WEEKEND IN WINDSOR

A slightly better showing than Toledo, the DAC had 7 representatives (including myself) for the recent Windsor Tournament this past weekend. I’m still a little stumped as to why we can’t get more members to support this event. It is not a big deal crossing the border (you do need a passport, however) and the longest I waited at the tunnel was about 15 minutes getting back into the US on Friday night as I watched customs officers look in, on, underneath, on top, and outside of the truck in front of me, and then decide to really ‘search’ the truck as they pulled it to the side for a more thorough inspection. They let me through in 30 seconds – the power of the Aussie passport! Also, the Windsor crew are a social bunch to say the very least. If you don’t have a beer in your hand then you are prompted to do so regularly. After all, how could you possibly play squash without drinking alcohol? Hic!

Our 6 members didn’t win any of the events (must be that Windsor curse...?) but as always, we put up a strong fight. Anthony Fracchia – fresh off his win in Toledo – reached the quarter final before succumbing to a fine player from Toronto who just happened to be a woman. (Beaten by a sheila…!) Of course there is no shame in losing to a female… just ask Jim Stroh… or Rich Stimson… or Chip McDaniel… or even Justin Winkelman. Justin lost his first round to Krista Porter. He was leading 2-0 but Krista mounted a strong comeback to take the match 10-9 in the 5th. Even though Justin lost the match, I am sure many of the spectators thanked him for keeping Krista on court for as long as possible.

Bruce VandeVusse won his first round 3-1, and then lost his second match 3-0 to Vince Mencotti. Vince is a product of the BAC junior program – a 14 year old up and coming talent and it is excellent to see him competing in adult tournaments. (Vince ended up reaching the semi finals of the C draw.)

Ryan Bendzinski [pictured left] had a similar result to Bruce – won his first match, then lost his second. He went down 3-0 to London-ite Srinivas Krishnamoorthy (say that 10 times drunk!). Srinivas (Sometimes known as ‘Alphabet-Soup’ or more commonly ‘Shrini’ for short) played very steady squash and simply waited for Ryan to hit the errors to which he obliged just a little too often. A good experience for Ryan, he wasn’t out-classed, he needs to learn not beat himself.

Andy Adamo played 2 tough matches but unfortunately lost them both. Andy has a lot of potential, and it also terrific to see him playing these tournaments picking up valuable match toughness and practice. Ken MacDonald played 2 events (sucker for punishment). He did win the first match in each draw, getting his money’s worth and just like Andy, picked up significant experience.

On a personal level, I won the Open category winning all the matches 3-0. I played the human canvass Chris Hanebury (he’s covered in tattoos!) in the final – a lad I have now played at least 5 times. As scary as he looks, Chris is an extremely nice fellow – and very quick on the court. He also found the right angles on many occasions as he pounded quite a few of my shots straight into the nick. But, I was steady enough to overcome these winners to keep him at bay just long enough. (On a side note in the Open draw, one of the first round matches ended up 21-19 in the 5th! Talk about a marathon!)

So the last tournament for the 2009-2010 season has come to an end. Thanks to Brian Porter, Dave Guthrie, and the Windsor team for putting on another successful event. Next season, once again all I can do is encourage you all to play at least one event outside the DAC – be it London, Toledo, Chicago, Cleveland or Windsor. You won’t regret it – they are truly tremendous weekends!

CROSS-BORDER BEATING

Update - Date Change!!
The Cross-Border Challenge has been moved to SATURDAY, APRIL 17. This is so we can avoid the doubles-whammy of the Frozen Four and Tiger's opening weekend on April 10. It would have made traveling through the tunnel and parking a nightmare for the visitors... hang on... on second thoughts... anything to give us an advantage...

Take… nine.

Yes, yes, it’s that time of year when we let our very good friends from that country that won the Olympic ice-hockey gold medal grace our squash courts and beat us into submission. (With friends like these, who needs enemies?) Seven times in a row we have managed to drive home trophy-less. In fact, I bet most of you don’t even know what the Cross Border Trophy looks like.

