WSF Squash

Tony Tomicic Challenge 2012

2012-02-20T20:12:00.004-05:00

March 23 - 25 - 2012

Events: Open, A, B, C, D, 40+, 50+

Doubles: A, B and Mixed

Players May Compete 2 Divisions Maximum

Entry Fee:$65.oo

Student Fee: $45.00

Friday Night Pizza

Dinner Saturday Night

"Kill The Keg" Friday and Saturday

Continental Breakfast - Saturday and Sunday

Par 11

Cash Prize for Open Division

Prizes for All Other Divisions

Tournament Chairpersons:

Brian Porter bporter@windsorsquash.ca and David Guthrie dguthrie@windsorsquash.ca

(519- 966-2141)

Payment Required to Register

Squash House in Detroit Michigan

2012-02-01T20:56:00.001-05:00

HERE'S THE STORY:

This project is aimed at encouraging neighborhood interaction and fellowship through play and gardening. The Squash House will convert the house at 13133 Klinger into a venue for a site-specific variety of squash (or racquetball, handball, etc.). The court will integrate the inherent architecture of the space with sculptural modifications to provide a unique, artistically competitive experience for members of the neighborhood. These modifications will manifest themselves primarily through the warping and folding of interior and exterior surfaces, but will also include ‘add-on’ sculptural and architectural components. Final form of the house will be left slightly open-ended, depending upon material availability, and to allow for neighborhood collaboration.

When not in use for squash, the court will be available for art related events, neighborhood workshops, and a variety of other indoor activities. The rear yard of the house and the adjoining vacant lot will further encourage usage through outdoor gaming (badminton, volleyball, etc.) and will also be used as a community garden for squash and other vegetables.

It is intended that this project will be entirely self-sufficient. It will rely on solar and wind power for electrical needs, as well as a rainwater collection system for gardening needs. Where possible, materials for the project will be salvaged from other abandoned houses in the neighborhood that are beyond repair.

Currently in the planning and fundraising stages, we aim to complete Squash House by September of 2012

PHASE ONE of fundraising is for the general prep work of the house, which includes temporary repair of the roof, demo work, structural repair and a small solar panel system for construction lighting and power.

Trinity Streak Comes To And End!!!

2012-01-19T07:35:00.009-05:00

The Longest Winning Streak In College Sports History Is Over. Trinity University loss last Night to Yale 5 -4 snapping a 252-match winning streak that dated back to the 1997-98 season. This streak included 13 National Championships. Read about last night's match.

Also Read Sport Illustrated's article the Trinity Streak

Another Story Done By ESPN on the Trinity Streak

The Future Nicol Davids!!!

2012-01-16T17:33:00.007-05:00

Watch Out Nicol David!!! Both Girls Jessica and Amy Robins took their 1st Squash Lessons on Saturday in our Munchkin Squash Program. Both were confident that after their first lesson that they could beat their Dad (David Robins)

The Evolution of Squash

2012-01-12T10:34:00.004-05:00

I came across this video about the Evolution of Squash and thought it was pretty cool. Take a look.

2011 Fall Squash League Results

2012-01-05T21:11:00.004-05:00

I would like to thank everyone who played in the 2011 Fall Squash League and I look forward seeing everyone in the 2012 Winter League. For all the League Winners please see me or contact me to receive your prize. Hard to believe its 2012 already but anyhow here are some up coming events worth attending. 2012 Motor City Open January 25-30/12, DAC Classic Feb 8 - 12/12 and Tony Tomicic Challenge March 23-25/12.

2012 Fall Squash League Results

A1 Winner - Qashim Muhammad - Runner Up - Justin Warncok

A2 Winner - David Guthrie - Runner Up - David Mill

A3 Winner - Rob Roy - Runner Up - Mark Little

A4 Winner - Steve Oltean - Runner Up - Shabeez Saleem

A5 Winner - Berto Mill - Runner Up - Andrew Garant

B1 Winner - Jarrod Matties - Runner Up - Guy Halifax

B2 Winner - Matt McCarthy - Runner Up - Colin Bateman

B3 Winner - Adam Hrytzak - Runner Up - Jeff Torni

B4 Winner - Jarrod Riley - Runner Up - Doug Lovegrove

2012 Winter Junior Squash

2012-01-02T09:00:00.001-05:00

Munchkin Squash - Designed for kids ages 4-7. This is a great program to help develop hand eye coordination and motor skills. A fun way to introduce kids to sport. The 10 week session starts January 14/12. Cost $80 + HST. E-mail Me dguthrie@windsorsquash.ca or Call the Club (519) 966-21411 for more information

Junior Squash - This program is for kids aged 8 through 16. Juniors will learn the fundamentals of Squash and provide them with an opportunity develop skills and compete with other players. Juniors will learn squash through group lessons with goal oriented drills and games.This is an excellent program for any child to learn the basics and fundamental of squash in a fun and exciting environment. The 10 week session starts January 14/12. Cost $120 + HST E-mail Me dguthrie@windsorsquash.ca or Call the Club (519) 966-21411 for more information.

3D Squash Simulation PC Video Game

2011-12-28T22:20:00.001-05:00

World Squash Federation Launches First 3D Simulation PC Video Game
Squash enthusiasts will now have the chance of enjoying the sport they love in the comfort of their own homes following the launch of WSF Squash, the official squash simulation video game of the World Squash Federation.
Using the most modern software and hardware, the game is a realistic representation of the sport with great tactical aspects – and all shots can be played, including drives, corkscrews, boasts and more. Players can also play online matches against each other, or play at iconic locations – and an offline tournament mode allows users the chance to organise virtual tournaments during real events.
It is easy to connect wireless controllers to the game and link to a big screen, so that squash clubs can host a virtual event. Details of this are available from the game’s dedicated website http://www.wsfsquash.com/ – where a trailer, screenshots, and more, can also be seen.
There are 12 real top squash players in the game. Users can choose between four different top tournaments at iconic locations – either selecting their favourite player or creating their own player, choosing equipment, skin colour, hair colour, posture, playing style, etc.
Following four years of development, WSF Squash will be launched at the beginning of November.
“For me, Squash is a much faster, aggressive, raw and also responsive game than, for example, tennis,” said Team6 Games CEO Ronnie Nelis. “For WSF Squash, gamers will not only need to have much faster reflexes than for any other sports game, but they will also even have to think about their strategy during the game. All this made a very good reason for us to make a game that nobody dared to make before.”
WSF President Mr N Ramachandran commented: “Our hope, of course, is that in endorsing this game we will see a significant number of newcomers to squash trying it – who may then feel that they would like to try the real thing on court, and boost grass-roots numbers as a result.”
The game can be pre-ordered with 35% discount as an introduction offer only till the 31st of October for 1st November distribution.
There are further plans to develop the game for Nintendo Wii and xBox.

