SUMMER LEAGUE ACTION

2016 Summer League

I have to admit, I was rather chuffed at how the Summer League turned out this year. With necessity being the mother of invention, I was forced to change the format of the league last year because of the court area renovation, and even though I was skeptical it would work, it actually turned out to be noticeably more successful the team versus team arrangement we are all familiar with.

There were a few major differences. Firstly, the players would still be grouped into teams, however, the players of each team were all of a similar level. So, for example, Team 1 were all ‘A’ players, Team 2 were all ‘B’ players, and so forth. The task of each team was to play as many matches amongst themselves through the season. Teams received 1 point for each completed match, and players could play the same opponent as often as they wished – each result was counted. The players on the team with the most matches completed would receive a prize.

Secondly, on an individual basis, the players on each team were also playing against each other. Points were awarded based on each result, so each team had an internal ranking. Obviously the more matches one played, the more points one could accumulate. The player on each team with the most points would receive a prize.

All matches were self-schedule so the flexibility was helpful too. No longer did the players have the pressure of ‘make-up’ matches from the previous week. Either you played a lot, or you didn’t. Teams took the luxury of organizing mini-round-robins on some days and could knock-out many matches at once. It’s the stats that always tell the tale, so check these out:

• We had 100 players in the league. That beat the previous summer league record of 90 set in 2014. 
• Overall, there were 443 matches completed. Amazing. That worked out to be an average of 27.6 matches per week. (Total of 16 weeks.)
• The winning team - Team 7 - completed 97 matches. Also amazing. 
• Team 5 played the least amount of matches with just 8. Not so amazing.
• Three of the teams made up 58% of the total matches. 
• Only 2 of the teams had all 10 players complete a match. 
• 11 players did not play any matches. That is especially disappointing considering there were 4 people who couldn’t get in because it was full. 
• David Zack (Team 7) played the most matches – 43. 
• Ryan MacVoy (Team 4) scored more points than any other player in the league – 164 
• The 2 players who played each other most often were the MacVoy brothers. Ryan and Zac played each other 14 times. Ryan won 11 of them. Only three of the 14 results were 3-0, so it was clearly competitive.

Congratulations to this year’s winners: 

1.      Winning Team 7: Jim Fair, Jason Trombley, John Stelter, David Zack, Han Peng, Glen Milligan, Ted Mabley, Julie Vande Vusse, Gus Ploss, Pat Hughes.

2.      Winning Players: Team 1 – JC Tibbitts; 2 – James Van Dyke; 3 – Jerry Rock; 4 – Ryan MacVoy; 5 – Mike Cooney; 6 – Eric Scheible; 7 – Julie Vande Vusse; 8 – Howard Kaplan; 9 – Matthew Turnbull; 10 – Shaun Dillon

This should encourage more participation next summer. The format works, you can play as often as you please, and the incentive is there to play for yourself as well as your team. Plus, it’s a great way to keep in match shape. Otherwise, we’ll see you this fall and winter jam the courts up like never before!

FOOL’S ERRAND

Should squash even bother anymore? As the torch was snuffed out in Brazil after the 31^st Olympiad, I was irritably content to see it was over. Anybody who knows anything about squash finds it annoyingly difficult to fathom why squash fails time and time again to be a part of the Games. Convincing the IOC is like arguing with an intractably pigheaded child that swears water isn’t wet even though he’s moments away from drowning.

I watched the Olympics on and off for its duration, I tried not to be overly interested and for much of the coverage I wasn’t. ‘Forced’ to watch sports I would normally never consider viewing such as archery, mountain biking, fencing just to name a few, if I lasted more than 3 minutes before I found myself reaching for the remote control, it was because it probably put me to sleep.

But alas, at times, I was magnetically drawn at the immensity of the event as well. How one cannot be seduced by certain athletes and their accomplishments doesn’t compute with me. We all love to cheer for the underdog, but on many occasions I was dearly hoping for the favorites to win and expand their already ridiculously rich trophy cabinets even wider. I made an effort to watch the likes of Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps, Mo Farrah (who fell during his race and still won the gold medal!)… Watch and learn from the best, be inspired. What makes these people superior athletes, able to perform under pressure and under the spotlights not just once, but repeatedly? Traits we should all be emulating no doubt.