On Saturday, April 17 we are going at it yet again. Trying to stop the rot… turn the tables… reverse the trend… Our losing streak is turning rather cliché. Since nothing else has worked, including conspiring with my counterpart in Windsor to try to ‘fix’ the matches in order for us to win, I figure I may as well steal somebody else’s ideas rather than using my own for this article…

I will not beat around the bush. Against insurmountable odds, we need players who are willing to spill their guts on the court for us. I have a real axe to grind, a bee in my bonnet, when those Canadians tell me that Hell will freeze over, that pigs will fly, before the DAC can pull a win out of the bag. I need singles players of all levels to put up their hands, and sweat blood for the team. We also need 3 doubles pairs, preferably at the A, B and C levels, but at this stage, I’ll take what I can get! We are stuck in a rut. They say ‘great things happen to those who wait’ – well, we’ve waited long enough! We need to pull our heads out of the sand, treat the past losses as water under the bridge, and if we can turn over a new leaf, maybe, just maybe, we will be walking on cloud nine, breaking new ground, and we can take home the hardware!

Matches start at 2pm at the DAC. We will do our best to match you up against a player from Windsor similar to your own level. Registration deadline is Monday, April 12. Simply e-mail me your registration. As always, we will be providing a keg for your thirsty needs.

And, if we happen to bite the dust, if we can’t bring them down to earth, make them stop believing they are the cat’s meow, then all I can say is… “Sh*t happens!”

BY THE SKIN OF THEIR BONUS POINTS

Boasters League – Final

…Flashback 2009, round 1 of the Boaster’s League finals…

Pat Petz’s team plays a 15-15 tie but advance 5-4 on bonus points… fade-out… Its one week later. Semi Finals of the 2009 Boasters League and Pat Petz’s team repeats the unlikely – they play a 26-26 tie, but again advance on bonus points 10-9… fade-out… Its one week later; the final of the 2009 Boasters League season. Pat Petz’s team dominates and wins the league… fade-out…

...Fast forward to 2010…

Surprise finalists “Angry Dragons” were lucky even to be present. Spending much of the season in last place, they ended up 3rd from the bottom and were second worst in picking up bonus points. But their team was quite strong. Once the finals started, suddenly they started turning up. The knocked of the second seeded “Hell’s Kitchen” in round 1, then had little trouble with “Duck or Bleed” in the semis.

On the other end on the spectrum, Pat Petz’s [pictured left] team, the “Defending Champs”, spent most of the season in the top 2-3 positions on the ladder and went in as the top seed. In round 1, “The Trolls” put up a reasonable resistance, but just weren’t up to scratch, in the semi final, the “Defending Champs” staggered to the finishing line 23-20 over “The Deconstructors” who certainly had their chances to cause the upset. The final was set between the first seed and the seventh seed: 29 points separated the teams on the standings, so going by that, the final should have been a cake-walk… yeah, right!

Eleven matches were played. One of them ended up 3-0. The other ten: 2-1. One of things that really hurt the “Angry Dragons” was that 3 of their regulars required subs. Even though 2 of those subs won their matches, they can’t receive bonus points and in the end, it made the difference. History was about to repeat itself.

I don’t know how many games ended up 15-14; how many games were decided on an unforced error, or a lucky winner; and I am sure all the members “Angry Dragons” will now be scratching their heads, making themselves feel guilty, and spending time wondering the “what-ifs”, “could-haves” and “should-haves”. In reality, they couldn’t have done much more.

Firstly, they should be thankful they made it so far. I debate whether they even deserved to be in the final. Playing as few matches as they did during the regular season - with the 2nd worst percentage of matches completed - does not warrant a spot in the play-offs. (This may prompt a play-off rules change for next season.) Secondly, they actually won 7 of the 11 matches played. That in itself is a noble effort, and just proves they should have ended up near the top of the standings after the regular season.

So I suppose justice was served. With a 24-24 tie, the “Defending Champs” are (again) declared winners based on the tie-break: 8 bonus points to 7. Congratulations to: Scott Adlhoch, Jay Poplawski, Pat Petz, Joe Moran, JB Peabody, Andrew Spohn, Mark Monaghan, Justin Winkelman, Tom Healy, Jim Miller, and Jerry Solomon. It was a terrific effort, the “Angry Dragons” did put up the best fight they could and should be commended as well. Unfortunately for them, only the victor receives the spoils!

