CHASING WINKY-DINKS

Boasters League round 1~~

Not a bad start to the new season. Not sensational, but we did have a decent number of people show up. I would have preferred more matches to be played, but the social aspect was promising and the server in the bar was kept busy most of the evening!

As you all know, the league once again expanded. We have added 2 more levels to each team making 135 players. Almost 30% of that number are new – which made sorting it out rather a difficult task. The captains did a fine job with the draft last week and we are starting to see more of a trend towards keeping the same team name from season to season. I like that idea – familiarity help builds camaraderie. Will we soon be seeing team logos and jerseys?

Getting off to a good start is vital for success. No one wants to be looking uphill all season long. “Winky-Dinks” won’t have that problem (for now at least) since they went 6-for-7 in match wins last night, plus picking up 13 bonus points (from a maximum 15). In fact, they scored more through bonus points than 3 other teams scored in total. The power of presence. “Butter Nutz” also had a good showing with 11 bonus points, but were not quite as successful on court. They only won 2 of 6 matches.

There were many tough matches played, and I am sure a few of you were quietly suffering physically even though 3 games doesn’t sound like much. But after the summer, fitness levels can take a huge hit and the first round wake-up call can be an eye-opening shock to the system. Mike LoVasco (“Paddy’s Dropshots”) has rejoined the DAC squash family after a couple year absence, and he went toe-to-toe with “Winky-Dinks” Tom Healy. Both players ran. And ran. And ran. And just when you think they wouldn’t run anymore, they ran. Tom crawled off a 2-1 winner, Mike crawled off after him, and both somehow managed to climb into a chair like they were scaling Everest.

Justin Jacobs (“Vivio’s”) got away with one and escaped with a 2-1 victory over new member Cathy Lysack (“Butter Nutz”) 15-13 in the 3^rd. Cathy and her husband Stu Neufeld (playing on team “Mongoose”) joined the DAC over the summer. It’s great to have a woman in the league playing so high!

Jerry Rock (“Butter Nutz”) fell 2-1 to the gentle giant Greg Baker (“Vivio’s”). Jerry mentioned that his super-high snow-creating gravity-defying lobs were rendered quite useless against the 6’6” (give or take) Greg who simply saw them as a waist high volley. If only you could hit a drop-shot serve, hey Jerry?!

We are off and running. You are all running after the “Winky-Dinks” for now and I suggest you get cracking immediately on the chase. Remember, if you fail in that quest, you will be dealing with their captain Justin Winkelman strutting around bragging from his pedestal! That should be incentive enough!!