THE SQUASH POET # 7

If I had a dime for every member who complained about their opponent blocking, I’d be close to retirement. Blocking doesn’t just happen at the club level, it happens at the pro level too. There are some pros that have made into a fine art. One of the most affable players on tour is Egyptian Wael El Hindi but he is also renowned for testing the patience of the most experienced referees and players with his uncanny knack of somehow constantly getting in the way. Wael reached a career high number 8 in the world back in 2008, and bases himself in New York. The Squash Poet takes a tongue in cheek jab at him here. I am sure you can relate this to someone you know…

It’s really quite amazing and I don’t know why I do it

I run like a lunatic to get the ball, hit it, then just view it

Get back to the ‘T’ I was told, after every time you hit it

But all I do is watch and stare, with the running I just quit it.

So every time my opponent runs, and we have a collision

And once again the argument starts over what is the decision

A ‘let’ or ‘stroke’ we shout out loud and often it gets heated

And cause we’re dumb, the very next rally, the scene is just repeated.

Now the only reason I’m in the way, and in my true defense

It’s just too hard to run that fast, by backside is immense

So watching pros who are fit and lean and gifted with such speed

To block the path and cause those ‘lets’, there really is no need.

The Squash Poet

Block Control

(Sung to the tune of “It’s still Rock and Roll to me” by Billy Joel)

What’s the matter with the clothes you’re wearing?

Can’t you tell your shorts are way too long?

Maybe you should get some sleeves too, buddy,

You’re guns don’t look terribly strong,

Where have you been hiding out lately, Wael,

To clearing a path you continuously fail,
All you do is talk about it with the referee,

Funny, it’s still block control to me.

There’s nothing wrong with the swing you’re using,

It’s actually quite a nice style.

So why do you insist of getting in the way,

Can you count the amount of lets you compile?

Play the ball, keep your head, and stay a lot calmer,

Maybe then one day you would beat David Palmer,

Hip check, hit the deck, argue for another ‘let’,

It’s still block control to me.

Oh, all the reports I see that are ever written

Have always kept the same old theme,

It goes hand in hand

When on the court you stand, the amount of calls are so extreme…

It’s the opposite of your buddy Karim.

How about another blonde stripe mo-hawk,

To go with your silver chains?

You could really be a big clothes model,

Wearing Calvin Klein and drinking champagne,

But keep playing squash; you’re a talented world-beater,

And stick to your skills and not a constant point repeater,

Smash kill; stand still; another ‘let’ the same ol’ drill,

It’s still block control to me.

I recommend you also stop the histrionics,

You do not win points with the act,

Run hard, hit clean, open up a straight path,

Do all you can to avoid contact,

Keep yourself this focus it’s the best way to survive,

And hopefully soon you can reach your dream of top five,

It’s the new Wael, can’t fail, with the refs stay out of jail,

And stop the block control ple-eeze!

‘Let’ shark, back arch, typical Wael trade-mark

Just stop the block control ple-eeze!

The Squash Poet

BOASTERS LEAGUE STRONGER THAN EVER

With just under one month to go before the Boasters League season commences, it is already full with 108 players. That of course gives me more time to sort everyone out into playing levels but it doesn’t really make that job any easier. It actually gives me more time to question myself. At least sorting out the number 1 players in every team was simple enough. The league has received a huge boost from the handful of members who decided to play the league that normally wouldn’t – I’m talking about those who are ranked high up in the club. (Players such as George Kordas, Paul Doherty and Mark Gregory just to name a few.) They agreed to step in and support for which everybody should be extremely thankful. It boosts the overall level of the league and it is great chance to watch them more often.

Like every season, we have received oodles of new faces. This year, we have 28 of them! I’m not sure if that’s a record, but it must be close. Some of the players are new-old faces, members who have been M.I.A. for a few seasons and for various reasons but have come back with renewed enthusiasm, some are not new members to the club but are new to squash or the league, and some who are brand new DAC members altogether. On those grounds, it made the task of ranking everybody a long and tedious one. I have no doubt made a couple of “oopsies!” along the way but I suppose that’s to be expected.

Paul Huth was the winning captain last season after he managed to knock-off Justin Winkelman’s team in a close fought final. It was the end to Patrick Petz’s winning streak who is of course as eager as ever to make amends after his quest for a three-peat was thwarted in the semi-finals. The first chance to pick up points for your team will be to attend the Referee Clinic on Thursday, September 22. Anyone who is registered in the league and attends the clinic in its entirety will receive 1 point for their team. It would be nice to start the season off with 12 extra points, wouldn’t it?

No new rules have been implemented into the league for this season, however there was much discussion regarding the ‘bonus point’ rule. As you know, you are awarded one ‘bonus point’ for your team if you turn up on the scheduled Wednesday whether you played your match or not (so long as your team does not have the ‘bye’ week). The reason behind the rule was simple – it was to encourage everybody to come on Wednesdays and play and / or socialize. Unfortunately, some people were taking advantage. Not breaking the rule, but sort of bending it a little. Too often, a player would run into the building, mark their name off as being here to collect the point, then leave immediately. Or, if they were bowling in the dungeon, make a quick trip upstairs to do the same. That really defeated the purpose. They were in fact cases where a player would rearrange the match to different day, but then still run in to collect the bonus point while their opponent (who would otherwise be here) stayed home since they didn’t have a match.

Since it is impossible to police, the onus falls on you to abide by the correct etiquette when collecting bonus points. There is no time limit of how long you need to be here, but use common sense. If you do not have a match and walk in for a very short appearance, then please don’t claim the point. If you hang out for a while, drink a beer, socialize, then sure, take one. I think bonus points are important but they shouldn’t be used as a winning tactic.