The 2009-2010 Boasters League is done. Here are a few seasonal stats for the second half: Bob Rogers (“The Reach Arounds”) [pictured left] picked up the most points in the league with 28. Tom Healy (“Defending Champs”) was second with 27, then Chuck Doyle (“Hell’s Kitchen”) and Anil Kathuria (“The Reach Arounds”) with 25. Bob, Tom and Anil also went through the season undefeated. Only 3 players picked up a bonus point every week: Paul Ward (“Angry Dragons”), Mac Nutter and Chuck Doyle (both from “Hell’s Kitchen”). On the other side of that, only 3 players failed to pick up any. They shall remain nameless. Spread over all the teams, 74% of the matches were played. The “Defending Champs” completed 84% - the next best was 75%.

Summer League is just around the corner. It is scheduled to start on May 17. Do yourself a favor and keep active over the summer months – you will reap the benefits come September when it all starts again…

EYE-SPY

Recently, it is becoming more noticeable that some of our members are ‘forgetting’ to wear eye protection whilst on court. The mandatory eye-guard policy at the DAC is, by the most part, welcomed by the members. Given that some of our players have an uncanny habit of positioning themselves in life-threatening situations, you would think that people would get struck by the ball all the time. Strangely though – and luckily – it is not as common as you may think, and in the five plus years I have been working here no one has received an eye injury. But the risk is always present and the $20 for a pair of goggles is a miniscule price to pay to protect your sense of sight. A squash ball can cause devastating trauma to the eye, including permanent blindness, so wearing eye-guards, however uncomfortable they may be, should be a welcome and thankful piece of equipment.

The excuse of “I cannot see the ball properly when I wear eye-guards” doesn’t fly. Like anything else, they do take a little time to get used to if you are not familiar with them, but you will adapt. Sooner rather than later your eye-guards will become just another piece of clothing you need when walking on the court. My old club in Montreal did not have a mandatory eye-guard policy. Few players wore them – I did not. When I came to the DAC, I found the eye-guards initially distracting but it did not take long before I hardly notice them while I am playing. Now, I feel naked and vulnerable without them. I will not step on court with a member (no offense!!) without my eye-guards. Basically, (and I am being a little conceited here), if I feel I should wear them, then so should you.

Before anyone asks why is it that none of the professionals wear them, as they should be the ones setting the example to the rest of the squash community, you cannot compare apples to oranges. Again – no offense – you aren’t professionals. You play squash for enjoyment, for the camaraderie, for the beer, for the friendly competition. You do not make a living out of it. All it takes is one miss-hit, one badly timed shot, one fleeting moment of bad judgment, and you could get hit. Walk around one day with a pirate-patch over one eye and see how even the most simple of daily tasks suddenly become complicated. Professionals are not immune either, although the likelihood of being hit in the eye at that level is close to zero, it has happened to the best of them. Thierry Lincou in the 2003 US Open hit Jon Power in the eye with the ball. Luckily for Power it wasn’t hit very hard, but he nonetheless had to take a lengthy injury time out and ended up losing the match. A few years ago in St. Louis, David Palmer got a close up of Amr Shabana’s racquet as it smacked him squarely on the bridge of his nose. Both of these injuries could have been avoided if eye-guards had been worn.

But I digress. Essentially, you really don’t have a choice. It is a club rule – a rule put forth by your own committees – so there is no reason not to follow it. You may not agree with it, but that does not give anyone immunity from obeying it. Do yourself a favor, wear your eye-guards, avoid any uncomfortable incidents for non-compliance, and we all won’t have to wait for the “not if, but when” situation.

DOING THE HAYDUK BLITZ

No offense to Matt Hayduk, but I’m sure all the pundits were not laying their money on him to win. In fact, if asked, I’m sure Matt would have placed his bet on any one of the other 23 competitors in the Blitz Tournament before himself.