For all the extraordinary sporting stories the Olympics offer, the Games offer more than that. Bringing people together from all around the world, no barriers, no dogmatism, the athletes accepted one another as brothers and sisters. A lot can also be learned from that, right? Everyone appeared to understand that concept except for the Egyptian wrestler who refused to shake hands with his Israeli opponent. Reports also mentioned that the Egyptian was contemplating not even turning up for the bout just hours before the scheduled match was to take place. Rightly so, he was sent home. I bring this up because – as squash players – we all know that squash lost out to wrestling in the 2013 vote for inclusion. I guess nothing can embarrass the IOC enough.

What I can’t quite make sense of however is the handful of “athletes” that clearly didn’t belong – or deserve – to be there. The Philippine divers for example. Not sure if they were there for comical relief? Or the Ethiopian swimmer who finished the 100m dash over half a pool length behind everyone else… and this gem from the 2012 Olympics in the 400m “sprint”. Why the IOC allow this is beyond me when the Olympics is supposed to be the best of the best of the best… is it not?

Well, most of the time, yes. But not always. Look at golf. (Again, another sport squash lost out to for inclusion). Many of the top men opted out of Rio stating the Zika Virus as the excuse, but Rory McIlroy later admitted in a statement that he didn’t really care for golf being in the Olympics in the first place. It was hardly high on his priority list when compared to competing in the majors. Look at soccer – do the best players in the world play the Olympics? Err, no, they don’t. The Olympics certainly do not replace the World Cup. Do you think the best baseball players in the world will travel to Tokyo in 2020 – in the middle of the MLB season? Again, no. They will not. (Squash also lost out to baseball for inclusion.) So why does the IOC include sports where the best athletes don’t compete, and frankly, have no interest?

How about the sports that require judges to establish winners and losers? Equestrian, Gymnastics, Diving, Synchronized Swimming, Trampoline, to a certain extent Boxing… leaving the result up to the opinion of a few individuals rather than being able to definitively determine who won is a little illogical is it not? You think even a hint of bias doesn’t exist? It’s like when Miguel Cabrera is batting – everyone knows the strike zone gets a little smaller for him when he steps up to the plate. Umpires will flatly deny it, be he gets just about every border line call to go his way… (Go Tigers!)

Squash doesn’t have any of these issues. A winner and a loser are clearly defined without a judge’s help, players respect each other more than ever, and undoubtedly the best players in the world would sell their soul to represent their country in the Olympics.

The 2020 Games are in Tokyo, Japan. Five sports were added to that agenda: 1. Baseball / softball. Full of drug cheats, the best players won’t go anyway. 2. Surfing. Winners are based on judges’ opinion. 3. Sport Climbing. Involves three disciplines: sport, bouldering, and speed. 40 climbers (20 men and 20 women) will compete over four days, and the medalists will be chosen based on the combined results of all three disciplines. Even after googling this, I can’t figure out how somebody wins. 4. Karate. Given the Games will be in Japan, this actually makes sense. But there is already taekwondo and judo, do they really need another martial art? And 5. Skateboarding. This is the one that did it for me. Firstly, I can’t even wrap my head around the fact it is even considered a ‘sport’. In fact many people within the ‘sport’ itself don’t even consider it to be so and reject being a part of the Olympics. Secondly, I can’t find anywhere what type of disciplines will be involved on the Skateboarding ticket come Tokyo. So, do mean to tell me, that the IOC included a ‘sport’ that they have no idea how the competition will even look like? How did that presentation go? “Errr, hey IOC dudes, we’ll just make some gnarly moves and stuff and we’ll all have a wild time… Rad! Here, hold this little baggie for me…” Considering Skateboarding and smoking marijuana virtually go hand in hand, it will be interesting to see how the IOC tackle that little issue.

Given the IOC is openly moving towards making the Games more about ‘attractions’ than actual sports, I fear squash has an even less of a chance to reach its goal of inclusion. The beach volleyball was presented with more a nightclub feel than a sport – is that the new Olympic spirit? Does squash need laser shows and fog machines, score-women parading around in bikinis, midnight matches with music blaring in the background?

I am at the point that I think squash should simply stop trying. Stop wasting the money. Stop wasting the time. Stop the humiliation of be passed up in favor of recreations. I cannot imagine what we would be looked over for in 2020. Maybe the “Pokémon Go” competition? I recently read an article from some scribe who listed some sports he thought would be a positive inclusion. Amongst others (I kid you not): Croquet; Chess; Billiards… squash nowhere to be seen. It seems we cannot even get onto this list!