Another way to encourage you to come on Wednesdays, the doubles court will be reserved between 5-7pm every week for pick-up-mix-and-match games. This is for anyone who wants to snag a few doubles games or if you are new and are keen to learn, just jump on and let the members help you!

Draft night is September 28. The league gets going on October 5. Better start working off the rust now!

PRO SQUASH BACK AT THE DAC

It’s been a long time coming. The only professional squash tournament in the state of Michigan - the Motor City Open - is currently held at the BAC. And, they do a terrific job. It has grown over the past few years in terms of prize money and I know from personal experience since I have played in it myself that the players love the event. It’s not the largest tournament in the country with a $50,000 purse, but as far as I can tell, it’s in the top five.

Curiously, the Motor City Open used to be held at the DAC. I do not know the story of what really happened and why it moved, but since it did, we haven’t held a pro event here since. That is about to change.

Joe McManus of the PST (Pro Squash Tour) approached me in the summer as asked if we would be interested in hosting their end of season tour tournament. PST, if you recall, is the US based squash tour in which the PSA (Professional Squash Association) banned its players from competing in. You can read an article I wrote about the ban here: http://thesquashjoint.blogspot.com/2010/10/no-pros-allowed-on-pro-squash-tour.html.

The ban is still in place. Joe points out that the ban will in the long run only hurt PSA since he isn’t about to go away. Rather than work with them, he is forced to compete against them. He is extremely pro-active in promoting and marketing his product and raising money and sponsorship dollars. He will eventually get to a point that the purses he can offer for his events will start to look very attractive for top PSA players and no doubt they will start to jump ship. It won’t happen this year, but it could be a different scenario five years from now if the current trend continues -  signs are pointing to an accelerated growth. However, I digress.

We have agreed to Joe’s request, so on May 4-6, 2012 we will be hosting their tour finale which will feature the top 8 players from the 2011-2012 PST in a 3-day, knock-out draw. While I cannot guarantee who will be in the event, I can certainly speculate. There is a decent chance we will see John White. John will be active on the tour and is an ex world #1 player and also holds the world record for the hardest hit squash ball at 172 mph. To put that into perspective, the fastest tennis serve ever recorded is 156 mph. No matter who will step on court, the squash is guaranteed to be nothing short of sensational. (As a reminder, the PST implements the ‘no let’ rule. That means all player requests for interference will be decided with a ‘stroke’ or ‘no-let’. Replaying the rally with a ‘let’ is not an option.)

As an added bonus, the event will be webcasted live. PST will be taking care of all the particulars with that, but it will be excellent promotion for the club… and the tournament sponsors. Which brings me to the next item: Are you (or your company) willing to sponsor this event? Naturally we need to raise money. Your name could be the one not only displayed in the club, but also broadcast live during the event over the internet.

Contact me if you are interested in getting involved with bringing the professionals back to the DAC. World class professionals. In a world class squash tournament. At our world class venue.

THE NEW MICHIGAN SQUASH TRAVEL LEAGUE

Many years ago – in the hardball era – I am occasionally reminded that the DAC boasted around 10 teams in the Michigan Squash travel league. Back then, the league thrived. But when the conversion to softball occurred, so did the beginning of the end for the travel league.

Many players opted out and teams and divisions dwindled. So much so, that for the 2010-2011 season, there were only 2 divisions (a 4.5 and a 3.5 division) and a total of 15 teams from 10 clubs. Six of those teams came from 3 Life Time Fitness clubs and the four largest clubs in the area – DAC, BAC, Franklin and Windsor – fielded only 5 teams between them. New Life Time Fitness restrictions on guest policy have made it virtually impossible for the travel league to be hosted in their venues next season.

And here are some disturbing facts from last season. I will name specific clubs since everybody has a stake in this:

• The Toledo team in the 4.5 level did not play one single match over the final 6 rounds of the season.
• The Toledo 3.5 team did not play one single match over the final 4 rounds of the season nor did they play a match in rounds 2, 5, 7 and 8. That’s 8 of the 14 rounds (not including the 2 bye weeks) without a match. They also turned up twice with only 2 players.
• The 4.5 BAC team had 12 different players represent them over the season. Only 4 play on any one night.
• One player played for 2 different clubs in the 4.5 level.
• The playing order of the teams change constantly. It is common for a player to play in the number 1 spot one week and then the number 2 spot – for example- the next week.
• In the 3.5 league, no-one played the final round. All match-ups were declared forfeits.
• One of the Life Time Rochester teams in the 3.5 division turned up only twice during the season with a full four-man compliment of players.
• Metropolitan (3.5 division) only turned up 3 times with all 4 players. They handed out 5 complete team defaults. They also had a DAC member play for them once.
• The 3.5 division had all the matches in one round completed only once out of 14 weeks.

On top of all this, and I know from our own DAC team, there was countless match rearranging going on. In short, the travel league was a complete farce.

• Team spirit appears to have disappeared. Players are organizing their matches at their own convenience, at the venue of their convenience. Rarely does it seem tha all 4 matches and all 8 players present at the same time.
• There is no (or little) social value. Without all players present, the camaraderie aspect of the league is completely lost. Isn’t that the (main) point of the league in the first place?
• Commitment for a full season is virtually zero. With the amount of defaults – especially over the final few weeks of the regular season – players have given up. A fourteen round season plus finals where you are scheduled to play almost every week during the winter, and where players are supposed to travel to opposing clubs looks too much to ask. It is a travel league after all – what else was to be expected?
• All players in the league are supposed to be Michigan Squash members. It is impossible to figure out if that is in indeed the case, but my guess is that with all the players that have played in the league, many were not registered.
• Having any player represent two clubs during the same season is ridiculous. Having any player represent a club they are not a member of is just as absurd.