But that is the beauty of this tournament. Anyone can win. Literally. Just ask Matt. Consider the path the he took to earn first prize– and he did earn it. First of all, hurdle one - the group round robin. JB Peabody won all 4 of games to end up first, where Matt, along with two others won 2 games. With 3 players tied for second place, the next hurdle to see who advanced came down to pure, dumb luck: drawing straws. Matt drew first, and from the groans and gesturing of the other two, had drawn well. He moved onto the next hurdle: the knock-out finals. His first game was against Charlie Severn who went on with a 6 point handicap. Perfect. Matt takes the game 15-14. Next in line was Jim Stroh who won his group round robin. Matt started with 9 points which proved to be more than enough. He won 15-11. His semi final was against Ryan Bendzinski. [Photo right: Ryan playing against Bob Rogers] Matt took 11 points into the game, again proving it was more than enough. The 15-9 win had (a surprised) Matt in the final. The other side of the draw could not have been any closer. Every single match ended up 15-14. (Kudos to me for the handicapping!!) Scraping through by this narrowest of margins was JB Peabody – the winner of Matt’s round robin group. Hurdle four: Overcoming a previous defeat. In the round robin, Matt was given 5 points head start on JB (he lost that game). For the final, I gave him 7. Perfect. Matt takes the final 15-14 topping off the faultless evening for the lad. Not only did he win the event, received some very nice prizes for his efforts, he also drank free beer. What more could you ask for? [Photo: Matt and JB in their final]

Special mentions:
Judy Doyle. The only woman to enter into the testosterone filled domain of the squash court arena. And she took it to the boys as well. Judy won group round robin, but was knocked out by Bruce VandeVusse (bully!) in the first knock-out match 15-14. (Bruce went on to lose the 3rd / 4th playoff to Ryan Bendzinski 15-13.)

Mac Nutter. Although Mac did not advance through the group round robin, his entertaining style of play kept us all rather captivated. He must be made of putty as he bounces off the walls and floor, rebounds back onto his feet, all while he doesn’t stop running. In need of 17 band-aids, Mac kindly pointed out that he almost scored the maximum amount points in the group as he either lost or won every game 15-13 or 15-14. Lamentably, that didn’t count.

The tournament took just over 2 hours to complete. We had 56 games played, 24 competitors, 1 keg emptied, zero racquets destroyed… Pat? 964 towels used, and 1 successful evening. Thank you to all who supported and played.

Cheers!!

THREE OF THE FOUR TOP SEEDS STUMBLE

Boasters League Quarter Finals –

Defending Champs (1) v The Trolls (8)
The “Defending Champs” took a page out of Ken Katz’s book and accumulated an impressive 10 out of a maximum of 11 bonus points. Captain Patrick Petz even managed to convince his number one player, Scott Adlhoch, who had not collected one bonus point all season, to play on Wednesday. (I hate to think what Patrick promised him…) Even so, “The Trolls” put up a commendable fight and kept themselves in the hunt just about all the way. The “Defending Champs” move on to the semis with a solid and well deserved win. Final score: 26-17.

Hell’s Kitchen (2) v Angry Dragons (7)
This was a lot closer than the final score suggests. There was only one 3-0 result out of the nine matches that were played. Unfortunately for “Hell’s Kitchen”, they only won 3 of the other 8 matches that ended up 2-1. They also hurt their chances by only collecting only 5 bonus points. The second seeds bow out of the league with a final score of 16-22. Against the odds, the “Angry Dragons”, who have been lingering at the bottom of the standings almost all season long, now find themselves in the semi-finals. They are not to be taken lightly!

Marauders (3) v Duck or Bleed (6)
In the closest battle of the week, this came down to the final reported match. Both teams gathered 7 bonus points on the night, so it was 100% the squash which was going to determine who advanced. In the match of the week, even though the score was 3-0, Joe Bobzin (“Duck or Bleed”) held off Matt Jarboe (“Marauders”) in a match that was anything but straight forward. Matt just doesn’t quit, not even if he’s sprawled all over the floor, 25 feet from the ball, and his lungs are oozing out of his nostrils. I am sure Joe was very pleased to get away with this victory. Before the last score was turned in, the “Marauders” held a 17-15 lead. However, Paul Ferrini saved the day for his team with a sound 3-0 win, pushing “Duck or Bleed” to the next round. Final score: 18-17.