DAC Squash Classic – February 9-12

2011-12-23T12:54:00.003-05:00

The DAC Squash Classic is February 9 -12.

Singles categories are 2.5 through to 5.5, and the three doubles events are A, B, and C. Numerous times I have been asked about adding a mixed doubles category, but alas, we simply do not have the court space to do it. And anyway, the women players from Canada have proven on more than one occasion they can hold their own!

Because entry numbers are limited and court space could not be at more of a premium, it is extremely important to take note of the following restrictions and the expected availability of all the players:

Ø Maximum 16 teams in any one doubles category
Ø Maximum 40 doubles teams allowed spread over the 3 categories
Ø Any player entering the ‘A’ doubles category is NOT allowed to enter the ‘C’ doubles category, regardless of partner
Ø One match guaranteed in any doubles draw
Ø Maximum 32 players in any one singles category
Ø Two matches guaranteed in any one singles draw
Ø Maximum 145 registrations for the entire event
Ø Walkovers / forfeits count as a match
Ø Minimum age to enter the tournament is 13
Ø All singles matches will use PAR scoring to 11

For Complete Tournament Details

http://www.thesquashjoint.blogspot.com/2011/12/all-aboard-dac-classic-express.html

Racquets Up Detroit

2011-12-03T22:22:00.005-05:00

I had the great pleasure on Thursday Night to attend a great after school program that is making a difference in many inner city youths in Detroit. It's mentoring many children in the game of squash to improve their grades in schools.

Derek Aguirre the Executive Director of Racquets Up Detroit was kind enough to invited me to attend a session on Thursday. It was truly a very rewarding experience. Please watch this video and see how squash is making a difference.

2012 Winter Squash League

2011-11-18T22:36:00.002-05:00

2012 Winter Squash League Is Coming Soon!!!!!!!!

League Starts January 9/12

Deadline to Sign Up Is January 5/12

10 Weeks Plus 3 Week of Playoffs

Top 8 Players Make Playoffs Per Division

Divisions For ALL Players

Weekly Drink Specials

Prizes For Winners and Pizza Night

Cost: gold $35, Member $95 and Non Member $165

Score System PAR To 15

Contact David Guthrie to Sign Up Today dguthrie@windsorsquash.ca or 519-966-2141

Elite Junior Winter Break Camp with Jonathon Power

2011-11-15T17:20:00.003-05:00

National Squash Academy, Toronto, Canada
December 26-30, 2011

The Power Squash Academy Junior Winter Break Camp is designed as a midseason intensive squash experience for the competitive junior player. The five days of squash will focus on technique, match play and strategy and fitness. Our Elite Training camp is designed for the competitive junior player who is dedicated to improving their game.

For Complete Details Go To www.powersquashacademy.com/programs/elite-junior-training

Christmas Squash Social

2011-11-07T20:22:00.002-05:00

Squash Friends

It is that time of year again to get together and celebrate the holiday season. For those that joined us last year we had a great time and we hope you can attend once again. For those that were not able to attend last year we hope you find yourself available this year as we are sure to have another great night. This year’s event is open to you and your spouse (or date) so we ask when you RSVP to indicate ONE or TWO people attending

The plan is to play squash before from 4-6:15 (courts will be reserved) then get ready and meet for 7 for drinks, appetizers at 7:30 with dinner at 8:00PM. The date is Friday, December 16^th, 2011 and this year’s event will be held at Mezzo ristorante http://www.mezzo.ca/ on Erie street. Below you will find directions

Directions from Tunnel

http://g.co/maps/89dxu

Directions from Bridge

http://g.co/maps/zzd94

Directions from Club

http://g.co/maps/v8dfa

Please RSVP as soon as possible to Paul Gebrael and Mark Eugeni so we can let the restaurant know. Last year we had over 30 people attend and we hope to have even more this year at a great restaurant with drinks at the bar afterwards for those that want to continue the night.

Buffalo Invitational Doubles Tournament

2011-10-20T10:45:00.002-04:00

Please set aside the following dates on your calendars and plan to join us for North America’s Second Oldest Squash Doubles Tournament (but the best event going), the 56th Annual Buffalo Tennis & Squash Club Invitational Doubles Tournament to be held on January 13-15, 2012.

Divisions included in this year’s edition of the tournament include:

*Men’s Open, B, 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s

*Women’s A, B

The entry fee is $95 per racket and $180 for a player with a guest. Please complete the attached entry form and mail your check (U.S. funds) payable to the Buffalo Tennis & Squash Club. We would be very appreciative if you decided to be a Patron of the tournament for an additional donation of $50.00. We also have other levels of sponsorship if you would like to further support the tournament. They are as follows:

*Gold Sponsor ($500) - includes entry fee, guest and 2 tournament giveaways

*Silver Sponsor ($350) - includes entry fee, guest and tournament giveaway

*Super Buff ($195) - includes entry fee and giveaway

*Non-Player Super Buff ($100)

Tournament play will start Friday afternoon, January 13^th. Please, contact the club anytime after noon on January11th for your start time. The entry deadline is January 6^th.

Our tournament hotel is the Hampton Inn Downtown. The rate is $119/night and must be booked directly through the hotel by the date of December 27^th, 2011 to guarantee this rate. The hotel number is (716) 855-2223. If you would prefer a billet, we will make every attempt to house you with one of our members. Contact Bart Chambers (716) 884-6048 to arrange billeting.

Plan to be entertained throughout the weekend with the following events:

*Complimentary beer and soda throughout the weekend

*Friday evening Dinner Party at the Tennis & Squash Club

*Saturday lunch at the Tennis & Squash Club

*Saturday evening Dinner Buffet at the Tennis & Squash Club

*Sunday brunch at the Tennis & Squash Club

Please arrange to have cash for purchases at the club (for wine, mixed drinks, Pro Shop purchases etc.), since the Tennis & Squash Club cannot offer reciprocal billing to your home club.