So what do we do about it? There must be stricter regulations, a different format, an environment created that promotes the camaraderie, and above all (which is something only you- the player can change) a better commitment from the players. Michigan Squash has decided on the following:

• The league will be played on weekends. Dates will be organized to one to two Saturdays a month for each team from 1pm – 5pm. This will cut down the amount of weeks a player needs to commit from 14 to about 8 (plus finals).
• When possible, matches will be played at clubs where a minimum 2 courts are available -  DAC, BAC, Franklin, Toledo, Metropolitan and Windsor. Due to the policies of the Life Time Fitness Clubs, they make it very difficult for Michigan Squash to organize travel league on their courts.
• Each team will still consist of 4 singles players playing on the given day.
• Three teams will be present at each scheduled round. Every team will play twice on the day meaning every player will get 2 matches per day.
• All 4 players from each team must be present on the day. Rearranging of matches is strictly forbidden.
• Point-a-rally scoring to 11 will be adopted.
• Players must play in the same order every week. Team rosters are entered at the start of the season with players in a specific ranking order – including all alternates. Players – including alternates - cannot play out of “ranking” during a match.
• All players must be registered for the league and must be US Squash and Michigan Squash members. Any team playing a non-league-registered player, or a player who is not a member of US Squash and Michigan Squash, will automatically forfeit that match.

For the complete rules of the league, click: http://www.michigansquash.org/blog/travel-league-rules/

I believe some players will not cozy up to the new rules. As always, when things change, somebody is bound to disagree. That’s fine. Then they shouldn’t play. But done correctly, the new format and a stricter structure should bring the ‘fun’ back into the league. Having 12 players mingling around, sharing a beer or two, supporting each other, makes the atmosphere a lot more “tournament-like” and players are also more likely to commit to a season if there are less days to actually make themselves available for.

Radical transformation is necessary if the travel league is to survive. This proposal still may not save it, but continuing down the spiral it is on now, extinction is inevitable and something has to be attempted.

Are YOU interested in playing and representing the DAC? I am taking names for teams at the 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, and 5.0 level. E-mail me your interest. The effort will be made to have a league at each level, but realistic expectations are that it won’t happen. However, it needs to be offered and continually pushed and eventually, slowly, the league can start to expand again.

And let me once again make it absolutely clear: it is a season long commitment and be prepared to play at opposing clubs. From October to March. So sign-up. Join US Squash (and by doing so, the Michigan Squash as well). Improve your squash, meet many new people, opponents, make friends, gain the match experience so many desperately need and crave and be a part of a team while helping grow the sport.

HELP US IMPROVE THE DOUBLES

I am fully aware that as we head into another season of doubles leagues, everybody who signs up does so with the best intentions. We all want to play, be competitive, develop our game, and enjoy the social side of the sport. However, one of the ongoing problems with the doubles is the amount of subs required and last minute cancellations. Doubles matches cannot be rearranged like the singles league, and too often players (and I) are left scrambling to find replacements at the eleventh-hour – sometimes to no avail. To give you an idea of what I mean, the following are some statistics from the recent 2011 Summer League:

• Out of a total of 48 matches (4 matches a week for 12 weeks), only 3 were played in the entire season that did not require at least one sub.
• Overall, 40% of the players needed to be subbed out. Or, 78 total subs over the 12 weeks at an average of 6.5 subs a week.
• For the Thursday 6-7pm time slot, 60% of the players were subbed out. Over the final 6 weeks, all but 6 players were subbed out. That’s 18 subs out of 24 players, or 75%.
• One player dropped out of the league the day after the schedule was released.
• Incredibly, only 5 of the 48 matches were not played due to a no-show or a sub not being found in time.
• There were 4 no-call-no-shows.
• In three of the four no-shows we had in the summer league, two of the stranded players were already subbing for someone else.
• I do not have a percentage on this, but I know a high number of subs were requested the day of the scheduled matches.

We all know that things come up. The problem will never be 100% solved and subs will always be required, but hopefully we can start to minimize the frequency of them. For the league to be truly successful and for the program to grow, players need to be sure that when they turn up to play a league match, 3 other members will be meeting them.

Here are some suggestions to help everyone – including me – for the doubles league:
• Commit. Easy. You enter the league, you commit yourself to play.
• When you register, look ahead in your calendar at all the upcoming dates. If you know, tell me before I even do the schedule which weeks you will not be available for – then I won’t organize you for those days at all.
• Once I have done the schedule, I send it to you a week before the first round. You are able to see well in advance all the dates you are scheduled for. Enter all your playing dates on your calendar immediately.
• If you are not scheduled for a particular week, let me know if you would be available to sub anyway. To save time, I always try to contact the players that I know will step in. Plus, the more you play, the points you accumulate for the season.
• If you have a conflict, let me know straight away. The earlier I am aware that a sub is needed, the easier it is to find one.
• If you can organize your own sub – brilliant! Take it upon yourself to find someone to step in for you. Then make sure you let me know.
• When I send out the weekly reminder of who is playing, confirm your commitment. It’s peace of mind for the other 3 players, and me.
• If you know your calendar is hectic and commitment level is sporadic at best, DO NOT enter as a regular. Put your name down as a sub only. There are too many people entering the league and playing only 1 or 2 matches at the most for the season.

We all want increased participation on the doubles court, increased competition, and a thriving league. Without your commitment, that will never happen. To be cliché – help me help you!

MAKE A RACKET IN LONDON

We all know that one of the best DAC parties of the year is “Back to the Club Night”. Over 1000 people, marvelous food, music, dancing… all in all the perfect kick off to the season. It is scheduled for September 24 this year. Unfortunately, it’s the same weekend as the London Squash Tournament. So, if you are not inclined to hang it loose at the DAC, maybe a 3-day jaunt two hours away, playing squash and sipping a few brewskis is more your ticket!

