. Mike took the match 3-0, looking in control for most of the encounter.

5.5 draw – The big boys. For a second year running, we had repeat finalists. And for a second year running, we had the same winner. And, for a second year running, we had the same score. Brad Hanebury (London) managed to keep 2-time winner Mark Eugeni (Windsor) at bay just enough with an 11-9 in the 5^th victory. Both Mark and Brad reached the final with relative ease, but with the up and coming youngsters such as Michael Snower (BAC) and Stefan Houbtchev (Windsor) starting to win matches in that division, their days of ruling the 5.5 roost may be numbered.



Doubles C – You can’t beat experience. Really. I mean, who is going to stop the veteran London pairing of Lindsay Smith and his lovely wife Anne in this category? Not even Renka Gesing and Syd Strom could manage it, although they did win one game in the final. It was Lindsay and Anne’s second title in a row – and they also won it in 2009. We’ll no doubt see them here in 2013 for more hardware!

Lindsay and Anne Smith



Doubles B – The poor McKittrick brothers. They must feel like the Buffalo Bills. For the fourth time, they have reached a final of a doubles category at the DAC Classic, and for the fourth time, they have come up short. This time it was a 5-set loss to the London team of Marcus Plowright and Tom Panabaker. Marcus and Tom didn’t have it easy either. They won their second round 18-16 in the 5^th over Chris Boden and Martin Langdale also from London. I guess we’ll also see the McKittrick’s next year. They will probably keep on playing until they win one!

Doubles A – No surprises here. For the winner in any case. Jon Uffelman (BAC) and Mark Eugeni (Windsor) powered their way to a third title without too much trouble. I was a little surprised at their finals opponents in John Seidel (Toledo) and Rob Graves (Franklin) who beat the London team of Rob Doherty and Caleb Quinlan 3-1 in the semi final. Not that John and Rob are pushovers. I have been on court with them before and have been on a bad end of a thrashing, but Rob and Caleb have won this tournament and I did pick them to reach the final. However, no excuse, but I don’t think Rob slept very well the night before.

Socially, I don’t think anyone could admit to not enjoying themselves. Just ask Srini Krishnamoorthyopolouswangchungsmithklein. The permanent smile plastered across his face no matter what is going on around him, his blinding white teeth, just makes you happy to be alive. Friends were made, beer was consumed (eh, Rob Doherty?), Mike Counsman was true to form, the lead singer of the live band busted a few moves on the dance floor to get the crowd going along with the outstanding music, we had dirty dancing, amazing food, pretty girls, exciting squash… what more could you ask for?

So there you have it. A big thank you to all the DAC staff who helped out behind the scenes: catering, housekeeping, hotel, kitchen staff including the chefs and waiters, and a special mention to Ernest Jordan and his Men’s Locker Room staff, Blerta, Tiffany, Illene, and of course Rob Barr. The praise from the players about you was nothing but tremendous. Not forgetting our sponsors either – without them, we wouldn’t be running the thing at all. There is a good chance that next year will be the same weekend – the one after the Super Bowl – so pencil it (lightly) in your calendar. And no, I am not yet taking registrations.

For all the category results, please click: DAC Classic Tournament Results 

TAKING YOUR TALENTS TO TOLEDO

Toledo Tournament – Mar 2-4

Once the hangover from the DAC classic has subsided, the perfect follow-up is to repeat the adventure on the road – in Toledo. It’s a measly 60 miles down the I-75, not that far that it’s too long a journey and not too close either so it’s a good excuse to overnight. It’s time to start working on those ‘hall-passes’!

This event has its own unique attraction. Mainly because the squash courts are tiny. At two-and-a-half feet narrower than regulation, it will make you feel like Gigantor with the feeling you could reach any ball at any time. But beware! The change in size comes with changes of angle and ball approach and it is extremely easy to be out of position and stuck behind your opponent. You will have to adapt accordingly.

Naturally this gives the Toledoen a huge advantage. But luckily this event is not just about the squash. On the contrary – it’s more about the social side. Beer chicks serve you on the Friday, and a big party on the Saturday night guarantees you won’t be leaving this Detroit-wanna-be city unhappy. And I don’t want to give you the wrong idea – it’s not impossible to win your category. Peter Logan and Anthony Fracchia have pulled it off in years past.