On behalf of the Tournament Committee, we look forward to welcoming you back to the Buffalo Tennis & Squash Club for an exceptional weekend event!

Peter D. DeRose, Co-Chairman

Richard G. Lynn, Co-Chairman

Bart Chambers, Squash Professional

The Gary Waite Junior Squash Tour

2011-10-13T11:51:00.002-04:00

Is a series of one day tournaments hosted by clubs within and surrounding our region. The grand prix point format entices kids to travel around the region to accumulate tour points. This tour provides kids the opportunity to develop their skills locally and progress towards Squash Ontario Silver events held throughout Ontario.

Tour Divisions
13 and under & 14 and up

Regarding age, players will finish the season in the division that they start in. That is, even if they start in the 13 and under division and turn 14 they will finish in the U 13 division.

Tour Dates

Sunday, October 17th 2010 - Huron Oaks Squash Club - Bright's Grove, Ont
Sunday, November 7th 2010 - Fitness Forum - London, Ont
Sunday, December 12th 2010 - Windsor Squash and Fitness Club - Windsor, Ont
Sunday, January 9th 2010 - The Country Club - Clinton, Ont
Sunday, February 13th 2010 - London Squash Club - London, Ont

For Complete Details http://www.juniorsquashtour.com

Michigan Squash Association - New Format for Travel Leagues

2011-10-05T22:51:00.002-04:00

The Michigan Squash Association is trying a new format for their travel leagues.

Rather than play one night each week rotating between home and away, they are switching to playing approximately
one Saturday per month.

Their would be four locations/clubs to host matches, Birmingham Athletic Club, Detroit Athletic Club, Franklin Racquet Club
and Windsor Squash. You would play two matches each Saturday against two different teams. With the exception of
Birmingham play would start at approximately 1:30pm. It will be a slightly later start at Birmingham after their Junior Program
has finished at approximately 3:00pm.

As in the past the teams will have four players. Rosters however should ideally have six players. The six players will be listed
1 thru 6 on the entry roster in order of ability. Regardless of which four players are used per match they will always play in
the order they are listed on the entry roster, this will guarantee that all matches are pitting the best player vs best player at
each level.

All level of play from 3.0 through 5.0 will be accepted if enough teams at that level enter. Therefore if you are interested please
contact Dave Guthrie as soon as possible since rosters are due October 14th.

This promises to be a very exciting change with an emphasis on both competitive play and camaraderie based on three teams being
present at each scheduled Saturday.

2011 Fall Down Classic

2011-09-30T15:31:00.003-04:00

Book This Weekend On Your Calendar

- November 4th – 6th/2011 -

The Best Bargain of a Squash Tournament $65 + HST
That Includes: 2 Events
Tournament Souvenir
Friday Snacks
Sat/ Sun Muffins and Coffee
Draft Beer (While It Lasts)
Cash Prize Of Open
Prizes For All Other Draw

Divisions:
Open, A, B, C, D, 50+
and Juniors
Doubles: A, B, Mixed
(Consolation Draws For All Singles Events)
(Cash Prize of OPEN)

Sign Up Today!!!! Contact Brian Porter bporter@windsorsquash.ca or Myself to Sign Up

Fall Doubles Squash League

2011-09-28T22:02:00.005-04:00

Fall Doubles Squash League - Begins the Week Of October 10/11

$30 + HST - Divisions A, B and Mixed

League Format: Flex Style - One Match Weekly for 8 Weeks - Plus Playoffs

If you need a partner we will find one for you.

Contact dguthrie@windsorsquash.ca

Squash Ontario - September E-Magazine

2011-09-18T23:04:00.002-04:00

Squash Ontario is pleased to announce the release of the September issue of Squash Ontario E-Magazine!The E-Magazine features the latest squash news, informative articles, and event listings pertinent to all squash enthusiasts across Ontario! From recreational to competitive; junior to senior; singles to doubles; coach to official - this E-Magazine is for you!!

http://www.squashontario.com/documents/September2011revised_001.pdf

WHO ARE YOU?

2011-09-13T21:13:00.003-04:00

Squash Ontario Needs Your Help with a Demographic Survey

As part of their continuing partnerships with government funding agencies, members and corporate sponsors, they need to be able to provide as accurate demographic information as possible on the status of the game and who plays it.

This is a very short survey which they would ask you to complete. It is part of a nation-wide demographic survey in which all provincial squash associations are participating as well as Squash Canada. I filled out the survey in less than 2 minutes. Thank you for your help.
Click on the Link http://comments.squashontario.com/form_feedback1.aspx?id=178

Friday Nights Is Ladies Night at WSF

2011-09-10T10:42:00.005-04:00

Starting on Friday October 7/11 and every Friday until December 2/11 will be Ladies Squash Night with Megan McEachern.

This is a great program for ladies only. It will provide them the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of squash in a social environment. Sessions will include instructional work, drills and round robin games.

The Program will run 10 weeks at $80 or nightly drop in rate of $12.50

If you have any questions please contact dguthrie@windsorsqush.ca or 519-966-2141.

Die Hard Cup Final Results

2011-09-06T20:50:00.004-04:00

The Results are in and the Winners of the 2011 Die Hard Cup is................THE VETS

Congratulations.

The Vets - Captain Tom Porter
Anis Khan
Tim Autterson
Dave Porter
Maresq Child
Mike Tomkins

Please See Me to Get Your Prize
Weekly Results Are Posted At:
http://wsfsquash.blogspot.com/p/2011-die-hard-cup.html.

I would like to thank everyone who played in the league. Don't Forget to Sign Up For the Fall Squash League.

Finals Results - Click On Picture to Enlarge

2011 Fall Junior Squash

2011-09-01T07:06:00.004-04:00

This is an excellent program for any child to learn the basics and fundamental of squash in a fun and exciting environment. Juniors will learn squash through group lessons with goal oriented drills and games.

