MEET A MEMBER - 4

Always smiling, always happy to see you. If you need someone to brighten up your day, then this fine young fellow can do just that. He is relatively new to the game of squash but don’t underestimate his competitiveness… even if it comes with few jokes and laughs.

MEET… BRIAN ROSMAN

The Squash Joint (TSJ): “It’s obvious that you enjoy playing squash. Did you think that this sport would be so addicting for you?”

Not really. I originally got into squash because I hated the treadmill, and I wanted something more interactive, but never thought I would get so into it that I would join a league. I have since come to really enjoy squash, and just about every that I know from the club I met through squash. I credit a lot of my enjoyment and improvement in my physical abilities to learning how to play squash.

TSJ: “Do you have any goals you would like to reach with your squash?”

Well, aside from losing less, I would really like to be able to master getting the ball out of tight spots. I really admire the people that I see on the court that just seem to ‘mosey’ on over to wherever the ball is, without seeming to hurry at all, and then hit a rocket of a shot from the corner. I want to be able to have longer rallies.

TSJ: “You are studying to be a doctor. Tell us about which field you are specializing in and why did you choose that particular one?”

I would like to end up as a Urologist, for a variety of reasons. It’s a fantastic surgical specialty, with really cool toys (robots and lasers, just to name a few), that makes a measurably positive impact on patient’s quality of life, not just how long they live. Plus you have to have a sense of humor to do the job!

TSJ: “The time commitment to be a doctor must be extraordinary. Have you found it difficult to juggle it with your personal life?”

Good lord, yes.


TSJ: “I also happen to know you a Trekkie. Tell me, Captain Kirk, Captain Picard, or Captain Janeway? And why?”

Picard, because Kirk doesn’t have the awesome accent, and Janeway just annoys me.


TSJ: “What is your all time favorite comedy movie and who is your all time favorite comedian?”

That’s a tough one. Probably “Spaceballs” or “Robin Hood, Men in Tights”. My all time favorite comedian is far and away George Carlin. Lewis Black has some game, but Mr. Carlin wins by a landslide.

TSJ: “Apart from squash and your Star Trek dolls, what else do you like to do in your spare time?”

Well, I don’t have a lot of spare time, but I like to drive around with the top down when the weather is nice, I like to cook and barbeque (and eat), and biking and golfing. That pretty much relegates me to squash, eating, and television during the winter, unfortunately.

TSJ: “What is your favorite shot in squash to hit?”

Rails. They are always unexpected.

TSJ: “What is your motto in life?”

“It doesn’t matter how bad it is, it can always get worse.” That motto helps me keep perspective!

TSJ: “I give you $2000 cash. I drop you off at the Mall. Which store do you go to first and what do you buy?”

Probably a jewelry store to buy a fine watch. I like functional art, and watches have always appealed to me.

TSJ: “What is the strangest thing you have ever eaten?”

Chocolate covered crickets. That or Fois Gras and poprocks on a crostini (it was the craziest appetizer I have ever eaten!)

TSJ: “As usual, this last question is the one that is of great consequence and could change the way people look at you from now on: If you had to change your name, what would you change it to?”

I would change it to a symbol, like an octothorp (#).


Thank you very much, Brian. Here he is pictured with his lovely wife, Leise. As part of the Boasters League and Box Ladders, he has improved considerably since he first picked up a racquet about 1 year ago. Be sure to say “hi!” when you see him and be ready to smile. I’m sure he’ll even talk about Klingons and Vulcans if you let him… live long and prosper!

Performance Enhancers in Squash?

Professional sports will always have cheats. Stardom and wealth is a powerful narcotic and to many the path taken to get there is irrelevant, it’s simply where you end up. Naturally I disagree with that sentiment, as I believe overcoming all the adversities, hardships, misfortunes, and whatever hurdles that come your way on your journey towards the achievement are just as important as the achievement itself. To me, a true professional athlete that is to be respected and admired doesn’t only have to have all the titles to his name, but the right character along with it.

In the polls of general opinion, that’s not an earth shattering statement. Take a look at Barry Bonds [pictured], or Marion Jones, or Floyd Landis for example; sportspeople that have achieved the highest accolades in their respected fields, but are now demonized in public because of their drug use. I can’t imagine the fallout if Lance Armstrong is ever proven to be a cheat.

So what about squash players? A sport so physically demanding would surely be the perfect candidate for that chemical edge. On top of that, the tournament schedule for the players is unmercifully brutal. While the PSA have done a better job in spreading out major events, there are still a lot of frequent flyer miles being earned as players supplement their incomes by playing leagues, exhibitions, and other events between tournaments. Traveling constantly back and forth from Europe to the US to the Middle East to Asia, etc, puts an enormous strain on the body. Mental rest is compromised, physical recovery is compromised which in turn compromises maximum performance. And then, injuries occur. Just about every single top player has suffered an injury sometime in the past 12 months. Four top-15 players retired hurt during the World Open last December alone and then 1 week later another 3 retired hurt during the PSA Masters. Wouldn’t drugs help?