So click on the above tournament poster for all the pertinent information and details about the tournament hotel which is only a couple minutes drive from the Toledo Club. Join me for a weekend of intermingling, squash, beer, camaraderie, and important tournament experience.

MUCH OF THE SAME IN ROUND 6

Boasters League round 6~~

It appears to be the trend for the second half of this season: “Town Pump” and “Old Shillelagh” continue to play matches, pick up bonus points and solidify their first and second placing on the ladder… while “Speakeasys” and “Jacoby’s” fall further and further behind the rest of the pack.

Given, the “Speakeasys” had the bye week, but they only collected 2 points over the week in makeup matches and have dropped to 8^th spot, and “Jacoby’s” look to be setting a record slow pace as they have only added 12 points over the past three weeks combined!

The rest of the teams are shuffling around amongst themselves and are just trying to keep in the top 6 to make the play-offs. “1^st Place Lounge” and “Vivio’s” appear to be in the best position to do just that – in fact “1^st Place Lounge” scored the most points this week of any other team with 26 and jumped into third place. The only shining light for the teams chasing the top 3 is that all those teams still have the bye week to suffer through. However, by the way matches are not getting done, it doesn’t look like it will matter much.

Overall, the attendance for round 6 was pretty good considering the tournament of the century starts today (I am of course talking about the ever more popular DAC Classic). Pity that attendance always comes from the same 3-4 teams! It’s nice to see more and more matches coming in with a 2-1 score rather than a 3-0, the competitiveness is getting better. Rich Stimson (“Vivio’s”) picked up his second monumental win of the season 2-1 over Joe Bobzin (“1^st Place Lounge”) – a fact I just had to point out since he commented sarcastically on the blog a couple of weeks ago after I mentioned his first win and he gave the article a 1 star out of 5 rating. Those “Vivio’s” headbands must have some magical pixie dust on them… Doug Ross (“O’Blivion’s”) and Greg Davis (“Town Pump”) came off the court sucking in deep gulps of oxygen as Doug got the 2-1win, and Anil Kathuria (“Old Shillelagh”) overcame the wily Jim Fair (“Anchor”) 2-1 with a few too many well placed drop shots.

Typically, the week after the DAC Classic is a little quiet as players nurse their squash hangovers. But there really is no rest for the wicked. (And if anyone was wicked…) Make the effort, help your team, don’t be stuck on the outside looking in come March.

“TOWN PUMP” PUMP IT UP

Boasters League round 5~~

Count on Patrick Petz to push his team to the top. Well, almost to the top. “Town Pump” decided to flex a little muscle in round 5 and his team pretty much dominated the evening. Nine of twelve matches completed (of which they won 6), and another 9 bonus points to boot propelled his team to within 1 point of the league leaders “Old Shillelagh” and in doing so also created a very comfortable 24 point cushion from 3^rd placed “Vivio’s”.

The biggest loser of the week was “The Tap Bar”. Last week they were sitting blissfully in third, enjoying a 12 point buffer to the next team. But the bye week hit them hard, and they obviously sat on the laurels not bothering to make up too many matches. In fact, they only picked up 1 point in the week and have now dropped to 5^th place forcing themselves to fight hard for the remainder of the season in order not to miss the play-offs.

Speaking of missing the play-offs, it looks like “Jacoby’s” have already thrown in the towel. With 40 points in 5 rounds, it doesn’t bode well for them. I would love for them to prove me wrong and start to make a tremendous comeback, but all indications just point to the contrary. Things are also looking a little weary for the “Speakeasys”. They are holding onto the last play-off spot by a meager 2 points and have the round 6 bye. Unless they get some matches done over the week, they very well may find themselves in the basement too, struggling to dig out.

There was a decent crowd and plenty of matches played last night – the best showing we have had for weeks. There were also a handful of close matches. Brittany Paquette (“1^st Place Lounge”) is finding her winning rhythm with a tough 2-1 victory over Jim Kelly (“Anchor”); Brendon Fossee (“Town Pump”) scored an excellent 2-1 win over Scott Langenburg (“Vivio’s”); Ken MacDonald (“Old Shillelagh”) was impressive with his 2-1 triumph over Mike Hayden (“O’Blivions”).

So now the clock is ticking faster. We are in the final month of the regular season, the DAC Classic is coming up next week, and time is running out quickly to get your matches done. Mark the unmovable deadline on your calendars for results to be reported: March 1 (inclusive).