I have played this event the past few years, and let me tell you it is worth every penny. The relationship between our two clubs has grown significantly, they support the DAC Classic in droves and we should be doing the same for their event. It’s only a $70 entry fee, and that also allows you to watch the professionals. They play the semi finals and final on the Friday and Saturday night respectively and it’s guaranteed to be outstanding squash. Ten of the entrants are in the top 100 of the world ranking from 8 different countries, the highest being Kiwi Martin Knight at 48.

Squash aside, this tournament is more than that. Just like our own DAC Classic, the social quality of the event is what draws the players. The London Squash Racquets Club has gone under complete renovation over the summer and I’m guessing it will be even more relaxing than before. You can’t help but walk through the place and want to sit, chat with someone, and drink a cold beer. Just make sure you play your match beforehand! And it’s a great fun town. Pubs and bars are all walking distance, as are the hotels. Speaking of which, the tournament has a deal with the Delta Hotel in downtown London for only $105 / night – cheap if you split with a buddy.

Wanna join me and play? Click on the following link for all the information: http://www.lsrc.ca/nash-cup/102-2011-nash-cup-professional-draw-announcement
The entry deadline is September 17.

THE NEW MICHIGAN SQUASH

Sometimes, we change to keep things fresh, sometimes we change just because we can, and sometimes change is thrust upon us because of impending doom. The latter just happened to be the case with the MSRA (Michigan Squash Racquets Association).

Even though financially the MSRA was pretty healthy, it was a dying entity, barely surviving from year to year, membership was steady but low, and the board was about as opinionated and divided as the Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill. The most prevalent, most turbulent issue being the realignment with US Squash. (See article: http://thesquashjoint.blogspot.com/2011/05/state-of-michigan-squash.html) That problem is now resolved as we are once again back in the US Squash family, but it didn’t happen easily nor without casualties. The board went through an overhaul of sorts and when that happened, things started to finally move along with everybody pushing in the same direction with the same agenda.

I have been attending as many MSRA meetings as possible, and have in fact joined the board. I have to admit, it has been refreshing. Things are actually getting done, motivation to improve and grow is the driving factor. Name change for one – they are now called “Michigan Squash” and have a new logo - as you can see above. The website is also completely new. It has a lot better lay-out than the old one and easier to navigate. Go to: http://www.michigansquash.org/ . The most important aspect of the website will be to keep it up-to-date. Current information needs to be available all the time, and old information removed in a timely manner. Whether this will happen only time will tell, but all board members are responsible for the constant upkeep. However, now that Michigan Squash is together with US Squash again, they can utilize all of their on-line tools in regards to ratings and rankings, tournament software, etc. That should be a huge help.

In another notable improvement, the schedule for the coming up season has already been set. That sounds like a no-brainer, but in recent years the dates for all the tournaments they ran were decided only a few weeks before they started. That’s not to say it may have to be altered later on depending on the availability of the hosting clubs but at least there’s a starting point and tournaments are spread out over the season rather than jammed into a 2-3 month period. The same goes for the travel league itself. In years past, by the time the schedule for that was planned, it gave clubs only about 1 week to register teams, and often the playing schedule was sent out the same week it began! The travel league is another major component of the Michigan Squash agenda, and I will be posting a separate article about that soon. Be prepared for a significant transformation.

All that aside, the most crucial piece of the puzzle lies with YOU – the squash player. Michigan Squash can work as hard as possible, but without membership it will be a lost cause. They rely on people joining and supporting. The way to do it is through the US Squash website. Joining US Squash includes the Michigan Squash membership. Go to: https://www.ussquash.com/functions/index.aspx?id=52 . Some of you may already have an account with US Squash (not membership) if you are (or have been recently) on the box ladders. For a small annual fee your contribution goes a long way for squash in our community.

The street goes both ways. Now that Michigan Squash are doing their part to grow the sport, it’s up to you to do yours.

TIME TO TACKLE THE WINDSORITES

The last we played the Cross Border Challenge, we received a pasting so callous that we are still removing the tail from between our legs. That 13-4 thrashing was our 8th loss out of 10 attempts. As much as I adore our friends from the south, I still want to dish out a flogging with a malicious smile and evil laugh and then dance a jig while waving the trophy above my balding head… figuratively speaking of course…

Saturday, September 17. We will even have home court advantage. You don’t have brave the tunnel or explain to the U.S. customs officer what squash is! If you are between a 2.5 and a 5.5 level for singles and if you would like to play a match against a Windsor player, register with me no later than Monday, September 12. We also need three doubles teams, but be warned! Generally, we never win any of the doubles matches, so it would be like a lamb to the slaughter… However, miracles have been known to happen and we may snag a rare victory. Either way, we need to front 3 pairs of victims.

Working with Windsor, we will be trying our best to match you up with a player (or players) of equal ability. That said, it may not be possible to do so since it depends on who from their club signs up, so I cannot 100% guarantee a match. Even if you register and miss out, come on down anyway and enjoy the day!

As usual, a keg will be available for all to sample. Matches will start at 2pm. The winning club gets to keep the Cross Border Trophy until the next one is hosted. We usually run two a year (home and home) and the second one for the season is currently penciled in for April (at Windsor). Last year we missed out on the second event in April because we just couldn’t fit it into the schedule.

This is one of the best social squash events of the year. They are strong players and even stronger drinkers. Plus, this is a terrific opportunity to play against someone new. And we need to beat them. Seriously. We really need to beat them…

DON’T NEGLECT THE DOUBLES SELECT

Even though you may not want to think about, it’s time to think about it. The next season is bearing down upon us. Labor Day has almost come and gone, another frustrating golf season is almost at an end, the kids are almost back to school, and that squash itch is almost becoming intolerable! A temporary relief for that tingling is the season’s first event: The Doubles Select Tournament!