Boy and Girls under the Age of 16 are encouraged to play. For full details click on the link http://wsfsquash.blogspot.com/p/2011-fall-junior-squash.html

Fall Cross Border Challenge

2011-08-30T07:58:00.004-04:00

The Cross Border Challenge is Saturday September 17/11 at the Detroit Athletic Club. We won the challenge last time and I would like to keep the streak going. The DAC Guys are always gracious to us and feed us with plenty of beer. We are looking for players of all skill levels. Females are welcome. This is a social event so you must be 19 years of age to participate. Anybody interested in participating in this year's Fall Challenge please contact me dguthrie@windsorsquash.ca.

This is the what we are playing for!!!!!

2011 Fall Squash League

2011-08-18T05:58:00.004-04:00

I hate to say it but it is getting close to the end of the summer and kids will be returning to school. So it is time to start thinking about returning to the Squash Court. What better way than joining the Fall Squash League. The Fall League will be starting on September 19. Deadline to sign up is September 15. So Dust off the racquet and get ready to play. I hope to see everyone back on the court.

2011 Battle of the Border Results

2011-08-16T06:11:00.004-04:00

Over the Weekend, Stefan Houbtchev of WSF played for Team Ontario in the Battle of The Border at White Oaks in Niagara Falls. The Battle of the Border is an annual event between the top juniors in Ontario against the top juniors in the United States. Each side fields teams of 24 – 4 boys and 4 girls under 13, under 15, under 17. This year the United States prevailed 16 - 8 over Team Ontario. Despite this the matches were tough and very competitive. Good Job Stefan.

New Look For Squash Canada

2011-08-11T06:52:00.003-04:00

OTTAWA (ON) – Squash Canada Executive Director, Danny Da Costa, announced today the unveiling of Squash Canada’s new corporate identity.
Its centrepiece is a new logo that features a stylized maple leaf embedded with a squash racquet. The maple leaf, which symbolizes national pride, has a flame shape to show competitive excellence.
Da Costa says that the rebranding of Squash Canada will better represent the significant role the organization plays in the growth and promotion of the sport of squash. “It is imperative to build a strong brand, which is easily recognizable and marketable to our stakeholders across Canada”, he says.
“When we reviewed the history of our Squash Canada logos over the past 60 years, it became apparent that two features stood out over time: The Maple Leaf and the Squash Racquet. With our logo redesign, we felt the importance of preserving our rich history as we embrace excellence by including these two long lasting features.”
The logo was designed by Ottawa-based ACART Communications, a Social Issues Marketing agency whose experience includes branding assignments for many association, not-for-profits and NGO clients, as well as Sports and Entertainment organizations such as The Ottawa Senators, The Ottawa 67’s and Calypso Theme Waterpark. “We chose to work with ACART because they were very experienced working with non-profit organizations, and have very strong ties to sports marketing and branding projects,” said Da Costa.
The rebrand includes a new Squash Canada website (www.squash.ca) which is expected to launch prior to the upcoming competitive squash season and will feature enhanced content and better navigation and search capabilities, as well as greater exposure and visibility for partners, athletes, coaches and officials. Squash Canada also plans to embrace social media with greater use of media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.
Squash Canada is working with National Team clothing provider and National Rankings sponsor Harrow Sports on a line of Squash Canada branded products including three different racquets and various clothing items. (The current line can be viewed at http://harrowsports.com/TeamStore.asp?TeamStoreID=79)

Playing Squash At Sea!!!

2011-08-09T07:26:00.008-04:00

In a groundbreaking innovation made possible by ASB, the world leader in glass squash courts and AIDA, the German cruise company, squash is reaching new frontiers by taking to the high seas.

In future squash enthusiasts will be able to pursue their favourite hobby while crossing the ocean on a modern cruise liner.Currently undertaking her maiden voyage after a spectacular launch ceremony in Hamburg, the AIDAdiva set sail with a permanent all-glass, open-air court installed on her top deck, just behind the funnels.With all parts specially designed for sea-worthiness, the court, which features ASB's groundbreaking glass floor, offers spectacular views of the other sports facilities of the liner, as well as the ocean, the sky, and any passing landmarks.The anti-skid floor, mounted on a sprung aluminium base, is just one aspect of the newly developed court. The large wall panels are made of safety glass and are elastically fixed to a newly-developed supporting frame, designed to cope with the extra demands places on the court by life on the high seas.

Oddly enough this is not the 1st Time that a Squash Court was built on a cruise ship. The Titanic which made it's maiden voyage in 1912 had a Squash Court as well. Unfortunately we all know how that turned out.

The Inflatable Squash Court

2011-08-04T06:31:00.007-04:00

A couple of weeks ago I posted a story about Steven Polli and his outdoor squash court. Well Phillip Romm of Germany has taking it one step further with his Inflatable Squash Court. Romm has created a new mobile solution for squash with the AirSquash Court, a four-wall squash court with inflatable frame and extra layers on the inside wall, which are tensioned and form a flat surface. The AirSquash Court can be placed on any flat and solid surface and fits into every estate car boot. The construction of the court takes less than five minutes and can be handled by two people. A specially designed Softball is used in order to achieve good rebound results off the front and side walls.The AirSquash Court offers an inflatable four-wall frame with around 65% of the original court dimensions - 6 meters length (inside), 4 meters width (inside),3 meters height (front wall),2.20 meters height (back wall) (original height) and three highly tensioned layers on the inside front and side walls. There is no floor integrated, so you make use of the subsurface you put the court on. Gym floors may provide perfect conditions but any surface that is clean and even proves suitable. A constantly blowing air fan supplies the court with the necessary pressure.

Squash and Revolution in Egypt

2011-08-02T06:32:00.003-04:00

Of the top fifteen men players in the world, seven are Egyptian. The country has emerged as a squash powerhouse in the past decade. This is a result of the sport having an influential booster: deposed president Hosni Mubarak. Mubarak was a strong supporter in developing the game during his 30 years as President. Many Egyptians squash players have acquired great wealth as players but were more than happy to see Mubarak deposed as president. Check Out this Interesting Article and See why these players had such conflicting views http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=47423

Squash Terminology: Boast Forehand

2011-07-28T09:50:00.002-04:00

Generally this is a shot used too often and at inappropriate times. The boast should be used to exert pressure and to attack your opponent. As a defensive shot it should be your last option. The two wall (side wall – front wall) boast should be the most common shot in your boasting armoury. The three wall (side wall – front wall – side wall) boast should only be used as a last resort when you are unable to straighten the ball.