The next opportunity for squash? The 2024 Games may be in Los Angeles as they are one of five finalists to host. The other candidate cities are Rome, Paris, Budapest (Hungary), and Hamburg (Germany). Since the host city has a say in which (new) sports get added to the agenda, squash would probably stand a better chance if Paris or L.A. got the nod. France is a strong squash country and maybe would stand a fair hope of medaling, and USA have a couple of strong women in the mix with Amanda Sohby and Olivia Blatchford – both would be about 30 years old by then.

But don’t hold your breath. We all know squash should be in it. But if the IOC believe that Skateboarding is more worthy, then should squash even want to be in it?

SAN FRAN-TASTIC

San Fran, Ned, and the NBA

The one regret I have for the past weekend was that I did not get to spend Father’s Day with my daughter. But, to her (and my wife’s) credit I had a legitimate excuse. I was asked to accompany Ned Mylod to a high level under 19 junior event in San Francisco. It was a golden opportunity I simply could not pass up, and one my family wouldn’t have let me either.

Ned, who turns 17 next month, has been a member of the DAC for about 3 years now. Coaching him has been a pleasure, not just because he is very talented and loves the sport, but also because Ned is a terrific young man with his heart and head in the right place. Yes, there are ups and downs, the virtual rollercoaster ride of being able to play like Ramy Ashour one day, and then like you don’t know which end of the racquet to hold the next is normal in every development. The trick is to train the mind as much (if not more) than the body. I don’t care how skillful one is, without the appropriate attitude, it’s all for naught. Ned, incidentally, is well on his way.

I am sure many of you know the city of San Francisco. I did not – which was another reason (albeit selfish) I was rather excited for this trip. Perfect weather for the two and a half days we were there, I did get a chance to walk down by the Piers and ogle at the views, the people (!), and the hubbub of a busy city. Most conversations one overhears from passerby’s are not in English, and when I reached Pier 39, I must have inadvertently entered a worm hole into the touristic world of Hell. It did remind me a little of the ‘city’ of Niagara next to the Niagara Falls. Endless souvenir stores; a 7D theatre… (what, pray tell, are the seven dimensions??); inexhaustible amounts of fast food, snack stands, ice cream stores, restaurants where one could literally eat themselves into oblivion and by the looks of many of the patrons, it was a challenge well accepted; and my favorite, the “Zoltar the Fortune Teller” machine from the movie ‘Big”. A Scottish tourist asked me for change so he could actually waste his money on it. I hope he didn’t request the same as what Tom Hank’s child character did in the movie, “big” would have been a kind description of the man.

Alcatraz. Island getaway.

It was all wonderfully fascinating, and to my surprise when I reached the eventual end of the Pier, I was confronted with the island of Alcatraz and a decent view of the Golden Gate Bridge. I blended in with the flock of buzzing tourists and took advantage the photo opportunity with gusto.

But to business. Ned. Seeded 4 for this tournament, the goal was to at least reach the semifinals. His first match was Saturday morning against an unknown quantity. From the get go, it was clear that Ned would not have much trouble, the key would be to get comfortable with the court and work on the timing. It was a quick 3-0 win, not too much energy was spent which was important considering he had 2 more matches to play this day.

Ned’s second opponent had a tougher time in his first match. He fought through a close 4-setter, and since I had the chance to watch quite a bit of the match, I knew that this was going to be a trickier challenge. He was quick on the ball and was rather feisty, but with that being said, I did believe that Ned was the stronger of the two. It could have been a danger match though if Ned got sucked into the ‘contact’ game. Which he didn’t. He remained calm, took advantage of the more tired legs of his opponent, and after taking the first 11-7 and holding a significant lead in the second, his opponent appeared to lose the interest to fight anymore. Ned rolled through the rest of the match, which again was helpful in conserving the energy. He had attained his goal of reaching the semifinal but we were not resting on those laurels at all, now was the real challenge of tackling the number one seed and time to push ahead.

Ned Mylod returning his first serve of the tournament.