This is the easiest doubles event you’ll ever enter. It can be very wearisome sometimes trying to find that perfect-match partner so I take all that guess work away from you. All you need to do is register individually and I will find you your “ideal” team mate. Of course, when I say “ideal”, it’s purely a matter of how I end up ranking the players. The strongest ranked player will be matched up with the lowest, the second strongest with the second lowest, and so on. Based on that extremely complex mathematical supposition, we are guaranteed to have all teams turn out with exactly the same standard! Because of that, the knock-out draw can be done completely randomly and I literally pull it out of hat. In other words, no team is seeded – where you fall in the draw is one hundred percent luck.

Here is the small print:
1. All matches will have a deadline for completion. Any match going past that deadline risks being defaulted. It is the player’s responsibility to make sure the match is completed within the time given. DO NOT hold back the tournament.
2. All matches are best of 5 games
3. Prize for the winning team.
4. The DAC accepts no liability for any loss, no matter how painful it may be. Recommendation is to drink a beer and if pain persists in the morning, see your squash pro for a series of lessons!

So sign-up! The tournament is scheduled to start on September 6. I need all entries by Friday September 2. It’s also good to take note, that in the 6 previous years of this event, we have never had a repeat winner. We have had A level to D level victors – virtually everybody has a decent chance. No limit on entries, but we do need an even number… for obvious reasons!

MEET A MEMBER - 8

New to squash, but not new to a court. The Club Championships this year featured this young man in the 3.0 draw and he had only played squash about 3 times. All I heard from his opponents before the matches was “who is this guy?”! After the match, they found out. Quick, athletic, fit, unconventional, and always with a smile on his face, he is rapidly earning respect with his squash. He is already the DAC’s best racquetball player.

MEET… ROBIN BASIL

The Squash Joint (TSJ): Don’t get me wrong, I am ecstatic that you decided to play squash, but why did you register for the squash club championships after only playing a couple of times before? Did you believe you could win the 3.0 division initially? Have you surprised yourself at what level you are already playing?

After playing squash just a few times, I began to truly enjoy the game and the exercise that came along with it. I figured now that I had a squash stick and had two games of experience under my belt, I was primed to play in the club championships. I had absolutely no idea of what level of play I would fit in which meant that I had no expectation of winning or losing, but just playing to have fun. I am not really surprised at my level of play because I still don’t know where I fit in. I have found what I lack in experience and court sense, I make up with speed, racquetball shots that squash players aren’t used to, and the ability to keep the ball alive.

TSJ: You are a very strong racquetball player. Tell us the main differences between racquetball and squash? Even though you have little experience with squash, do you think it is easier or more difficult?

The main differences that I have seen so far between squash and racquetball is the length of the rallies, shot selection strategy, and back wall play. The rallies last much longer in squash because you cannot hit rollout shots which end the rally as you can in racquetball. The shot selection strategies are similar with the rails, cross courts, and most angles, but the differences come with speed, height, and the right time in the rally to hit the appropriate shot. If you hit the ball off the back wall in racquetball, most of the time this will give your opponent an offensive shot to the front wall and this is truly not the case in squash. Also, you have the ability in racquetball if the ball passes you, to hit it off the back wall which gives you time to recover your court position. It is much more difficult to hit the ball off of and into the back wall in squash.

I think that the difficultly of both game depends on your individual weaknesses. For example, I think speed goes farther in squash that racquetball because I don’t care how fast you are, if you hit a bad shot in racquetball, you will pay for it and speed won’t help. Squash is a more physically demanding sport which makes it more difficult to play for a long period of time.

TSJ: You have been captured in Iran. They are torturing you for being a spy and are forcing you to watch the one movie you hate the most over and over again – what movie is that and does it get you to talk?

I cannot say that I hate any particular movie but I can tell you a movie that I kicked myself for going to see. I looked at the previews for one of the Twilight movies and thought it would be an action packed movie with fighting between vampires and werewolves. Boy was I disappointed when I had to walk out in the middle of a crappy love story with no action. I don’t think that it would get me to talk, but I wouldn’t really know until they hit play.

TSJ: The Iranian authorities didn’t like your answers. You have been sentenced to 40 years hard labor. But you get one last meal before your punishment starts and can enjoy it with the person of your choice. What do you order, and who do you spend the night with (your wife isn’t available, she’s out shopping!)

Caesar salad with anchovies on the side, bone-In Rib eye (medium), garlic mashed potatoes, sautéed spinach with peach cobbler for dessert. You’ve got to love that my wife is shopping before I am sentenced to 40 years and too busy to spend time with me. I would have my father enjoy my last meal with me.

TSJ: You have taken a lead role at the DAC with increasing racquetball participation. From experience, it is an uphill battle to say the least. What do you find is the greatest hurdle to overcome with this? What is the fix?

You are absolutely correct that the battle is uphill and I believe it is one worth fighting. My biggest challenge is to get a group of guys to consistently show up. Everyone that we play with leads very busy lives and it is difficult to commit on a weekly basis to show up for racquetball. The only way to grow the sport is to grow friendships and relationships with the people who are playing so that you look forward to playing weekly. We all make time for the things that matter most to us and we are growing a strong group of guys who love to play. There are no quick fixes to increasing participation. I could bore you with a list of problems to growing the participation, but it’s just a bunch of crap, it’s about reaching out and inviting new people to play and spending time playing with them.