A Ridiculous Rally

2011-07-26T06:30:00.005-04:00

I don't normally post videos of professional squash players but after watching this rally I just had to share it with you. This rally is from last year's World Open in Saudi Arabia between Australian David Palmer in white and France's Gregory Gaultier in red. And who says lunging is not important.

Windsor Squash And Fitness Club Commercial

2011-07-15T14:35:00.006-04:00

I am going to be on vacation next week so I will not be posting any new material next week. In the meantime enjoy this new Windsor Squash and Fitness Club Commercial that will be airing on Cogeco 11 in the near future. As well check us out on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/#!/WindsorSquashFitness and if you "like" us give us the tumbs up.

Spring Squash League 2011 - Results

2011-07-14T06:30:00.007-04:00

The Results Are In and The Winners Are!!!!

A League

A1 - Champion Mike Twiner - Runner Up Craig Guthrie

A2 - Champion David Guthrie - Runner Up Al Valente

Al Valente Wearing All White Preparing For His Finals Match

A3 - Champion Rob Roy - Runner Up Tim Autterson

A4 - Champion Shabazz Saleem - Runner Up Rafal Kulinski

A5 - Champion Phil Blagdurn - Runner Up Barry Garant

Barry Garant Resting After His Finals Match

B League

B1 - Champion Guy Hallifax - Runner Up Joe Atherton

B2 - Champion Carlyle D'Souza - Runner Up Colin Bateman

B3 - Champion Curtis Botcheller - Runner Up Sav Lambardo

Thank You To Everyone For Playing in the Spring Squash League and Hope To See Everyone in August for the Die Hard Cup.

WSF Juniors In European Junior Squash Super Series

2011-07-12T06:34:00.007-04:00

Three of WSF's top juniors had a chance of a lifetime to compete in two events of the European Junior Squash Super Series. David Mill, Berto Mill and Stefan Houbtchev. The Super Series attracts some of the top Junior Squash players from across the world and allows participants eligibility for a World ranking. These events would mark the first time that David, Berto or Stefan have played in outside of North America.

The first event for them was the Pioneer Cup in Colonge, Germany on June 30 to July 4/11. Only 576 Players were registered playing. Wow!!!!

David Mill was placed in tier B of the Under 15 division because he lacked international competition experience. Despite this David preformed excellent and reached the semi finals. Well Done David!!!

Berto Mill played in the Under 13 Division performed equally as well as his brother David. Berto placed 20th after losing a tough match in the 2nd round to the 7th seed from England. Good Job Berto!!!

Stefan Houbtchev placed 21th in the Under 15 Division . Stefan could easily have moved up a few spots as he lost a very close 5 game match to the eventual 17th place finisher. Nice Work Stefan!!!

The Second Event for these juniors was the Dutch Open in Amsterdam, Netherlands on July 7 to July 10/11

Berto Mill in the Under 13 Division drew a tough qualifying match and lost in 4 hard fought games. Berto than competed in a round robin for 33rd place where he dominated the competition with a record of 3 wins to 1 loss.

David Mill's strong performance in the Pioneer Cup insured that he did not have to play in the tier B draw for the Dutch Open. In the main draw for the Under 15 Division David got a tough draw and encountered some serious competition!!!! David finished with 1 win and 6 losses. This record does not reflect that couple of the matches went 5 games. Good Work David!!!

Stefan Houbtchev in the Under 15 Division had an equally tough challenge as David. Stefan had a tough draw as well got off to a slow start by losing three straight tough matches before regrouping to win his last three matches. Nice Work!!!

2011 Club Championship Summary

2011-07-07T10:09:00.009-04:00

A Draw

We all knew that the A Draw would be a battle between the two Marks. Mark Porter and Mark “Edge” Eugeni. In spite of this, there were others in the draw who were determined to do their best to knock one of them off. Mike “Doc” Connelly and Justin Warnock both made runs at them to no avail. In the end Porter and Eugeni faced off against each other in the finals. In the finals Porter played flawless squash and took an early lead. In the face of Porter’s early success, Eugeni fought back by coming within a hair of forcing a fifth game, but in the end Porter’s early lead was too much.

Mark Porter And Mark Eugeni

B Draw

This year’s B draw featured young guns who were looking to make a name for themselves. Rob Roy, Mark Little and Tim Autterson to name a few. This movement came up empty for it was a crafty veteran Darin Peterson who prevailed. Peterson proved to be a tough competitor as he used his deceptive shot making ability to out duel the young guns to claim the championship. This was Peterson’s 1st Club Championship Victory!!!

C Draw

Phil “The Prince” Blagdurn was the favorite to win the championship. He was the #1 Seed and walked all over the competition in the first two rounds to reach the finals. He played underdog Guy Hallifax in the finals. Hallifax proved that he was no underdog and the best player in the draw as he mopped the floor with Blagdurn in three straight games. After the match Blagdurn said he would have played better if his knee, back, elbow, ankle, neck, head, and shoulder did not hurt so much. This was Hallifax’s 1st Club Championship Victory!!!

Guy Hallifax Relaxing After His Victory

40 +

The 40+ Draw this year was about second chances. There were two matches in first round that were rematches of last year’s of 40+ Draw. Mike “The Muscle Shirt” and Steve “Drop Shot” DeMarco had a chance to gain revenge from their defeats of last year but neither could capitalize on their opportunity and made early exits. Rod “Rocket” Larson surprised everyone as he cruised through everyone on his way to the finals. In the finals though, his was quickly put down by Tom “40+ Champion” Porter in 3 games. This win for Porter marked his 4th consecutive 40+ Championship.

A Doubles

There were a few surprises in A Doubles this year. John Dunwoody and Steve McDougall pulled off a large upset by defeating Kevin “BFF” Furmanek and Craig Guthrie in the 1st round. As well as Mark “Hip” Hipkins and Mark “Stoner” Stone nearly pulled off a larger upset when they went up 2 games to none on Paul “Sinbad” Gebrael and Mark “Edge” Eugeni before losing in five games. The defending champs Nik “ND” Dimitrijevic and Justin Warnock battled their way back to the finals to play the upstarts Eugeni and Gebrael. In the finals every game was tight and hard fought but Eugeni and Gebrael were too much and prevailed.

