Thursday, November 27, 2014

2014/15 High School Boys Pre-Season Team Rankings

The level of play in high school squash has continued to increase in recent years. High school programs have welcomed international recruits at the same time they continue to cultivate home grown talent.

Hartford, Connecticut will host the high school team squash championships on February 6-8, 2015.
 
Below are our pre-season picks for the nation's top high school programs.

Head Coach Josh Cardwell (far right) with his 2014 National Champion Avon Old Farms Boys Team

Squash Ezine predicts Avon Old Farms, led by Egypt's Omar El Atmas ('16) will win its second consecutive national team championship.

1)     Avon Old Farms
2)   Brunswick
3)     Belmont Hill
4)     Springside Chestnut Hill
5)     Haverford
6)     Taft
7)     Deerfield
8)     Pingry
9)     Deerfield
10) Germantown Friends
11)  Westminster
12)  Packer Collegiate
13)  Hotchkiss
14)  Episcopal
15)  Harriton/Lower Merion
16)  Haverford
17)  Milton Academy
18)  Potomac
19)  Poly Prep
20)  Lawrenceville
21)  Choate Rosemary Hall
22)  Rye Country Day
23)  Collegiate
24)  St Paul's (NH)
25)  Rye Country Day

Monday, October 27, 2014

Winningest Coaches and Colleges in College Squash History

Few colleges/coaches have won a college squash team championship.

Four coaches have won national team titles coaching both men and women:
Bill Doyle, Steve Piltch, Mike Way, David Talbott








  • Bill Doyle (Harvard - 10 titles)
  • Dave Talbott (Yale - 5 titles)
  • Steve Piltch (Harvard - 5 titles)
  • Mike Way (Harvard - 3 titles).
(Note: Active coaches in bold.)

Below are the coaches and teams who finished a year ranked #1 in college squash.

Jack Barnaby

Coach Men's Titles
College
Jack Barnaby 16
Harvard
Paul Assaiante 14
Trinity
John Skillman 10
Yale
Dave Fish   7
Harvard
Bill Doyle   5
Harvard
Bob Callahan   3
Princeton
Art Potter   3
Navy
David Benjamin   3
Princeton
John Conroy   2
Princeton
Steve Piltch   2
Harvard
David Talbott   2
Yale
Norm Peck   2
Princeton
Bill Summers   1
Princeton
Mike Way   1
Harvard





Betty Constable




Coach Women's Titles
College
Betty Constable 12
Princeton
Gail Ramsay  5
Princeton
Bill Doyle  5
Harvard
Wendy Bartlett  3
Trinity
Dave Talbott  3
Yale
Steve Piltch  3
Harvard
Mike Way  2
Harvard
Pris Choate  2
Harvard
Dale Walker  2
Yale
Satinder Bajwa  2
Harvard
Marion Freeman  1
Yale
Demer Holleran  1
U Penn
Mark Talbott  1
Yale








College Total M Championships
College

31
Harvard

14
Trinity

12
Yale

11
Princeton

  3
Navy








College Total W Championships
College

17
Princeton
14
Harvard

  7
Yale

  3
Trinity

  1
U Penn
















Note: Active coaches in bold.






















Thursday, October 23, 2014

Ten People Who Should be in Squash Magazine's Top 50

Squash Magazine's October edition released their list of squash's Top 50 Most Intriguing, Interesting, and Influential People of 2014.

It's a fun article that will surely inspire conversation around the courts. But there are 10 people that we can't believe were ignored. Add your comment below if you disagree or think we missed someone else.



Jack Herrick
Jack Herrick - Jack is the George Washington of professional squash. At the time of squash's revolutionary transition (hardball to softball) he was the Commissioner of the WPSA and orchestrated the transition to softball. A year later, he was then asked to return to serve as Chairman of the PSA World Tour and keep them from going bankrupt. They had lost 75% of their reserves in their first year. Herrick stabilized the tour and over 14 years helped them grow dramatically.

At Herrick's induction ceremony to the US Squash Hall of Fame, Kevin Klipstein (US Squash CEO) said, "Jack Herrick has been more influential globally than perhaps any other American in squash history ... I am not sure that people realize that he has been at the forefront of what is universally considered as some of the biggest advances in the game world-wide."