Well, yes – sure they would. But, no, I have never heard of any squash player using performance enhancing drugs. Ever. I think the reason for this lies mainly in one thing: money. Squash does not offer large enough purses for players to invest into the drug business. They simply cannot afford it, nor are the financial benefits worth the risk. So on one side of the coin, people complain that squash players do not earn the money that we all think they deserve, but on the other hand, let’s be careful what we wish for. If squash players started to earn millions of dollars, the entire dynamic of the sport would change.

Firstly, the competition and standard would rise significantly. More money will attract more players. No longer would world class players be seen sitting in the crowd during a tournament mixing it in with the general public, making themselves accessible to anyone. Would we suddenly have groupies? Paparazzi? Stalkers? Would players have bodyguards when they move around the clubs? Betting? Match fixing? Referees getting bribed? Would the temptation of performance enhancing drugs be too great to pass up in order to get that extra special edge? One extra win in an event could mean tens of thousands of dollars difference. The list goes on. Fame and fortune has a price. If you think that sounds absurd, there have been drug cheats found in the world circuit of sports such as tennis, table-tennis, cricket, archery, billiards, and shooting, just to name a few. Is it naïve to think that squash would be immune?

Squash is a beautiful sport for many reasons. The fact that it is low-key and that Harry Hacker and Joe Citizen can sit and have a conversation and a beer with Nick Matthew while watching another couple of world class players is a unique attribute very few other sports can boast about. (Pardon the pun!) However, we all want the players to earn their worth and receive the publicity and rewards they deserve.

Can we have the best of both worlds? Is that even possible? Let’s hope squash can reach that financial stratosphere but not spoil the integrity it currently enjoys. Let’s also hope that the only performance enhancers in squash are the purity of the players themselves.

“SPEED BALLERS” TWELVE FOR TWELVE

Boasters League round 7~~

For the first time on record (or what I can remember) a team picked up 100% of their bonus points. That’s 12. Including the three matches that were ‘self-scheduling’, every member of the “Speed Ballers” turned up. Only 5 of them played mind you, but now they find themselves 9 points on top of the ladder and virtually guaranteeing a finals berth. Another reason that the “Speed Ballers” have leapfrogged ahead of the pack is because of the week which was cancelled (round 5) due to the snow storm. They have made up half of those matches and have picked up more points than any other team for that round.

Not to be outdone (by much) were “Threepeat”. A captain’s fiery e-mail to his players inspired them to get bums on court. They didn’t manage all 12 bonus points, but picking up 10 is a decent effort and adding it to the 9 results handed in, they jumped from 7th to 4th and only 2 points off second placed “Mongoose”.

Now, one good week a season does not make. It will be interesting to see if these teams continue this momentum all the way through – including the play-offs. It will be difficult to beat any team if most of them are turning up on Wednesday and start the night with 10 or so points before a ball has even been struck.

Still lagging in last spot is “Delta Force” who appeared to have missed the memo. They picked up only 4 points last night – all of them bonus points – and are almost 30 points off 8th placed “The Underdogs” and 38 points of a play-off spot. Is their season done?

“Mr. Daniels Walking” have the bye next week which could definitely hurt their chances for the finals as they are currently on the bubble. It is important they get many make-up matches completed over the next week. As you all know, March 3 is the deadline for all the scores. The finals schedule will be sent out on the morning of March 4. Take heed, any scores I receive after that cannot be counted.

“HOLY TOLEDO, BATMAN!”

Toledo Tournament March 4-6~~

Drinking shoes… check! Drinking shirt… check! Drinking pants… check! Beer goggles… check! Aspirin… check! Missing anything… oh bugger, my racquets!!

Sixty quick minutes down the I-75 is the Toledo Squash Club. Their annual squash tournament is set for March 5 - 7, an event in which the party side is just as much of an attraction (if not more) than the squash side. The first night of the event is highlighted by the hired help that bring you the beer. I know much has been mentioned about this, so I won’t harp on it except to say that the beer never tasted so good. The Saturday night is the traditional summer party at the club with a live band which always attracts a large crowd dancing and guzzling the evening away.

The squash is played on the old North American hardball courts. Or, better known as, shoe boxes. Two and a half feet narrower (doesn’t sound much, but that’s a lot), they are quirky little containers which throws your squash way off as you try to overcome claustrophobia and figure out new angles, tactics, and movement. Honestly though, as ugly as that sounds, it adds another factor to this event that makes it unique and appealing. It’s that one weekend a year of who can adapt the best and quickest.