John Dunwoody Following His Big Upset

B Doubles

The B Doubles Draw was a wide open. It was missing some notable teams from last year. The defending champs of Tom Beneteau and Lorrie Beneteau and last year’s runners up Barry Leavitt and Paul Gebrael were all MIA (Missing In Action). Despite this there were still some strong teams. Newly formed teams of Mark “Hip” Hipkins and Mark “Stoner” Stone and Doug Fields and Kevin “BFF” Furmanek were looking to capitalize on this void. Although in the end it was the old school team of Mike “The Muscle Shirt” Wilbur and Syd “Vicious” Strom that claimed the championships by defeating Hipkins and Stone 3 – 1. An interesting note during the finals - a spectator nursing a bum ankle uttered those immortal words “things will be different next year”.

Results

A Draw – Mark Porter defeated runner up Mark Eugeni (3 – 1)

B Draw – Darin Peterson defeated runner up Tim Autterson (3 – 1)

C Draw – Guy Hallifax defeated runner up Phil Blagdurn (3 – 0)

40 + Draw – Tom Porter defeated runner up Rod Larson (3 – 0)

A Doubles – Mark Eugeni/ Paul Gebrael defeated runners up Nik Dimitrijevic/Justin Warnock ( 3 – 1)

B Doubles – Mike Wilbur/ Syd Strom defeated runners up Mark Hipkins/ Mark Stone (3 – 1)

Outdoor Squash Court

2011-07-05T06:05:00.006-04:00

I would like to thank Andrew "Acid Piper" Caille for directing my attention to this story about one man's love for the game of squash led him to build an outdoor squash court.

Steven Polli has successfully built an outdoor (roofless and concrete) squash court in Burlington Vermont. The court plays perfectly and is both maintenance free and vandal-proof! The court serves as a successful precedent for future such courts to be built across the USA.
The court is in Burlington, Vermont with a population of 120,000. There are already 4 squash courts there (2 hardball, 2 20' converted). The courts serve around 50 squash players. Steven's motivation for building an outdoor court was his desire to be outdoors in the summer time. He loves squash but hates to be indoors playing the game when the outside weather is warm and sunny.
Steven approached his Park district in 1998 to build the court. They were reluctant to fund the expensive project both for lack of funds as well as general ignorance of what squash is. They agreed to give Steven the land in a public park to build the court if he could raise the money himself. They also agreed to pay for lighting once it was completed.

Steven's first task was to raise $18,000 to pay for materials. Since he owns his own construction company, the labor would be free. Otherwise labor for the project would cost $42,000, making the total cost $60,000.
Steven asked local squash players, charity funds and squash manufacturers for money. He had a minimum donation amount of $500. Many people volunteered to donate $100, but Steven could not accept their donation out of fairness for those who donated $500 or more. Black Knight's distributor, Bob Morgan, enthusiastically gave $500.
Having raised the capital for material, the next step was to start building the court. The excavator had to dig 4.5 feet below the ground due to Vermont's deep permafrost layer. The front wall in squash is 15 ft high, but Steven's went to 16'. This makes the total height of the concrete wall 20.5 feet if you include the 4.5 ft below the ground. The concrete was poured in two stages. First an 8 ft pour then a 12 ft pour.
The walls are 10 inches thick. The side wall slope down to seven feet and the backwall is 4 ft high. Steven wanted people to be able to watch the game from the outside, which is why he kept the back-wall only 4' high. Also in the future you can add a 3 ft high glass back-wall to it. There is also 4 ft high netting around the court to catch lose balls. Without the netting one would have to walk a few hundred feet to go and find your ball!
The concrete floor has the same texture as a wooden floor. It is not too grippy, thereby making it easier on the joints. In fact Steven feels the court is no more demanding on the knees and joints then a wooden floored court.
The front wall faces North to avoid playing into the sun. The court is vandal-proof. The walls are painted with a special polyurethane paint that is grafitti proof. If graffiti is sprayed on it, then there is a lacquer solvent you can use to erase the graffitti.
The court does have a light, that remains on till 10 PM. Unfortunately the lights are not bright enThe court is virtually maintenance free except for painting it. The floor is sloped 1/8 inch for every foot from the back to front. This allows the water to drain through two holes in the front corners. Players can not tell the floor is sloped. One does have to bring a broom to sweep the floor before you play. In the winter times, they just let the snow sit there.
Steven claims you can play even in the dead of winter. In fact he was able to get the ball warmed up and lively in freezing temperatures! People have asked, " How many months can you use the court"? Basically you can use the court slightly longer than you can use a tennis court. In squash your body warms up to a much higher temperature than tennis, so you will not freeze playing in cooler tempratures.
Because the court is built on city property it had to be engineered to be struturally sound. Steven designed the walls for 90 mph wind loads. Steven has had good success with the court and has not had any problems with it. Some graffitti was sprayed inside it which he was easily able to erase. Due to his busy schedule, he has not been able to promote the court to more people in Burlington or organize tournaments. He feels that someone with some enthusiasm and time could easily use the court to spread the game to more people.
If anyone wants to build an outdoor court, Steven highly recommends that you contact him first. He can come to your city and serve as an advisor for the project or build it for you himself.
Steven also has an idea for some kit-courts he could build in people's houses. The construction would be an aluminium frame around cinder blocks with plastic panels and plastic floors. The cost would be $60,000.
Steven has done some great work for squash by building this unique outdoor court. To his knowledge it is the only one of its kind in the world. Greg Brooksbank in Minnessotta has built an outdoor court of plywood with 3/4" thick walls at a cost of $10,000. However, the court require major repairs every few years and is not permanent.
The court should serve as a successful precedent for future outdoor courts to be built. Certainly outdoor courts are a great way to expand the game to more people. Steven encourages anyone around the world to make the trip to play on it. He guarantees you will be sold immeadietely!ough to play in. Halogen type lamps would have been more effective.

Squash Terminology: Skid boast

2011-06-30T06:43:00.003-04:00

The Skid Boast is a very difficult shot to master. Although, can be very useful shot when used correctly.