The Reach Arounds (4) v The Deconstructors (5)
In the only blow-out of this week’s finals, “The Reach Arounds” really defeated themselves. Due to either unavailability or injury, 3 of their team members forfeited their matches which immediately put them 9-0 behind before the night even started. Add on three more 3-0 losses for matches that were actually played, and an 18-0 deficit suddenly becomes insurmountable. Especially when only 5 matches are left to play. Rubbing salt into their already infected and festering wounds, “The Deconstructors” also picked up more bonus points. Final result: 27-11.


The semi finals are on St. Paddy’s Day. Be prepared for Patrick Petz’ green explosion. I wonder how many players will be struggling to perform…?

CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS – SINGLES

I was in the University Club of Chicago last weekend playing the Windy City Open and bumped into a few of their members who used to belong to the DAC. Every single one of those members spoke so fondly of the club and their admiration for it, and how much they miss coming here. There was a lot of name dropping going on, especially the name “Haggarty”. There was more than just one reason why it did come up, but mainly because of the amount of times it appears of our championship boards. It was all pure admiration (and probably a little jealousy!) but it made me feel very proud to work for a club where people in other cities would affectionately reminisce and wished they could still be members.

The 2010 Club Championships will give the name “Haggarty” another opportunity to be eternalized on our championship boards. Kirk’s main rival will once again be Peter Logan, who is actually the reigning champion and as keen as ever to maintain that title. However, no match is to be taken lightly – we all know what can happen if you underestimate your opponent!

There are 6 other categories to play in outside the Open - 2.5; 3.0; 3.5; 4.0; 4.5; 5.0. You can enter a maximum of 2 categories (no consolation draw). The draws will be a knock-out format with matches to be played best of 5 games to 9 points using hand-in-hand-out scoring.

ALL FINALS MUST BE PLAYED ON WEDNESDAY, MAY 5 – THE NIGHT OF THE AWARD’S DIVIDEND.

If you cannot play on that day, then you should not enter the tournament. The Club Championships are scheduled to start on April 1. (Yes, Easter weekend!). The draws will be played over the month of April. Matches will be scheduled with a deadline by which time it must be completed. It will be your responsibility to make sure that each match is completed by that deadline or risk being defaulted. If you will be away for a significant amount of time during the month of April, then think twice about entering.

Registration deadline is Thursday, March 25.

The winners and finalists of each category will qualify for selection to represent the DAC at the 2011 Farris Cup to be held at the DAC on January 8.

SHOW YOUR STUFF IN WINDSOR

So now is the chance to redeem yourself for not playing in Toledo, and enter the Tony Tomicic Challenge in Windsor! Check out the poster for all the pertinent details on categories, entry fees, what’s included, and the registration deadline.

Most importantly though, it is a great weekend of squash and we already know how social and hospitable their members are, and we know how much they support us, and we know that we need to support them in return, and we know they’ll have a keg… need I go on?

So – the weekend of March 26 – 28 is the date, you need your racquet, squash shoes, eye-guards, (no need for a ball, they provide that), passport, happy face, at least 5 lessons under your belt between now and then, solid pair of drinking boots (may want to pack 2, just in case), and some wicked squash form.

The entry deadline is Saturday, March 20. You can e-mail the tournament organizer – Dave Guthrie – on dguthrie@windsorsquash.ca or call 519-966-2141. Payment is required with registration, so it will be easier for you to register with Dave directly. I will be playing in the Open category and I hope to see your ‘stuff’ there as well.

SURVIVOR TOLEDO

How we don’t attract more DAC members to play this event is a mystery to me. Just one hour away, this tournament is designed – and advertised – as a ‘biathlon’. Play hard (squash that is) and drink harder. Like our tournament, their keg is an endless well. Unlike our tournament, they hire models to serve you that beer. As you can see from the photos, Justin Winkelman had a difficult time trying to stay away from them. Their ‘tag-team’ move was a popular strategy and they did an excellent job making sure not many of the patrons ever saw the bottom of their beer cups.