This will be my 7th trip to the tournament and it would be fantastic if a handful of DAC members could join me. It isn’t far away, a good time is guaranteed, and you would be supporting squash in the area which is what keeps the sport growing. On top of that, you would also gather some much needed tournament experience – something all of us could use. Click on the poster (although the poster claims to be the “best value for tournament squash in the country”, it doesn’t come close to beating the DAC Classic!) and the entry form above, it has all the registration details plus the contact for the tournament hotel which is only a few minutes from the club. Registration deadline is February 25.

“MONGOOSE” SITTING PRETTY

Boasters League Round 6~~

Team “Mongoose” have the ‘bye’ next week, but the way things are going, they could remain atop of the standings anyway. They hold a 22 point lead over the “Speed Ballers” who in turn – although in second place – are only 5 points ahead of 6th placed “The Beamers”. “The Underdogs” are slowly drifting away from the rest of the pack in 8th spot, and cellar dwellers “Delta Force” are averaging less than 10 points per round and need to start pounding the courts quickly and often if they want any chance of reaching the play-offs due to start in 4 weeks.

There were 2 matches yesterday that went to the third game sudden-death point. Mark Hayduk (“The Beamers”) survived to win 15-14 in the 3rd over Greg Davis (“Winky-Dinks”) and I was witness to seeing David Pontes (“Mongoose”) and Brandon Dobbins (“Speed Ballers”) come off the court with heaving chests and grabbing for the closest chair as David took that match 15-14 in the 3rd as well. The picture is of Bob Garvey (“Courts and Pints”) and Chuck Doyle (“Threepeat”). Chuck won that encounter 3-0, but it was tougher than what the score suggests.

There are 3 weeks left. I cannot make it any clearer than this:

DEADLINE TO PLAY ALL YOUR MATCHES IS THURSDAY, MARCH 3 (INCLUSIVE)

Last three teams on the standings will be eliminated; top two teams will receive a first round bye. Get cracking.

THE QUIET AFTER THE STORM

DAC Squash Classic 2011

With a deep breath, the magnificent feeling of weightlessness is almost euphoric as the DAC Classic comes to a close once again. I absolutely love running this event. The countless hours of preparation and the seemingly endless work through the four days of the event itself pays off in spades knowing another successful tournament is in the record books.

The most satisfying time after the DAC Classic for me is sinking into my lounge chair at home and looking forward to watching the Super Bowl. My wife understands my exhaustion and lets me be in command of the remote control. She knows I’ll be taking the next day off to relax, but the sly smile is also because she knows that “relax’ means I’ll be shoveling our long driveway for 3 hours. Hmmm, nice way to wind down. At least the Packers won the game. I couldn’t bear having the Steelers win another title…

With 146 players this year, the DAC Squash Classic has reached its capacity. We can’t expand the playing hours anymore, and we don’t have any more courts. Maximum registration is achieved before the deadline, and the reserve list is plentiful. We had over 60 players from Canada (Windsor and London), over 50 DAC members, and the other 35 or so from around metropolitan Detroit. Here is what happened…

Doubles
Customarily, DAC members barely make a blip on the radar in the doubles. The copious amount of teams that come from Canada are full of experience and – let’s face it – are overall simply better than us. But we did create some rumblings in the C draw. We had 2 teams reach the semi-finals. Anthony Fracchia and Andy Housey played tough to get there beating 2 Windsor teams on the way, but met their match with the Lindsay and Anne Smith pair from London. The 3-0 result was painless enough in the fact it was also very quick! Sean Moran and Jim Stroh played the other semi against Ron Henry and Heather Betts (London) but were quickly behind the eight-ball when Jim injured himself early on in the match. Still, they did well to pick up a game and the 3-1 loss could have been very different if Jim would have been able to run! The Smiths won the final 3-2. [Pictured above: Jim Stroh, Sean Moran, Heather Betts, Ron Henry]

London teams also dominated the B draw. Once again, it was Lindsay Smith – this time with Murray Shaw – taking on the much younger team of Andrew Mount and Marcus Plowright in the final. And once again, experience shone through. Smith and Shaw took it 3-0. All quarter finalists in the B draw (16 players) were Canadian.

In the A draw semi final, Rob Graves (Franklin) and John Seidel (Toledo) took advantage (as they should have) of an injury to Rob Doherty (London) who was paired with Caleb Quinlan (London). Doherty / Quinlan were the top seeds, but there was no way they were going to beat Graves / Seidel if they were not healthy. They didn’t. In the final, Graves / Seidel then played Mark Eugeni (Windsor) and Jon Uffelman (BAC) who were in no mood to play any more than the 3 required games to win a match. And when Eugeni shoots well with his impressive power, they did just that. Win 3-0.

Singles
Although the DAC did not win any of the 7 categories, we in fact did rather well. Four of our members made it to the final. Of course, going 0 for 4 isn’t exactly something to brag about, but adding it to the 3 players that won their consolation event, we took home a third of the singles hardware which isn’t too shabby.