It was a difficult assignment. This lad is ranked 13 in the US, a strong hitter, smooth mover, and possesses a killer drop-shot on both side of the racquet, and from both ends of the court. Ned’s natural game is angles and misdirection, an effective counter attacker. The first game was dominated by the higher ranked player as Ned struggled to find the back corners. Anything off the wall was swiftly dealt with, with a cutting, accurate drop into the front and being stuck behind the striker when that happens is not a recipe for success.

A more methodical approach would be needed. And when Ned was consistent with his straight lines and length, the match suddenly changed to a more even status. With no room to work the drop in, Ned’s opponent was no longer as comfortable. The highlight of the match came when Ned was set up in the front right corner and faked the drop, dragging his opponent early and far into the corner, and at the last moment the flick into the back left that fooled him, the referees, and all the on-lookers. Spectacular as it was, one shot doesn’t win a match. Sticking to the correct game plan most of the time, rather than all the time, in the end let Ned down. The final two games were 11-8 and 11-9. Close, but not close enough. But, on the silver lining, we know he can compete at that level. More Discipline. More Consistency. And above all – believe. Not the result we were after, but plenty of positives to take away from it.

Ned still had to contend with the 3^rd / 4^th play-off the following day. It was against a familiar opponent, Ned had played him a couple of times in the past but without success. Once again, he would need to step it up – especially after the loss the previous day. From the get-go, the match was close. Ned’s opponent is a grinder, never gives up, but prone to the occasional loose shot which is where Ned could do his damage. Ned would have to bide his time and be patient for the opportunities. He was unlucky to lose the first in a tie break, a couple of unforced errors his undoing, but Ned collected himself well for the second and rolled through 11-4. The third was similar to the first, the two were neck-and-neck into the tie break again but this time Ned was able to pull it out 13-11.

Starting the fourth with confidence, Ned shot to a 6-1 lead and was looking well in control. However, maybe he was too much in control and he let the foot off the gas ever so slightly which opened the door for his opponent. Plugging away at the lead a point at a time, Ned started to create doubts and suddenly the momentum changed. The game slipped away and they were heading into a 5^th. Now it was mental. Tough it out. The game did not start well, Ned was 1-4 down in quick time and appeared a little lost. But slotting a winner in the next rally perked him up and he was back in the game. That little confidence goes a long way and once again we found ourselves in a tie-break at 10-all. Channeling his inner Shabana, after a lengthy exchange, Ned whipped in a short forehand cross court that bounced 3 times before the t-line, stranding his opponent who was standing a good 5 feet behind it. Perfect timing. Ned’s next serve was then severely butchered into the floor – an odd ending, but one we’ll take all day and a victory well deserved. Ned ended up 3^rd for the tournament, a very good result.

The first tip-off of Game 7

To finish the weekend, Ned received an amazing surprise – tickets to Game 7 of the NBA finals. A once in a life time opportunity, we could not been more pumped and excited to witness history. It was almost an out of body experience for me, feeling the energy quivering through the Oracle Arena, around 20,000 fans – 99% of which were Warrior fans of course – all at ear splitting volumes. Now, I am not a Warrior fan but being in that situation you have to go with the flow and Ned and I found ourselves cheering for the home crowd as much as anyone else. I am also not a Cleveland fan, and even less a LeBron James admirer, based mainly on his televised “announcement” all those years ago when he moved his talents to Miami. I thought turning that move into a reality tv show was the height of absurdity, especially since he knew the pain it would drench on the Cleveland faithful. It wasn’t the move itself, it was how he went about it.

Me and Ned before the Game!

We all know the result of the game, I don’t have to write about that. What I will say, however, is no matter what you think of LeBron, one must tip their hat and respect the man. He is a beast. And he knows he’s a beast. To be the best player in the world – and you would be hard pressed to convince many people he is not – you have to believe you are the best. Arrogant? Yes. But what stood out to me was that LeBron gave the impression that he knew they were going to win. The Warriors, on the other hand, looked as if they were hoping not to lose. Silly mistakes at the end of the 4^th quarter cost them, unnecessary mistakes. LeBron, on the other hand, had that posture of ascendency. Attitude counts, the expectation of success no matter the circumstance. When you have 20 thousand people screaming obscenities at you, desperate for you to fail, it is probably rather difficult to keep composure. We could all learn from that. It would have been nice if the Warriors had won though, to enjoy the atmosphere of the victory rather than the morose feeling of a horribly history defining defeat. Nonetheless, Ned and I were floating on cloud nine having just beheld such a spectacle.

What a weekend.