Three DAC members made the journey. Keep in mind that the Toledo courts are 2 and a half feet narrower than ours, same length, but the ‘T’ is closer to the back wall. The angles that you are accustomed to are now completely off kilter. Justin played the D event. He won his first round match 3-1 on Friday night in solid fashion, before succumbing 3-0 in his second round on Saturday. The games of that match were quite close, and Justin is fully aware that without some of his mistimed errors, the outcome could have been very different.

Robert Welch, also in the D event, lost his first round 3-0 – to a young girl barely in her teens. Now before we all start ribbing him for all eternity, we found out later that the girl was the pro’s daughter and grew up on these shoe-box courts and knew the angles very well. It turned out to be a tough draw for Rob! However, Rob went on the win the consolation event with a 3-0 thrashing of his opponent in the final.

Now everybody stand up and applaud the man of the hour – Anthony Fracchia! (Pictured left in red.) Guts, determination, a few desperate dives, he put his body in the line as he collected at least 5 squash balls in the backside (one hitting his cheek!), he battled muscle soreness, the referees, and even though he came out the other end wounded and bloodied, he is a true Toledo Tournament survivor as he won the C division in spectacular fashion. None of his matches were easy. He won 3-1 in his first match, 3-1 in his second, 3-2 in the semi final on Sunday morning in an extremely tight match that took an hour, and then he still managed to back it up with a 3-1 victory in the final! Congratulations Anthony! Make sure you see Tiffany for a massage…

On a personal level, I won the Open event winning all my matches 3-0. I played Ian Sly from Cleveland in the final in a repeat of the 2009 event where I just got through 3-2. This year, I was determined to keep the pressure on him and remain focused. Being a handy doubles player, Ian can hit the ball very hard and uses the angles smartly, but I managed to keep the ball tight enough to stop him from doing any real damage.

As usual, the Toledo Club looked after everybody exceptionally well. The Saturday night party in the club had a live band playing songs from the 70’s and 80’s, and the drinking went on until about 4am (as far as I know…!) Seriously, for a get-away squash weekend that could not be easier to get to, the Toledo Classic a must-do. I suggest you mark it on your calendars for 2011 (last weekend in February) and make a genuine effort to enter it. (Photo: Justin, me and Robert Welch)

A SHAMEFUL STAIN ON SQUASH

Firstly, I am somewhat astonished at the extent of the media coverage – worldwide - this has generated. Although I really shouldn’t be given the technological age we live in but when I was told that squash was on ESPN a couple of days ago I almost fell out of my chair. Really? Squash on US mainstream TV? Wow, I thought – what a coup for the sport. Of course, that initial excitement lasted about 10 seconds after I saw the video of Trinity’s number 1 player – 6 foot 5 inch Baset Chaudhry – celebrate his (and his team’s win) by an outrageous display of poor sportsmanship towards his 5 foot 7 inch opponent from Yale, Kenneth Chan.

If you haven’t already seen it, copy and paste this link and take a look at this clip. It’s self explanatory:

http://deadspin.com/5477217/squash-players-are-just-the-worst

Over the past couple of days, more information has come to light – along with a video of what lead up to this now infamous incident. This clip shows Chan getting in the face (or upper chest!) of Chaudhry in the second game. Not very respectful of the lad, but in my opinion, hardly as vicious as Chaudhry’s exhibition:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUvVR2iwLPs&feature=player_embedded

Now, I don’t know who made this particular clip or who edited it, but I would bet a lot of money it was a Trinity fan. A lot of effort was put into making Chan’s transgression look worse than what it actually was. The slow-motion piece was totally unnecessary.

Okay. Both players were out of line. There was apparently a lot of trash talking going on during the match as well, but comparing the 2 confrontations, Chaudhry’s behavior (to me) is by far the greater evil here. Firstly, he just won the match easily. It wasn’t as if the match went down to the wire and both players were exhausted physically and mentally. (Not that that would be an excuse.) That’s like US Women’s hockey team spitting in the face of the Russians after annihilating them 13-0 at the Olympics. Secondly, he’s almost a foot taller and probably almost 100 pounds heavier. What a bully. Thirdly, he’s 25 and should know better. And fourthly, no matter what had transpired leading up to it, there is absolutely no excuse for Chaudhry’s actions.