Herrick was the #1 player on the Dartmouth College team. He was the first American to win a softball world championship, winning the 45s in the New Zealand hosted 1983 world championships. He was the U.S. men's team captain at the world championships four times. He is a former Chairman of US Squash. He led the initiative to launch an urban squash program in his hometown of Cleveland. And the game's leaders still rely on him for support and advice.

Jack Herrick should be #1 in any list of the most intriguing, influential people in squash.

--- 
 
Ted Gross

Ted Gross - Ted publishes the Daily Squash Report. A former member of the US National Team, Ted has picked up where Ron Beck (SquashTalk) and Tom and Hazel Jones (Squash News) left off. Thousands of fans each day read the news that Ted believes is worth your time.

He has to be on a list of the most influential people in the sport.








Bob Callahan
Bob Callahan retired in 2013 from coaching Princeton University men's team. His list of accomplishments at Princeton, as a player and coach, are well documented. He is a coaching legend who won three national team titles and coached five different players to individual national titles. 

But it is this coaching legend's brave fight against a malignant brain tumor which has allowed him to dramatically surpass medical predictions. Bob remains a daily example of resiliency and tenacity and continues to inspire so many in our sport.




James Zug

James Zug - James literally wrote the book on squash, entitled "Squash: A History of the Game."

His blog SquashWord.com and his insider access to "the establishment" make him interesting and influential enough to give him a spot on the list.

 



 

Kevin Klipstein

Kevin Klipstein - Kevin is the current CEO of US Squash. 

It's kind of an influential post in our sport. It's at least important enough to put him in the Top 50.

 




Gordon Anderson

Gordon Anderson - More of you play on a court built by Gordon Anderson than any other builder. Gordon for decades has been based in Buffalo, New York. But the former professional player's footprints are seen across the United States.

 






Bill Kaplan (r)
Bill Kaplan - Former Harvard squash player Bill Kaplan used funds he received on graduation as Harvard's outstanding scholar-athlete to generate a more than 35 fold rate of return at Las Vegas blackjack tables. He took his winning concept and founded the MIT Blackjack team, which was popularized in the movie 21, featuring Kevin Spacey. Kaplan is still one of Boston's better players in 2014.




Dave Talbott
David Talbott - College Squash is the driving engine of growth in the American squash arena. And David Talbott has driven that growth as the Head Coach of the Yale Bulldogs for over 30 years. He has won national championships with both his men's and women's teams, which is something only one other active coach can claim. And the Yale center, which Talbott built is now home to dozens of annual  large squash events. Talbott is such a big deal in New Haven that he is routinely heralded as one of the leading drivers of tourism in the city. How impressive that a squash figure is celebrated for driving tourism with his activities.




Mike Way

Mike Way - Mike Way is the Head Squash Coach at Harvard University and is the most sought after clinician in the U.S. Before Harvard he was coaching professionals to win world and national championships.

Since arriving at Harvard in 2010, he has already coached his men's and women's teams to national collegiate championships. And he has coached men and women to individual collegiate national championships.







Deval Patrick


Deval PatrickSecond term Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick loves his squash. It's his favorite sport. And he was recently helping raise visibility and money for Squashbusters in Boston. We bet he beats Hugh Jackman in a game.




Saturday, September 13, 2014

Individual Pre-Season Picks: Sobhy and Abdel Khalek

Amanda Sobhy has three College Squash individual national championships to her credit. As she begins her senior year at Harvard University, we predict she will win her fourth this coming season, equaling the mark previously set by current Princeton University coach Gail Ramsay.

Sobhy is coached at Harvard by Mike Way.

Sobhy will immediately be regarded as the greatest female college player in history upon graduation as she isn't just winning - she is dominating. She doesn't know what it feels like to play a fourth game in CSA.

When Sobhy isn't hitting the books at Harvard, she is playing on the WSA World Tour, where she is currently #10 in the world rankings. Amanda is the first American to ever reach the world top 10.
 
To see Amanda's page on GoCrimson.com, please click here.

- - - 

Ahmed Abdel Khalek is entering his junior year at Bates College. This season we expect him to win his first College Squash individual national championship.