TSJ: Earlier this year, you were appointed Michigan’s World Outdoor Racquetball State Director. What is your roll exactly, and do you think your influence can help more racquetball players join the DAC?

I don’t exactly know all of the responsibilities for the new roll but I am excited to take on the challenges that come with it. So far I have been organizing and assisting with outdoor tournaments and growing the sport of outdoor racquetball. I work closely with the World Outdoor Racquetball National Co-Director (Greg Lewerenz) and he is showing me the ropes. Greg is also the individual who introduced me to the game of squash. I hope that more of our outdoor guys would become members of the DAC and getting new members has been an uphill battle for me.

TSJ: Squash tournaments are very social affairs. Are racquetball tournaments the same? Is there a lot of extra-curricular activity that goes on after the matches? Could you tell us any juicy anecdotes?

I am sure that the tournaments for both sports are very similar. Drinking Beer is probably the most popular extra-curricular activity that takes place after tournaments. No juicy anecdotes come to mind but do we ever have guys that talk a lot of trash on and off the court.

TSJ: What is the one fashion statement you wouldn’t be caught dead wearing?

Knickers – I don’t have the golf game to back up the fashion statement.

TSJ: Tell us about the line of business you are in. Has joining the DAC helped your business in any way?

I specialize in providing companies with payroll deduction voluntary benefits and benefit communication / education / enrollment programs. The business and personal relationships that I have developed at the DAC have helped to grow new business and enhance existing business relationships. I have also noticed that just being a member of the DAC gives me tremendous respect and credibility in certain circles.

TSJ: What were your best subjects at school and which were your worst? Were you considered more of a ‘jock’ or a ‘nerd’?

I have always been extremely strong in math which came to me as naturally as walking. History had to be my worst subject even though I didn’t do bad in the classes, but most of the material was as boring as watching paint dry.

TSJ: You have also volunteered at the Racquet Up Detroit program. How did you get involved with it and how has your experience been?

This is another story that involves Greg Lewerenz and this is probably a good point to include that I don’t know how he is on my wife’s approved friend list for me, but he is. Greg, after playing squash with him for my first time, asked me if I would help teach some kids squash. I guess there was some big time squash tournament happening where all of the normal volunteers were playing and couldn’t make it. He told me about the program and it just seemed like a good cause and something that if they needed help, I could do my part in helping. I think that we need more programs like this that give youth / teens productive activities to focus their attention on instead of getting in trouble. Keep this quiet, but I this we probably need programs like this for some adults who could have more productive hobbies.

TSJ: What one piece of advice would you give to any 12 year old?

Go to work!!! I am not talking about a job, but I mean put in the time, dedication, effort, thought time, persistence, practice, prayer and go the extra mile in all aspects of your life. This is even more important in the areas of your life that you wish to be exceptional. If you want to be a great squash player, then put your heart and soul into it!!!! If you want to be a great leader or business person, put everything that you are into it and hold nothing back!!!! Nothing in life comes easy and the harder you work towards the burning desire you have in your heart, the closer you will come until one day your dreams will come true. Don’t slack off and expect things to come!!!

TSJ: Now for the final question. The one that pressures you and tests you to the extreme. Even worse than those Iranian authorities… What did you dress up as when you went trick-or-treating for Halloween?

BATMAN – How ironic because now they call me the “Boy Wonder” when I am playing racquetball. For all those non-batman fans, Boy-Wonder is Batman’s sidekick whose name was Robin.

A big thank you to Robin – I appreciate the time taken to answer all these questions! We hope he sticks with his squash while he keeps on pushing the racquetball agenda at the DAC. Expect him to improve quickly if he does, and become a threat for the upper level guys before too long.

SUMMER LEAGUE CHAMPIONS

Even though all the matches weren’t played at their scheduled time, at least the result came down to the final contest which kept it exciting. And, thankfully, bonus points were not the deciding factor. They did keep the “Court Jesters” in the hunt because without them the last match would have been irrelevant.

“Sure to Shank Redemption” only collected 2 bonus points on the night (2 less than their opponents) and by the time the next morning came around were trailing by – you guessed it – 2 points. Mike McCuish once again was kind enough to sub in for the ill Tom Healy (“Sure to Shank Redemption”) and once again he stepped up to the task by beating Andrew Spohn 2-1. Blake Ellis had a strong performance against Tom Lott taking all 3 games but that result was nullified when Ted Morris lost all 3 games to Jeff Jardine. Adding on a 2-1 win to Mike Ng (“Court Jesters”) who played that match a few days early, and after four matches, the bonus points were the difference.

However, the next two days bought better fortunes for “Sure to Shank Redemption”. Steve Murphy put them one point closer after taking care of Jim Kelly 2-1, and after Arnaud Mangin was awarded a 3-0 forfeit, they suddenly found themselves 2 points ahead. It came down to the final match.

Patrick Petz versus Sean Fossee. Most of the pressure was on Patrick – he had to win 3-0 if the “Court Jesters” were to take the title. These two played each other back in round 7 (only two weeks earlier) and Sean won that battle 2-1, so presumably he had the mental edge. And it’s funny how history repeats itself. Once again, Sean took the match 2-1 and with it making “Sure to Shank Redemption” the Summer League champions of 2011!

Winning players: Blake Ellis, Sean Fossee, Arnaud Mangin, Andy Housey, Tom Healy, Ted Morris, Steve Murphy. Congrats fellas!