2.5 finalist Chuck Doyle – Respect experience. Not Chuck’s, but his final’s opponent Anne Smith (London). Chuck only dropped 1 game on his way to the final, Anne didn’t drop any. In fact, Anne was beating up on our younger members quite convincingly which left them shaking their heads in bewilderment. Chuck knew he was in for a tough match as the word had already spread. But Anne was also ready – as she had been all weekend. Clever and tactful, she knows where her opponent’s next shot is going and then where to hit it. She won 3-0.

3.0 finalist James Van Dyke – Respect youth. Not James’, but his final’s opponent Charlie Beauregard (BAC). At 12 years old, Charlie battled his way through the draw winning his quarter final 9-7 in the 5th (he was 6-1 down), and then beating James 9-6 in the 5th for the final. That’s a good head on a pair of young shoulders. James has improved tremendously over the past 8 months and reaching the final here is a testament to his hard work. He should be very proud of his achievement. [Pictured: Charlie Beauregard and James Van Dyke]

3.5 finalist Mike Petix – Mike hit form just at the right time. The biggest draw in the tournament with 32 players, Mike had tough matches all the way through to the final. He won his first two round 3-1, before tackling Ken MacDonald in the quarter finals which Mike ended up winning 9-7 in the 5th. He carried the excellent form into the semi knocking off Rich Stimson 3-0 but then it appeared he lost his mojo. Maybe it was tiredness, that one match too many, but he struggled to keep up against his final’s opponent Peter McDonald (London) and went down in 3 games.

5.0 finalist John Rakolta – I knew John could win this category. I also knew John could lose the first round. His biggest enemy at times is himself. His inconsistency can let him down. But not this weekend. Even though John may tell you otherwise, I believe he performed admirably and should be more than satisfied with the second place result. He lost to Brian Porter (Windsor) in the final 3-1 who is a tough customer with long reach and plenty of squash know-how. But John did beat 3 other Windsor players on the way to the final, all of them respectable opponents. [Pictured: John Rakolta and Brian Porter]

The Consolation Winners – Matt Hayduk took the honors in the 2.5 level with a solid 3-0 win over Tom Bergh. After Matt lost to a women in round 1 (sorry – couldn’t not mention that!) he went through the consolation without dropping another game. George Kordas took home the 4.5 consolation title beating Bobby Macedo (Life Time Fitness Rochester) 3-0. George won his semi 3-2 as did Bobby. (Bobby actually beat Scott Adlhoch 10-9 in the 5th!) Eric Green won the 5.0 cons with a solid 3-0 win over Mike Eugenio. Not taking anything away from Eric, but Mike may have been a little weary after winning his semi final 10-8 in the 5th earlier that morning.

The Social Life
No matter how well organized a tournament is, unless the social aspect is outstanding, the weekend falls flat. With the amount of non-members attracted to the club for the weekend, the DAC Classic doesn’t seem to have this problem. This event has found a working formula that I hope to keep concocting together year after year. I felt the addition of the players’ lounge where all the meals were served was a great success, and if you were in the court area on the Friday night at 11.30pm – as matches were still being played – you would have seen about 60 people lingering, drinking, and laughing, with no intention of going home. (Of course when the keg emptied, they had no choice!) The Saturday night dinner / dance saw 160 people dance to the beat of the live band “Bump”, and even though I crashed into bed shortly after 11pm that night, I know people must have had a great time as there were 2 casualties where players failed to reach the courts for their early morning matches. [Pictured above: The Dinner Party!]

So a HUGE thank you to all the sponsors and the players – you make the weekend what it is. Another HUGE thank you to my fellow DAC staff – I know the weekend can be a stressful for you as what it is for me. And now I look forward to next year and wonder how to tweak the formula a little to make the weekend even better… and then it hits me… I’ll buy a snow-blower!

POST ELECTION BLUES

Boasters League round 4~~

The allure of free food and drink once again magically pulled the DAC members into the clubhouse. Or was it the opportunity to express your right to vote? Either way, the club was full, the courts were full, the fitness room was full… alas, it all happened one day before the boasters league night!

Election hangover hit round 4 hard. Only 8 matches were played, just enough to keep the tumbleweeds from blowing down the ‘T’ line. Team “Mongoose” has increased their lead on top of the standings to 15 points, while the next 7 teams have bunched themselves together rather snugly. Only 11 points separate 2nd from 8th so a lot of shuffling around can be expected by this time next week. “Delta Force” has dropped further behind and are now 18 points in the rears, and 22 points out of a finals berth. They have a lot of work to do.

“Courts and Pints” are appearing to break the generally accepted ‘bonus point’ rule of thumb where the more bonus points a team has, the more higher on the standings they are. While they sit 3rd on the ladder, they have the least amount of bonus points of the nine teams (16) – and they haven’t even had their ‘bye’ week yet. “Delta Force” also has 16, but they have had the ‘bye’ – and they are dead last.