Khalek went 17-0 in his sophomore season but decided to skip the national individual tournament to focus on his academics. In his 17 wins, he only needed to play more than the required minimum number of games three times.

Abdel Khalek is coached at Bates by Pat Cosquer.

Khalek isn't a flashy player. The left hander's game is characterized by unrelenting consistency. In many ways, he reminds us of Egyptian legend Amr Shabana.

To see Ahmed's Bates College page, please click here.

Women's College Squash Pre-Season Rankings


Squash Ezine Pre-Season Rank
College (last season's final rank in (parenthesis)
Note
1)
Harvard University (2)
Powered by Sobhy
2)
Princeton University (5)
Driven to succeed
3)
University of Pennsylvania (4)
Strong international recruiting
4)
Yale University (3)
Best team culture in America
5)
Trinity College (1)
We picked 'em #5 last year and they won it all
6)
Columbia University (10)
A program on the rise
7)
Cornell University (6)
Solid ever year
8)
George Washington University (9)
Trending up
9)
Stanford University (7)
Nice group
10)
Dartmouth College (8)
Still a top 10 team
11)
Drexel University (14)
Good recruiting class
12)
Franklin and Marshall College (18)
Brutal year last year. Rebounding this year.
13)
Brown University (11)
Quality program
14)
Williams College (13)
America's best school (says Forbes)
15)
St. Lawrence University (20)
Solid recruits
16)
Wesleyan University (21)
Anchored by very strong #1
17)
Bates College (12)
Strong senior leadership.
18)
Middlebury College (15)
Transitioning
19)
Amherst College (17) 
Consistent program.
20)
Hamilton College (16)
Lots of new faces this year
21)
Bowdoin College (19)
Often improves late in the year
22)
Tufts University (27)
Deeper program this year
23)
Colby College (23)
Nice team playing the game the right way
24)
University of Virginia (25)
Best club team in America
25)
Connecticut College (30) 
Sorry Mt. Holyoke. We flipped a coin.

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Men's College Squash Pre-Season Rankings




Pre-Season Rank
College (Last year's final ranking in parenthesis)
Notes
1)
Columbia University (10)
You heard it here first
2)
Harvard University (1)
With Mike Way in charge, expect them to always be a contender
3)
Yale University (3)
Always elite
4)
St. Lawrence University (5)
Most talented team, but we're not sure they can keep all their guys on court
5)
Trinity College (2)
Trending down
6)
University of Pennsylvania (8)
Trending up
7)
Drexel University (16)
Breakthrough year . . . IF Coach White can keep his players eligible and healthy
8)
Cornell University (6)
Still an A Division team
9)
University of Rochester (7)
Need more depth
10)
Franklin and Marshall College (4)
Back to earth after last year's epic finish
11)
Williams College (14)
Solid program
12)
Bates College (12)
Drama, drama, drama
13)
Naval Academy (15)
The fittest team in college squash
14)
Dartmouth College (11)
Un-official mascot is "Keggy" the Keg
15)
Wesleyan University (19)
Becoming a power
16)
George Washington University (20)
This coach can recruit
17)
Princeton University (9)
A "Gentleman's C" Division Champion
18)
Brown University (18)
Probably the team with the highest SAT scores
19)
Bowdoin College (21)
Great school and great kids
20)
Amherst College (22)
Good recruiting year
21)
University of Western Ontario (12)
Too much talent lost
22)
Middlebury College (19)
A transitional year
23)
Hamilton College (24)
Preppiest team in squash
24)
Colby College (23)
Nice team and nice coach
25)
Stanford University (28)
Best club team in the nation

Monday, May 19, 2014

Turning Point

by Joyce Dendy

Have you ever played a squash match that went south very quickly after a bad call by the ref?

Coaches tell us to let that call go - FORGET IT - move on to the next point. We’ve all had that one match where we’ve struggled to move forward. The mental tussle impacting on the physical. As you read this, it’s highly likely that a whole host of emotions - frustration, anger, dismay, disgust, etc. - have come flooding back to mind. It’s crazy how the brain works!

The unconscious brain doesn’t differentiate whether you are a zebra being physically chased by a lion, if you are psychologically stressed by deadlines at work, or if you are on a squash court.