So that’s it for leagues for a while. The fall Boasters League starts on the first week of October, but registration begins in August. Make sure you put your name down early if you intend to play. Otherwise, play your box ladder matches, and start to get yourself squash ready for the 2011-2012 season. Now is the best time…

THE INCREDI-BALLS – TAKE 1

“The Incredi-Balls” is my take on any international squash story that I find… well, incredible. Either in a good way, or a bad way, they will be general interest stories that have peaked my own curiosity and hopefully yours as well. This first article is about the Pakistan Squash Federation and the complete botch job in regards to visas and with their world junior team…

The world of squash is relatively small. Everybody is frantically trying to push the sport into the spotlight, not just in America but all over the world. It needs positive publicity, especially since the world associations will not let go of the dream to join the Olympic fraternity and gain a status of professionalism along with respect from its sporting peers, something it bellows from its own pedestal as a no-brainer.

However, squash continues to not just to shoot itself in the foot, but chop their entire legs clean off when ‘blunders’ like this one crop up. Recently the Junior World Championships were completed in Belgium (July 13-17). The winner was a young fellow from Egypt named Marwan El Shorbagy. The ‘El Shorbagy’ name may be familiar to you – his brother, Mohammed, won the World Junior Championships in 2008 and 2009 and is currently number 9 in the world. Normally, with a story like this, all the attention of this tournament should be geared towards the winner, but alas, his triumphant moment has been somewhat diluted as most of the headlines have been about who did not play.

We all know about Pakistan and the rich history that country has with the sport of squash. Hashim Khan, Jahangir Khan, Jansher Khan: players synonymous with unarguably legendary status. There was a time when nobody would question who would win a tournament; it was more a matter of who they would beat in the final. Now, Pakistani squash is floundering in its own ineptitude. The highest ranked Pakistani in the world is ranked 28, with only one other player in the top 100. That’s as many as India, Denmark, Hong Kong, Finland and Italy. Not exactly power-house squash nations.

I am sure there are multiple reasons for the demise of Pakistani squash. I would only be speculating if I gave any, but I have read about corruption within the associations for starters. That aside, their recent escapade is inexcusable.

The world junior Pakistani squash team looked formidable this year. Two of their players were seeded 3 and 4 respectively with a real chance of taking the title. A very exciting time for the players no doubt, as they had the chance to claim a world junior title for their country for the first time since Jansher Khan did it in 1986 – yes, twenty-five years ago.

But Pakistani players need visas to go to Belgium. And it is the responsibility of the PSF (Pakistan Squash Federation) to make sure they get them. You would think it would be a relatively straight forward process to file the paperwork. It isn’t as if they haven’t had to do this before. Nevertheless, in the most important event of the year for these players who had been training extremely hard, the PSF dropped the ball. The visas were denied, the players could not get to Belgium, and they were forced to withdraw from the tournament. Now, the blame game has started, and soon people will be getting sore fingers from pointing so much.

According to the WSF (World Squash Federation) who run the World Junior Championships, the visa applications were applied for too late. The passports of the players were received by the Belgium embassy the day after the team was supposed to arrive in the country. According to the PSF, it was the WSF who delayed in getting the PSF the correct paperwork in the first place in order to send to the Belgium embassy. On top of that, the PSF is screaming, “Conspiracy!” Throwing nuclear fuel on the fire, the PSF secretary - the person responsible for his player’s visas - suggests that the WSF purposely delayed the paperwork because their president is Indian. (My question would be why didn’t the PSF follow up on their request for the paperwork from the WSF in a sensible manner if time was getting tight?)

Whatever comes of the investigation into all these allegations is – in my humble opinion – irrelevant. A couple of heads will probably roll, and then again, they may not. Who really is to blame for this debacle is secondary. I feel terribly for the Pakistani junior players. The event is done; they are victims of unbelievable incompetence. Looking on the bright side, under the category of “all is not lost”, at least the two players who were supposed to be seeded 3rd and 4th this year are young enough to compete in next year’s event… if they can get out of their own country first.

Remarkably, this has happened before. Visa denials for Pakistani players have also occurred in Canada and the US. The events of 9/11 have unquestionably made it more difficult for players from Pakistan to acquire visas. It is a problem that the PSF, WSF and PSA (Professional Squash Association) should be more aggressive in addressing. It has been almost 10 years since that dreaded attack and they still can’t seem to get it right. Why isn’t an efficient system in place? Having Pakistan as a competitive squash nation again can only be good for the sport.

So, while the squash associations stamp their feet, bang their fists, and refuse to eat their greens unless squash is accepted into the Olympic embrace, the IOC have probably been keeping a frowned sneering look at this latest fiasco. After all, if we can’t even get the juniors in order, how are we expected to look after the adults? In order to claim to be a professional outfit, you should probably act like one.

RACE AGAINST THE CLOCK

Scheduled for Thursday, August 11. Start time: 5.00pm

One of the most important qualities to have in squash is patience. Know when to attack, know when to defend, be prepared to have long, extended rallies and wait for the opportunities. So what better way can I think of messing up all what I preach by taking that luxury away from you!

Try out this new tournament format – “Race Against The Clock”. Very simply, your matches will only be minutes long. Your task is to accumulate as many points as possible within the time limit. It’s balls-to-the-wall, flat-out, take-no-prisoners, use-whatever-cliché-you-want, squash. Whether the event will be a knock-out or round robin will depend on the amount of entries received. As will the length of the matches. They may be anywhere between 3 and 10 minutes. I may even change the length of the matches as the tournament rolls along. Handicaps may also be assigned. As usual, though, you can be sure that a keg will be on hand. Prizes will be awarded for the top two place getters.

Being the summer months, I am aware that many of you have not been working out as much as you should, so this format will even out the fitness levels. It would be a fun way to hop on court knowing that you won’t be regurgitating your lungs… or will you?

Take note however, if you happen to be on the losing end of your first couple of matches that may be it for the day. This event is not designed so everybody will get that super work-out renowned with the sport. You will however – no matter how well your matches go – get a super beer work-out!

Registration deadline is Monday, August 8. Minimum 15 entries.