Just about half way through the second half of the season and leading the league in total accumulated points so far is Daniel Honer (“Courts and Pints”) with 14, and then Paul Huth (“Mongoose”) and Tom Bergh (“Mr. Daniels Walking”) have the next highest with 12. They are many, many matches to make up and they are piling up on people very, very quickly. Time’s a tickin’…

The State of International Squash

It doesn’t get on television. It’s never in the papers. It’s not Olympic. In America, I would guess that if you asked 30 random people on the street, 29 of them would have never heard of it. Yet squash is one of the most physically demanding sports in the world, its athletes some of the worlds fittest and it may surprise you that is played in over 175 countries around the globe.

And even in this club amongst the active squash players themselves, how many of them would know who the current world number one player is? Significantly less than half, I’d bet. But, I’d wager just about all of them know who the world’s number one tennis player is…

Squash has been fighting for the recognition it thinks it deserves ever since I can remember picking up that wooden racquet that weighed over 250 grams! Almost thirty-five years later, little has changed. Oh, the racquets have – but the publicity has not. Is that about to change?

Squash, it seems, is also fighting itself. Everyone knows that in order for a business to survive and thrive, all components in that business need to work together towards a common goal. In this case, the growth of the sport. A few months ago I wrote an article referring to the Professional Squash Association’s (PSA) ban of its players to participate in the new US “Pro Squash Tour” (PST) tournament circuit. (See:
http://thesquashjoint.blogspot.com/2010/10/no-pros-allowed-on-pro-squash-tour.html). Joe McManus - PST commissioner (and brain child) - and the PSA attempted to negotiate and solve their differences to no avail. So, the PST sued. In one incident, a PSA player defied the ban and competed in a PST tournament anyway. That player – American Ned Marks – was in turn banned by the PSA for 1 month. He was removed from the 2011 Tournament of Champions event. (PST article regarding the ban: http://www.prosquashtour.net/Marks%20suspended.html. I cannot find any statement from the PSA on this matter.)

McManus recently withdrew the suit. Mentioning high court costs and lengthy trials as the main reason, he has decided to use the money instead towards creating another circuit – the “Premier Squash Tour” and has also offered $100,000 to the first top 10 player who signs a deal to commit to playing the PST. Rumors have it, that Thierry Lincou will be that player. (See: http://www.prosquashtour.net/news/PST%20Offers%20$100k.html) (“Premier Squash Tour” is not the same as PST; they are exhibition type events that cater to the needs and wants of each hosting club, whereas PST is a ranking circuit using the ‘no-let’ rule.) McManus has not been shy of his intentions. As a small example of how involved McManus is in his goals, when I wrote an article on this little blog lambasting the controversial PST’s “no-let” rule (see: http://thesquashjoint.blogspot.com/2010/08/interfering-with-interference-rule.html), Joe called me personally to a) thank me for the article and b) rationally discuss it. (He didn’t convince me otherwise, but I was definitely felt privileged that he took the time to call and was impressed that he reached out!)

He is in this to make money. He is in this to make money for the players. It’s profit driven. The PSA is not. The PSA board is made up of mainly ex touring pros that are not educated in the field of running an association properly. I'm not trying to criticize here, but it's true. Just because they played the tour, doesn’t mean they know how to operate it. That’s like expecting myself to be able to run the Starbuck’s shop down the street just because I buy my coffee there every day. The PST is a business that relies on being successful in order to survive. Through marketing, advertising, promotion. The product has to be excellent; otherwise they do not make money.

Is that bad for the sport? I don’t think so. McManus is doing something the PSA can’t: raise dollars and the profile of squash in the States. There is an untapped market here. Clubs are private, members have deep pockets. McManus’ events are cheaper and easier to run. However, clubs deciding to run one will not get the luxury of watching Ramy Ashour, or Nick Matthew, or a Willstrop, Gaultier, Shabana, etc. You will have to go watch a top class PSA event for that. McManus tournament players will most likely be top Americans, some club pros, ex-PSA and PSA players at the end (or near the end) of their careers based in the US that no longer tour as much, such as John White, David Palmer, Thierry Lincou. Still top quality – but not quite the best of the best. (On the other side of that argument, talking with club members here there is little difference to them watching a pro ranked 50 compared to a pro ranked 1. It’s all exceptional to them.)

Eventually, that could change. If the McManus tour(s) grow as he is predicting, with more events for more money, that will only attract more players. More players equals better standard. Which could lead to a world class tour rivaling the PSA based right on our doorstep.