Skid boast is a shot that is played from the back corners. The idea is to hit high on the sidewall , very close to the front wall intersection. It is best to hit this off a deep rail shot. The ball will hit the front wall high and lob itself into the opposite back corner. If hit correctly, huge amount of spin will be imparted to the ball

2011 Die Hard Cup

2011-06-28T06:46:00.005-04:00

The 2011 Die Hard Cup - Start Tuesday Aug 2/11.

Team Format Squash League

New Feature - Draft Night - July 26/11 - Captains for each team will select their team - Also on Draft Night Round Robin Squash and Drink specials will be available.

League starts August 2/11 and will run 5 Weeks -Limited Spots Available

Every week there will be Prizes and Drink Specials.

All Skill Levels Are Welcome.

This is Great Way To Keep Your Skills Sharp and Fitness Strong while your buddies are playing golf.

Squash, Taliban, and Jonathon Power - Part II

2011-06-23T06:08:00.003-04:00

A couple of weeks ago I posted an article from the Globe and Mail about Maria Toor Pakay. She was Pakistan's number 1 female squash player and was forced to escape to Canada with the help of Jonathon Power. She had to flee Pakistan because of the oppression she faced from the Taliban. TSN earlier this week did an in depth story with her and Jonathon Power. Click on the link below to watch the piece.

http://watch.tsn.ca/#clip488005

Old School Photos

2011-06-21T06:56:00.003-04:00

Check out these photos that I managed to dig up in the WSF's archives. Some of these photos are pretty interesting to see how we have changed over the years. In additon to these photos I have created a gallery of all the photos that I have collected over the last couple of years at http://wsfsquash.blogspot.com/p/wsf-picture-gallery.html.

Who Is That Piper???

2011-06-19T21:42:00.002-04:00

I came across this interesting picture the other day. It ran in the Windsor Star about 9 months ago. The man in the middle holding the baseball is Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Fergie Jenkins. The man behind Jenkins holding the Bag Pipes is WSF's own Andrew Caille. Piper For All Occasions!!!

Summer Junior Squash Camp 2011

2011-06-17T14:04:00.003-04:00

Are any of your children interested in playing squash. Well, Windsor Squash and Fitness Club has a great program for Juniors of all ages.

This Junior Program has been specially designed to guide the committed and improving junior squash athlete through a program of skill and fitness development in a supportive, fun environment

Squash Terminology: The Nick

2011-06-14T07:32:00.004-04:00

"The Nick" is a term commonly used among squash players. Although not everyone completely understands what is meant by it.

"The Nick" is the intersection of the floor and any sidewall. If the ball hits this 'crack' it will immeadietely roll parallel to the floor and the rally will be over. This is the only kill shot in Squash that lets you finish a rally in one shot. It is the most difficult shot to hit with consistency. Understand that if you miss the nick, then the ball will bounce up right back towards you resulting in a stroke. So do not attempt the nick shot if you are close to the T. Best to try it if you are close to one of the sidewalls and then you can aim for the opposite corner nick.
To practice this shot, extend the line where the floor and sidewall intersect to behind the front wall. Aim for that line and as low to the tin as possible. If the ball is sitting up higher than your waist level with a lot of air around it, then you can attempt this shot. The closer you are to front wall the better.

WSF - A Doubles Finals - Club Championships

2011-06-09T06:23:00.005-04:00

Tomorrow Night June 10/11 is the A Doubles Finals at 6:00pm. The Defending Champions Justin Warnock/Nik Dimitrijevic will be going up against the upstarts of Mark Eugeni/Paul Gebrael. This promises to be a great match so, come out tomorrow night and watch the match. Drink Specials will be available during the match.

On a side note I checked the WSF's security camera the other day by the doubles court and discovered the truth behind who really broke the door. Watch the video and you will clearly see Paul "PG" Gebrael go through the glass.

The 3rd Annual Windsor Squash & Fitness Club BBQ

2011-06-07T06:59:00.006-04:00

Saturday, July 16 at 4:30pm at Counsman Manor

Mike Counsman will be hosting the party. He Will Be Serving Steaks, beer and fish for the few non meat eaters. All Are Welcome to Attend.
For Directions to Counsman Manor please email Mike at mcounsman@ttinao.com

2011 Battle of the Border Team

2011-06-03T12:32:00.003-04:00

Congratulations to Stefan Houbtchev for being selected to the 2011 Battle of the Border Team. The Battle of the Border is an annual event between the top juniors in Ontario against the top juniors in the United States. This year's event will be held at The Club at White Oaks on August 12, 13, 14. Good Job Stefan!!!! You make all of us proud at WSF!!!
Check On Link to View the Full Team http://www.squashontario.com/just_juniors/index.asp

2011 North American Junior Squash Championships

2011-05-31T08:46:00.005-04:00

Click On Picture to Enlarge

“Nothing happens unless first a dream”. Four years ago the North American Junior Squash Championship moved from a dream to a reality and this event has continued to grow and gain in stature internationally. Harrow Sports is once again the major sponsor and over the last four years have supported the event in a big way.

The 2011 event is being played at Toronto’s new National Squash Academy – again, the result of a dream – Jonathon Power, Gary Waite and Jamie Nicolls dream. The new squash centre houses 10 courts with two all glass courts.

The mandate of the Championship is to bring high performance athletes from all over the world and provide them with an unbelievable competitive opportunity. The tournament will use the Monrad draw format which gives all entrants plenty of matches. Entires are limited to 32 in the boys’ event and 16 in the girls’ division.

The event will help prepare high performance squash athletes for the upcoming season and will international high performance players the opportunity to visit Toronto, Canada and play in one of North American’s premier junior squash events.

Leading up to the event is the Jonathon Power 2 week elite camp. The camp is a great way to prepare for the event and the coaching staff that the camp provides is second to none.

Why Do You Love Squash?

2011-05-24T08:12:00.004-04:00

I came across this video the other day and thought you might find it interesting why people love Squash. Please Comment Why You Love Squash.