TOP SEEDS GET SHANKED

Summer League semi finals~~

At least most of the matches were played. The fact that most of them were not played during the scheduled times is a little frustrating, but I can’t complain too much. I mentioned last week that I hoped the winners weren’t going to be decided by bonus points and thankfully that’s how it turned out, but it was a case of ‘careful what you wish for’! It is, of course, difficult to collect bonus points when just about nobody turns up.

Out of the 14 players scheduled to play between the top seeded “Serves of Steel” and “Sure to Shank Redemption”, only 2 of them received their bonus point. And they were from the same team. Only 1 match was played on the night, but the player representing “Sure to Shank Redemption” was a substitute and they are not entitled to bonus points. So, incredibly, for a semi final, not one player from “Sure to Shank Redemption” was present. Ummmm… I was rather dumbfounded to say the least. Also, implausibly, they won. Their sub, Mike McCuish (who stepped in for the injured Tom Healy), managed to fend off the wily Drew Creamer for a 3-0 win with every game ending up 15-14 or 15-13. From four of the five other matches played, they won two of them 3-0 and lost two 2-1, and by the time the final match started, “Sure to Shank Redemption” had an unassailable lead. They won that last match anyway and get through 13-7

The other semi final was a lot tighter. Both teams collected 4 bonus points each, negating each other out. And the first four results came in all with the score line 2-1. The “Court Jesters” had won three of those contests, with the “Volleybrawlers” lone success coming at the hands of Andy Adamo who, after losing the first game to Patrick Petz, squeaked past him in games 2 and 3 with lengthy comebacks by capitalizing on his superior fitness. The video below is the second half of their first game.



With two matches not being played, the 5th result would decide who would advance. It was looking gloomy for the “Volleybrawlers” since they were 2 points behind, needed a 3-0 win, and to make matters worse had to rely on a sub (Brian Schrage) to do it. On the other hand, the “Court Jesters” needed only one game from Andrew Spohn, but he is just coming back from a lengthy injury. The three games were close. Unfortunately for the “Volleybrawlers” Brian didn’t win any of them. “Court Jesters” advance 14-9.

The final is set for next Monday, July 25. The two teams played each other in the final round of the season with “Sure to Shank Redemption” taking the honors by two points. It would be nice if most of the matches were played that evening… pretty pleeeeeze?

DECIDED BY BONUS POINTS… AGAIN?

Summer League round 7~~

Firstly, well done to the top 3 teams in the standings. From round 3 onwards “Serves of Steel”, the “Court Jesters”, and the “Volleybrawlers” did not relinquish those positions. That’s a tough thing to do in the summer where playing consistently is the biggest challenge most players face. The fourth and last play-off spot was really the one that was up for grabs. The next three teams – “Sure to Shank Redemption”, “The Balled and the Beautiful” and “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” – had the best chance to capture it, but neither of them really took command. It wasn’t as if they all piled on points in the last couple of weeks to make a statement, but it was more ‘business as usual’ as they ambled along. Consequently, it stayed a tight race and once again it was the bonus points that made the difference.

“Sure to Shank Redemption” and “The Balled and the Beautiful” both ended up fourth with 74 points. However, since “Sure to Shank Redemption” collected 3 more bonus points, they will be moving ahead. One again, the team looking from the outside in must be left wondering how they possibly could not have picked up one more point somewhere along the line. If they really want to see where they let themselves down, they only need to look at round 5 – they only played 1 match.

The video you see is the first half of the second game between Bruce VandeVusse (“We Got The Runs”) and James Van Dyke (“Hit Me With Your Best Shot”). James has improved markedly over the past 8 months but on this day he could not get the better of Bruce who beat him 2-1.



As usual, I like to go through all the results of the season and pull some interesting statistics:
• 56 players were in the league this year. That’s down from 64 last year, and down from the all-time high of 72 back in 2007.
• 64% of matches were played this year. Even though it may not seem like it, that’s only 3% down on last year. It certainly felt less attended.
• In three of the rounds, “We Got the Runs” picked up more points by turning up than winning games. They finished second last, but had the most bonus points in the league which made up 47% of their overall total. They only won 31% of the matches they did play. The lowest by a long way.
• One player from the “Alcoballics” made up 37% of their team’s total. They finished last. They only collected a total of 13 bonus points for the season, averaging less than 2 a week. With 29% of their season total coming from round 1, they averaged just over 6 points per week thereafter.
• Keeping on the “Alcoballics”, even though they played the least amount of matches with 59%, their winning percentage was the highest with 70%. That’s 7% higher than the next best team. Imagine if they played more often!!
• Three players from “The Balled and the Beautiful” made up for 78% of the team’s total.
• In round 3, not one player from “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” versus “Alcoballics” turned up. I believe that’s a first.
• Each team match-up consisted of 7 matches. All 7 matches from one round were completed only once.
• Only one player in the entire league picked up all 7 bonus points – Jim Kelly (“Court Jesters”)
• Seven players played all 7 matches. None of them went through undefeated.
• Manny Tancer (“The Balled and the Beautiful”) and Jeff Jardine (“We Got the Runs”) collected the most overall points with 23. Doug Troszak (“Hit Me With Your Best Shot”) and Steve Murphy (“Sure to Shank Redemption”) both accumulated 22. Only Steve's team advanced to the play-offs.

The semi-finals – on paper at least, and if everybody plays – looks like it should be close. During the season, “Serves of Steel” beat “Sure to Shank Redemption” by 1 point, and the “Court Jesters” and “Volleybrawlers” actually tied back in round 1 (although the “Court Jesters” had more bonus points). Hopefully, it won’t be decided on the dreaded bonus point but rather on the court… we’ll see!