PST website: http://www.prosquashtour.net/
PST overview: http://www.prosquashtour.net/art/PST%20Intro%20(pdf).pdf
PSA website: http://www.psa-squash.com/
PSA world rankings Jan 2011: http://www.squashinfo.com/rankings/psa

“COURTS AND PINTS” MAKE A MOVE

Boasters League Round 3~~

Just like the well known story of the tortoise and the hare, team “Courts and Pints” seem to have the motto of “slow and steady wins the race”. They are not exactly breaking any records for Wednesday attendance. In fact, 3 weeks in and they only have a paltry 14 bonus points which is the second fewest in the league, compared to the 26 “Winky-Dinks” have picked up. However, what they lack in presence, they are making up for in playing matches. They jumped from 8th to 3rd this week purely on all the games played throughout the past 7 days and picking up a steady flow of points. Now, unlike the fabled tortoise, I am not predicting they will be able to reach the finish line first, but if they continue on this path they will be giving them a decent chance for the play-offs.

“Threepeat” suffered the most this week dropping from 1st to 7th. On the surface that looks bad, but they did have the ‘bye’ and are ahead of the other two teams who have had the ‘bye’ as well. “Winky-Dinks” have to endure sitting out week 4 and are bound to drop a few spots because of it. “Delta Force” needs to start looking into some “special ops” to dig themselves out of last spot. Out of a total of 24 matches they could have played, they have completed only 10 of them.

A lot of matches were played yesterday, many of which ended up 2-1. One of the more entertaining bouts that kept the handful of onlookers captivated was the Anthony Fracchia (“The Underdogs”) and James Van Dyke (“Courts and Pints”) encounter. The rallies were long, court coverage by both players was excellent, there was little (if any) interference which made it very clean with the absence of ‘let’ calls, and in the end it was Anthony taking the 2-1 victory. The photo is from their match with James lunging in for a backhand boast.

So onto round 4 – almost half way though… already! Time to step it up people!

BOOZE, BURGERS AND FRIES

Boasters League Round 2~~

One way to guarantee people will turn up to a Boasters League night is to offer free food and alcohol. While getting them to into the building wasn’t the issue, getting them into their squash gear was. In all fairness, the 2nd Dividend is all about meeting the candidates for the upcoming DAC election so the social aspect of the evening does take precedent.

Only a handful of matches were played. Of the 16 results I have for round 2 (out of a maximum 48!), 13 of them ended up with a 2-1 score line. It appears competitive matches was the theme. Patrick Petz is leading his “Threepeat” team by example. He must have played well to take a 2-1 win over Matt Jarboe (“Delta Force”) and once again they are on top of the standings. They do have the bye for round 3, but are already well positioned for the remaining weeks.

Another good win went to Rich Stimson (“The Underdogs”) [pictured right] who beat Paul Huth (“Mongoose”) 2-1. The two had to figure out a few ‘let’ calls now and then, but when you have 2 players that haven’t played against each other very often, contrasting styles will do that. New comer to the league, Daniel Honer (“Courts and Pints”) won his first ever Boasters League match 2-1 over Glen Milligan (“Winky-Dinks”).

I know it’s “only” round 3 next week, but quite a few players are still yet to play a match for the second half – they will pile up very quickly if you don’t get going!

MEET A MEMBER - 3

Since his initiation into squash through the Beginner Clinic a few months back, he hasn’t looked back. Signs of a squash addiction are popping up when you coax your girlfriend to take it up and bring in guests to hit with! He has already been a part of the box ladders for a while and we will no doubt be seeing him in leagues and tournaments in the not too distant future.

MEET… DREW VAN TONGEREN

The Squash Joint (TSJ): “What convinced you to try squash in the first place and what aspect of the sport got you hooked?”

I don't get along with treadmills. Therefore, I'm always looking for other ways to stay in (more like get in) shape. I picked up tennis this past summer and thought it would be fun to try another racquet sport. The hook? It's a great workout and a lot of fun to play.

TSJ: “Has it been more difficult or easier than you expected?”

Easier. There always seems to be a keg around the courts downstairs. That's why you'll hardly ever see me play on courts 1 and 2.

TSJ: “Do you have any background in any other sport?”

I grew up playing football, hockey, and golf. Although my favorite sport to play while at the U of M was inner tube water polo.

TSJ: “If I picked up your iPod right now and turned it on, what song would I hear?”

Something by Seger.

TSJ: “Tell us about your first ever paying job.”

The public driving range was running low on golf balls. I was running low on cash and common sense. At 13 years old, I loved golf, had plenty of hockey gear, and always looked for an opportunity to drive something that had 4 wheels, an engine, and went over 20mph when you jammed a golf tee in the governor. The owner of the range paid me $5 an hour to suit up in my hockey gear and shag balls out of the weeds on foot. He didn't put a cap on my hours and nearly went broke trying to keep me on the payroll.


TSJ: “You now work for CBS Radio. What exactly do you do?”

I help both local and national advertisers grow their businesses through a combination of on-air, online, and on-site marketing solutions.