That being said, we have all been at some time guilty of letting our emotions get the better of us and losing control. I will be first to put my hand up and admit that I have, in my youth, conducted myself dreadfully on the court and lost my temper. Looking back on my misbehavior, I still feel embarrassed and ashamed of myself – but I’m grateful that it wasn’t taped. Sadly, the difference with Chaudhry’s lapse of judgment is… that it was.

Check out this clip from ESPN ‘analysts’ who have probably never heard of squash much like mainstream America.

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=4935859&categoryid=2378529

I felt sick to the stomach that the first time squash gets on this program is because of this ‘misdeed’. The analysts are giggling like school girls all the way through the segment, doing nothing but poking fun at the sport. Squash is virtually unheard of in the general public in the US, and first impressions last a life time. To all the millions of Americans who saw this clip – and squash for the first time – I dread to think what they think of squash now!! For a sport fighting for exposure – especially in the US – this to me is a step backwards.

By all accounts, Chaudhry is the nicest guy you’ll ever meet. (Although I have never met him myself.) This is so far out of character for the man and his coach, Paul Assaiante, is just as bewildered as anyone else. Apologies have been made all around, but should Chaudhry be punished? I think he should. Unfortunately for him, it was caught on video and has made its way across the globe and to television and has dragged the sport through the muck. It takes a lifetime to build a reputation; Chaudhry has taken a second to destroy it. What his punishment should be lies in the hands of the College Squash Association (CSA), but these guys are not professionals and do not get paid so a monetary fine is out of the question for the athlete (maybe not for Trinity?). Suspension? That would be the next logical step. The CSA is expected to rule on this in the coming days, but if nothing comes of this but a slap on the wrist, that’s an appalling precedent to set.

Regrettably, incidents like this in college squash have happened before. See this article relating to an incident this season at Dartmouth College involving fans heckling players from Harvard:

http://www.boston.com/news/education/higher/articles/2009/12/10/dartmouth_heckling_at_squash_meet_prompts_apologies/

The CSA need to nip this in the bud before it gets out of control. Squash matches are not football or basketball games and fans and players need to respect their opponents with decorum and conduct themselves appropriately. Cheering is one thing, as soon as it becomes personal, it moves into another stratosphere. Especially in this politically correct world of the U.S of A.

And no matter what happens on court, after the match, that’s where it should stay – on the court. Shake hands, thank your opponent for the match, buy them a drink… basically, act your age.

THREE WAY BATTLE FOR LAST SPOT

Boasters League Round 8 –

It’s going to be close. Not only to see who will end up on top of the standings, but who will end up last and eliminate themselves from the play-offs. With 7 days to go before the deadline, the “Defending Champs” look comfortable in first place with a 14 point buffer over second placed “Duck or Bleed”, but have to sit out the final round next week and watch everybody catch up. If they can pick up another 15 or so points in make-up matches in that time, they may be safe but they certainly should not be feeling too relaxed in their current position.

The real battle, however, is at the other end of the ladder. “The Trolls” had a bye week this week which has ended up hurting them enormously and placed them on the brink. They were 22 points ahead of last place, but complacency had them pick up only 2 points in make-up matches and now they have dropped from 5th to 8th and just 2 points ahead of 9th. “Stimulus Package” are still last and as fate would have it, they play “The Trolls” in the final round. The “Angry Dragons” are still wobbling on the precipice as well and need to perform well this week, and the “Reach Arounds” are by no means out of the woods either and need to be careful as their 12 point cushion over “Stimulus Package” can be quickly eroded.

Match of the week for round 8 is a difficult choice. So many matches ended up with a 2-1 score line (14 of the 22 so far) and were very closely contested that I really can’t (or shouldn’t) pick one above the rest. But I will anyway. George Kordas (“Marauders”) [pictured left] and Jim Stroh (“Hell’s Kitchen”) had some excellent long rallies and both displayed some impressive court coverage. George has been on a notable improvement curve this season and has really stepped up his game (as he proved at the DAC Classic). Still, Jim held his own very well and although he ended losing 2-1, he can be pleased with the result.