Squash is a game of survival - kill or be killed by your opponent. You are under threat and your body has to switch into fight or flight mode to save your hide. Once you are safe (the match is over), your body can now transition into a calmer, restorative state, often referred to as rest and digest.

The squash court is a great place to hone our instinctual survival skills. I’d like to share my survival story. My league team made it to the playoff finals. Pressure was on! I was down in the first game but came back to win. I went on to win the second game. Up 2-0, knowing how easy it is to lose focus going into the third game, I had a conversation with myself - stay alert, trust my instincts and stop thinking (Paralysis Analysis… very bad). At 10-8, I made the winning shot - a dropshot - and it’s good. My brain knew the fight was over, I was safe! The hormonal transition into a calmer state began. But NO WAIT! The ref then said, “You turned-you have to stop your swing and play a LET!”

At the club level, the players referee their own matches. We depend on each other to know the rules. As players, we have several resources and opportunities to help us learn but many have not taken advantage. MA Squash hosts several Squash Officiating Clinics during the season. There is also the US Squash on-line refereeing exam that all players are encouraged to take.

Best of all, the 2014 World Squash Singles Rules can be found on the US Squash website. Below is the direct link (I suggest saving a direct link on your iPhone or printing it out to keep a hardcopy in your squash bag. Of course, that’s after you’ve read it a few times.)


So, let’s be clear on Turning. Programmed into our brains, we typically make a forehand or backhand strike by turning our bodies toward the side wall. However, sometimes the action of the ball, which passes behind the body, leads the player to “turn” her body toward the middle of the court to strike. Please understand that Turning is NOT outlawed. But there are rules we should all keep in mind.

The opponent (non-striker) must allow the striker freedom to strike the ball to any part of the entire front wall (Rule 8.11). The non-striker needs to make every effort to “clear” and give the striker access to the front wall. Otherwise, it’s considered interference and other factors go into deciding whether it’s a Let, Stroke or No Let situation. However, when the striker “turns,” several things need to be considered. So, let’s compare normal strike position with the body turned toward the side walls versus turning the body toward mid-court. With a normal strike position, the striker may refrain from striking the ball because of front-wall interference and request a Let.

• IF the ball would have hit the nonstriker on a direct path to the front wall, a stroke is awarded to the striker (8.11.1).
• IF the striker swings through and the ball is going directly to the front wall but hits the opponent’s body, racket or clothing, a Stroke is awarded to the striker (9.1.2).
• IF … yes, there’s more, but that is not our focus right now.
So what happens if the striker turns? Because turning can create safety issues, such as hitting your opponent, there are some additional things to keep in mind.
• IF the striker turns and does not know where her opponent is, it is highly encouraged by our squash pros to “play it safe,” hold the shot and appeal for a Let. The Let should be granted if the ball was playable.
• IF the striker turns and sees her opponent had no time to avoid interference (Rule 8.13.2) and is blocking access to front wall, stop play and request a Let for interference. Again, your Let will be granted.
• IF the striker is sure that her shot will miss her opponent, then she is entitled to continue with the rally and no penalty applies.
• IF the striker turns and hits the opponent, it’s a stroke to the opponent - no matter where the ball was going (Rule 9.15) The striker loses the point. This rule provides incentive not to swing!

So back to game 3 with a score of 10-8. The ball bounced behind me, so I turned. Clearly seeing my opponent off to the right and not in my way, I dropped the ball in the left front corner for the winning shot. My brain said, “you’re done, your safe.” Oh, but wait! Then came the completely unexpected decision by the ref, “…play a LET.” 

My brain somehow then had to try to switch back into survival mode and "play on. I allowed a bad call by the ref to get in my head and went on to lose 3-2. Even the thought of this makes my heart pound a bit faster! This is one match I will never forget!

I hope that by sharing my experience, we all have gained a bit more clarity on the Turning Rule. And you all have learned something at the expense of my pain! Yes, it is important for all to know the rules. Even more critical, survival on the court requires full attention to what matters.  Let the small stuff go and play on, otherwise you may be eaten alive by your opponent! 

---

Joyce Dendy is an avid player and student of squash. She is a Training & Performance Coach, Z-Health Master Trainer and Nutrition Consultant. She has been sole proprietor of Affirmative Fitness for the past 20 years.  For more information, go to www.affirmative-fitness.com .