TSJ: “What are some of the things you enjoy doing in your spare time?”

When I'm not on the water, on the golf course, or on the snow, you can find me in Napa Valley. I love to eat and drink. Hence the reason I'm playing squash.

TSJ: “You have a time machine that you can use only once. Do you go back or forward in time?”

Back. I want to be around as long as possible. Plus, I'd love to do college twice.

TSJ: “If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be”?

Detroit. But I'd like to have a healthy travel budget someday.

TSJ: “Ever had a speeding ticket?”

Yes. I was also escorted by a squad car back to the driving range that same summer I shagged golf balls. The posted speed limit was 30, I was clocked at 27, but I was only 13 and was driving a golf cart. I was hungry and took the golf cart to Subway on my break.

TSJ: “And the one question people will no doubt judge you by, who is your favorite ‘Jersey Shore’ cast member?”

We've got a SITUATION!"


Thank you, Drew, for taking the time to answer these in depth, probing questions. (I can’t believe you actually watch Jersey Shore!) We certainly hope that you stick around and keep on bringing in buddies to take up this great sport! We’ll be seeing you in the courts!

FARRIS CUP BEAT DOWN

It was, in all truthfulness, rather ugly. The Birmingham Athletic Club (BAC) did exactly what they promised to do – send in a formidable team in order to stop the pounding we have been handing them for the past 4 years of the Farris Cup competition. And giving us a taste of our own medicine, they didn’t let up all day.

Things were actually looking up for the DAC after the first result came in. Brien Baker had full control over his opponent and took a 3-0 win in fairly comfortable fashion. However, that was the only time we had the lead. After that, we didn’t just fall behind, we stumbled, smacked our heads, wondered around dazed and confused, ran backwards, before we knew what hit us. [Picture: Brien Baker (right) with Larry MacKenzie]

The next 6 results had on the losing end of every one of them. Four of them were 3-0 and weren’t all that close. Given, our players did not have the best day on court, but full credit goes to their opponents who took maximum advantage of every opportunity that came their way. And once they were 2-0 up, they really put down the hammer and refused to give any of us any hope of a sniff or comeback. The other 2 matches we lost in the 5th game. And on both of those occasions, we were 2-0 up. Fitness (or lack of it) was a major contributor here. If you are unable to physically last a 5 game match, then your opponent only has to win 2 games to beat you. It is easy to relax once you establish a good lead, but it is just as easy to lose the momentum you had that got you into that position in the first place. Being 2-0 up is actually the time to pick up your game, not rest.

Ironically, our second victory of the day came in identical fashion. John Rakolta just happened to play against his Farris Cup opponent – Terry Barr – in the travel league just 2 days before. In that match he was 2-0 down, then came back to win in 5 once Terry ran out of gas and could no longer keep pace. Two days later and Terry must have felt like he was experiencing ‘Groundhog Day’. John once again found himself 2-0 down. And once again, exhaustion got the better of Terry who looked like he was struggling to stand up straight, let alone run down any shots. John rolled off the next 3 games taking the 5th 9-1.

And let’s not forget about the doubles matches. The DAC have always had issues competing with the BAC on the doubles court. This year was no different. We lost all three of the match-ups, winning only two games total.

We managed to pull out 2 of the last 4 singles matches on the day with strong 3-0 performances by John Birgbauer and Jeff Gembis. However, when it was all said and done, we had lost the Cup 4 matches to 11. A genuine pasting. Congratulations to the BAC, they truly deserved the victory. [Picture: Jeff Gembis (right) with Chad Keesling]

Now, I know I have sounded a little negative here, but this should serve as motivation for our members when we go to the BAC next year and win on their turf. After all, in the spirit of good sportsmanship, we are technically only loaning them the Cup for 12 months. If we keep on thrashing them year after year, they won’t want to play with us after a while, right? But in all seriousness, to truly compete to the level we need to, it is imperative that you get tournament experience. Play people you are not used to playing in venues you aren’t used to playing in. Such variety goes a long, long way.

EVER WATCHED A PRO? NOW’S YOUR CHANCE…

“The Pros are coming! The Pros are coming!” For those of you who need inspiration, or tips on how to play ‘real’ squash, or are simply curious, the Motor City Open hosted by the Birmingham Athletic Club will be running from January 26 to the 31st. This first class professional squash tournament will feature some of the world’s best players fighting over ranking points and a total purse of $50,000.

The seeding for this event was taken from the December rankings despite it being played in January. So, even though world number 12, Dutchman LJ Anjema, is this year’s top seeded player, two higher ranked players are seeded 2 and 3. They are, Egyptian Mohammed El Shorbagy ranked 9 (who turns 20 next week) and Aussie Cameron Pilley ranked 11. I’m not too sure it even matters. All of the 11 players that went straight into the main draw are ranked inside the top 30. They are all good. Very good.