One week to play before the play-offs. The team finishing last can start polishing their golf clubs. There are 7 days left to get your results in. The mad scramble starts… now!

DAC SQUASH CLASSIC - FEEDBACK FROM OUR FRIENDS IN LONDON

Even though the DAC Squash Classic tournament was a success and the positive feedback has been nothing short of flattering and rewarding, I thought I would share with you all a couple of letters I received from our friends in London, Ontario, who took the time to put that feedback on paper and send it to me.

The first letter is from all the players from London Squash Racquets Club and the second letter is from one of their members, Ted Collins. Ted lost the final of the 3.5 division to his fellow club member John Anderson.

These letters are not just a reflection of the quality of the tournament, but the DAC and all the members and staff as a whole. We should all be proud!

CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS – DOUBLES

Who will be the next pair to have their names forever etched onto the legendary DAC Championship Boards? It is time for the 2010 DAC Doubles Club Championships. This year, we are adding a fourth category to the event. You now have the option of playing in the A; B; C; or D draw.

The event is scheduled to start on Monday, March 15. Please take careful note of the following:
• You MUST register with a partner
• All matches are best of 5 games
• There will be NO consolation draw
• Each match will have a deadline to complete. It is the player’s responsibility to complete the match by the deadline or risk being defaulted.

The winners of the A category not only immortalize themselves on the hallowed championships boards for all eternity, they also qualify for selection for the next Farris Cup scheduled for early January 2011 (@ the DAC).

So do your homework, pick your partners carefully and start preparing for competition! Registration deadline is Wednesday, March 10.

BLITZ IT!

NOW TAKING REGISTRATIONS

Scheduled for Friday March 12.
A unique in-house event, the Blitz Tournament gives members a chance to play against people you would not normally step on court with. Every effort is made to mix up the levels and get you the widest variety of players possible. Matches will be scheduled to start at 5pm. With handicapping issued on all the matches, the games can take anywhere from 15 minutes to just a couple of rallies – hence the name “Blitz”! Join in on a great fun, social evening of squash!

Take note of the following:
• This is for ALL levels of players
• Maximum 40 players – minimum 16
• Players will be randomly arranged into groups to play a round robin format
• The top 2 players in each group will move onto a knock-out draw. In the event of a tie, straws will be drawn to see who advances
• Players will be handicapped according to their level
• Each ‘match’ is one game to 15 points using point-a-rally scoring, no tie-break
• Prizes for 1st, 2nd, 3rd
• Keg provided
• You must be a Blackballer to participate

Registration deadline is Wednesday, March 10.

SPREADING OUT

Boasters League Round 7-

As week 6 saw the standings tighten up, week 7 has once again spread them out. With only 2 weeks of the regular season to play, the top 4 teams have pretty much guaranteed a place in the play-offs, while the bottom 5 teams fight to stay out of last place and avoid elimination. “Stimulus Package” were already sitting in that position and had to suffer through the ‘bye’ this week but they actually came out the other side with minimal damage. Four points off 8th last week, they are only 5 points back now, and have a real possibility of catching the “Angry Dragons” who are apparently determined to get through the season playing the least amount of matches they can.

“Defending Champs” and “Duck or Bleed” have opened up a small gap on the rest of the field and week-to-week are flip-flopping the 1st and 2nd spots. However, it is no guarantee that finishing first makes it an easy run through the play-offs (as history has proven many, many times) and from the 7 rounds played so far this half, the “Defending Champs” have a 4-3 record (and have the last round ‘bye’), and “Duck and Bleed” have a 4-2 record which just goes to show that all teams are vulnerable.

Match of the week goes to Anthony Fracchia (“Duck or Bleed”) and Ken MacDonald (“Marauders”). From the grunts, groans, and loud grumblings that were rather audible sitting outside the court, these two were really leaving it all on the floor. The good-spirited contest had terrific scrambling rallies and left them both breathing heavily – Anthony finally took the match 2-1 and extends his record to 5 and 1.

And don’t forget… DEADLINE TO COMPLETE ALL THE MATCHES IS THURSDAY, MARCH 4. Late results will not be taken into consideration so don’t wait too long to organize!!