And so are the qualifiers. Fourteen of the sixteen are ranked between 31 and 62. The other two are American – Chris Gordon ranked 72 and Graham Bassett ranked 190. Chris and Graham received ‘local’ spots to get into the draw.

I decided not to play this year. The BAC was very generous in offering me ‘local’ spot into the qualifying, but without the necessary training and match practice required there is no way I would be able last more than half a game. Even with the necessary preparation required, with the quality of field that will be turning up, anything other than a 3-0 spanking would be a miracle. BAC squash pro Julian Wellings has the ‘wild card’ for the event which means he has a free ticket into the main draw. He will be playing one of the qualifiers in the first round.

This is a golden opportunity. Being able to watch a world class squash match is a rarity in Detroit. I encourage you to make the effort and buy a ticket: go and get inspired. You need to contact Julian for all prices and availability if you would like to experience these incredible athletes in person. E-mail him at jwellings@bacmi.com or call (248) 646-5050.

SLUGGISH START

Boasters League Round 1~~

I was hoping for a more active beginning to the second half, but maybe people were still in ‘Holiday Mode’. It almost seemed as if players were more interested in collecting their bonus point and getting their customary beer, rather than actually playing the match. While, yes, the bonus is important, believe it or not, so is playing!

Still, 14 matches were completed on the night with another 6 matches that were played early. Except for “Delta Force” who had the bye, the matches were pretty evenly spread across the teams. After one week, it is next to impossible to make any predictions, so all I can say is make sure you turn up on Wednesday and make sure you play your matches. The current standings probably mean little for now, but it is easier not to play catch-up and have to scramble during the final couple of weeks. Remember, the last three teams will be eliminated for the play-offs, so don’t get lazy!

A number of yesterday’s matches were close. Al Iafrate (“Speed Ballers”) surprised me (I have to admit) with an excellent victory over Andy Adamo (“Threepeat”) 2-1; Bob Rogers (“Winky-Dinks”) who moved up to #3, lost 2-1 to Jay Poplawski (“Mongoose”); two new faces in the league squared off with Sante Fratarcangeli (“Threepeat”) beating Jason Massey (“Speed Ballers”) 2-1. I can’t mention all the 2-1 results of course, but there were also some tight matches played even though the score line was 3-0. I watched Julie Henry (“The Underdogs”) battle Tom Bergh (“Mr. Daniels Walking”) and while Tom won all three games, the points were close and both players were puffing hard. The photo is from their match.

Next week, round 2 on January 12 is also the Second Dividend night. If you plan on attending it, then make sure you get your match in early. Either way, come on down and enjoy the free eats and drinks! That’s motivation enough, surely!

THE SQUASH POET #4

Did you make a New Year’s Resolution for 2011? I guess most of us have something that we vow to work on, a bad habit we promise to break, a character defect we endeavor to improve, some weakness we strive to strengthen… Well, hopefully you’ll have more luck sticking to it than The Squash Poet...

The New Year turned I set my sights
Of reaching the stratosphere of squash world heights
Up through the ranks my meteoritic rise
Will turn all heads and boggle all eyes
Nothing would stop me from my ambition
Of blasting away all competition
So watch out for me and before you know it
You’ll be paying to watch the illustrious “Squash Poet”!

The Squash Poet


Resolution Evolution

Starting on January 1, I vow…
To never put myself through the terror
Of continuously hitting unforced errors
No more hitting out and no more hitting tin
Every time I make contact, the ball will be in
When I’m game ball up, I will not choke
By hitting back to myself giving away the stroke
I won’t whiff or carry or hit the ball twice,
And I promise to heed my squash pro’s advice.

Starting on January 1, I vow…
To practice and practice and practice some more
And learn how to ref and learn how to score
I’ll watch Ramy Ashour and copy his skill
Just swing my racquet and hit the nick at will
I’ll work on my fitness and pump all the weights
Be known as the squash player that just dominates
Never will I succumb to the pain of defeat
As I turn myself into a mega-athlete!

Starting on January 1, I vow…
To discipline myself of body and of mind
So I could still win even if I was blind
Become so focused with resolute concentration
Execute each stroke with perfect calculation
Crowds will go wild from the magic I’ll weave
I’ll rewrite the record books with what I’ll achieve
2010 will disappear without sorrow
As my quest to conquer the squash world starts tomorrow!

Starting on January 3, I vow…
To stop being so ignorant, was the Hell was I thinking?
I wasn’t told do to this, I would have to stop drinking!
And it’s not like playing squash will make you that famous
Especially with my mental restraint of a fat ignoramus
Apart from the fact my technique is so dire
And I’m way past the time when I should have retired
I guess in 2011 I won’t break any frontiers
But I’ll be sure to take it seriously at the start of next year!

Happy New Year!

The Squash Poet