Videos From 2011 Harrow Canadian Squash Championships

2011-05-17T08:08:00.005-04:00

Brian Porter

David Guthrie

Mark Porter

Mike Wilbur

Tom Porter

Squash, Taliban, and Jonathon Power

2011-05-13T12:43:00.006-04:00

Check Out This Article from today's Globe and Mail. It's a very interesting article about one girl's fight to play squash without repression from the Taliban. Definitely worth reading.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/more-sports/pakistani-womens-prospect-taken-under-legends-wing/article2020358/

Update - 2011 Harrow Canadian Squash Championships

2011-05-07T09:53:00.003-04:00

Tom Porter, Mark Porter, Brian Porter, Jonathon Power, Mike Wilbur, David Guthrie

Mike “TMS” Wilbur in Men’s 50+ finally broke though and won his first match against Don Givelos of Toronto. Mike got off to a fast start by taking the first game and continued to play strong throughout the match. Mike won the match 3 games to 1 and plays today at 10:40am in the Bronze Final.

Tom Porter in Men’s 55+ Silver Draw Quarterfinals played Rudy Goodridge of Toronto in. Tom played tough but Goodridge’s shot making ability was too hard to overcome. Goodridge won the match 3 games to 0.

Brian Porter in Men’s B Draw Silver Semi Finals played Byron Goodwin of Burlington. Brian ran into a tough competitor in Goodwin. Brian played hard but did not have enough gas. Goodwin won the match 3 games to 0.

David Guthrie played two matches yesterday in Men’s C Silver Draw. In Quarter Finals action Guthrie played Ben McNabb of Collingwood. Guthrie won the match 3 games to 0. In the Semi Finals Guthrie played Carey Linton of Brampton in a tough hard fought match losing 13 -11 in the fifth game.

Check Back Tomorrow to See If Mike Wilbur wins the Bronze Finals.

Update - 2011 Harrow Canadian Squash Championships

2011-05-06T11:20:00.008-04:00

National Squash Academy

Mike Wilbur in 1st Round Action in Men's 50+

Mark Porter in 1st Round Action Men's Open

Brian Porter in 2nd Round Action Men's B Silver Draw

Tom Porter in the Men’s 55+ won his 1st round match against Kevin Arnsdorf of Toronto by the score of 3 -1 in games. In the 2nd Round Tom lost to the #5 seed Rashid Aziz from Vancouver 3 -1 in games. Tom plays again today at 12:10pm in the Silver Draw.

Mike “TMS” Wilbur in the Men’s 50+ division played Alex Smith of Toronto and lost 3 –1 in games. In Silver Draw Mike lost to Chris Cameron of Barrie 3 -1 in games. Mike play again today at 1:30pm in the Bronze Draw. Mike says his game is off because he was not allowed to wear his muscle shirt in this event.

Mark Porter in the Men’s Open Draw played the # 3 Seed David Phillips of Montreal. Mark lost the match 3-0 in games. Mark bounced back to beat Brad Hanebury of Pickering 3-1 in games in the Silver draw. Mark lost to Justin Vanderleest of Regina 3-1 in games in the Silver Draw.

Brian Porter in Men’s B Draw lost to Phil Leonard of Hamilton in five games. Brian in Silver Draw defeated Domi Diaz of Calgary 3- 0. In 2nd round Silver Draw defeated Bryan Hall of Delta B.C. 3 – 0 in games. Brian plays again today at 3:30pm.

David Guthrie in Men’s C Draw lost to the #1 Seed Jean Claude Jeffery of Ajax 3 -0 games. In Silver Draw David defeat Kinmond Smith of Toronto 3-0 in games. David plays again today at 3:30pm

Check Back Tomorrow for more results or click on link for real time updates. http://www.squash.ca/canadianchampionships/2011/draws/index.htm

2011 Harrow Canadian Squash Championships

2011-05-03T08:09:00.008-04:00

The 2011 Harrow Canadian Squash Championships Starts Tommorrow Wednesday May 4/11 in Toronto. Windsor Squash And Fitness Club has 5 of it's players playing in this year's event. Tom Porter (55+ Draw), Brian Porter(B Draw), Mark Porter (A Draw), Mike Wilbur(50+ Draw) and David Guthrie (C Draw) will all be competing. Please Check back daily as I will be updating their progress and posting photos from the tournament. Good Luck Guys

2011 Winter Squash League Finals Results

2011-04-28T08:06:00.003-04:00

2011 Winter Squash League Champions

Monday Night League Finals on April 11/11

A1 - Mark Porter Defeated Mike Twiner

A2 - Andrew Little Defeated Tom Porter

A3 - Ron Funkenhauser Defeated David Mill

A4 - Tim Autterson Defeated Mark Little

A5 - Toby Scott Defeated Keith Kryway

A6 - Samer Alkatib Defeated Eric Beneteau

Tuesday Night League Finals On April 12/11

B1 - Arthur Nagy Defeated Mike Tompkins

B2 - Steve Oltean Defeated Adam Pole

B3 - Joe Atherton Defeated Colin Bateman

B4 - Syed Azmat Defeated Dave Robins

Thank You To Everyone Who Participated In The 2011 Winter Squash League.

Squash Ontario - April E-Magazine

2011-04-15T14:47:00.004-04:00

Squash Ontario is pleased to announce the release of the April issue of Squash Ontario E-Magazine!The E-Magazine features the latest squash news, informative articles, and event listings pertinent to all squash enthusiasts across Ontario! From recreational to competitive; junior to senior; singles to doubles; coach to official - this E-Magazine is for you!!

http://www.squashontario.com/documents/april2011.pdf

Look for the next issue in May, 2011!

Windsor Squash and Fitness Captures the MSRA Travel League 4.5 Championship

2011-04-12T09:13:00.008-04:00

Windsor Squash and Fitness Captures the MSRA Travel League 4.5 Championship. WSF beat their arch rivalries from LifeTime Fitness of Troy to bring home the championship.

Mike “The Muscle Shirt” Wilbur beat Holmes Ahari 3 – 2.

Andrew “Silk” Little beat Farookh Ahmed 3 – 0.

Paul “Sinbad” Gebreal beat Jason Heywood 3- 0.

Andrew “Beavis” Caille lost to Ricardo Ramos 0-3.

Simple Awesome Guys!!! Not Bad for a Team that nearly did not make the playoffs.

Holmes Ahari and Mike “The Muscle Shirt” Wilbur

Farookh Ahmed and Andrew “Silk” Little

Paul "Sinbad" Gebreal and Jason Heywood

Ricardo Ramos and Andrew "Beavis" Caille

The Boys Celebrating Their Victory

Highlights For 2011 Tony Tomicic Challenge

2011-04-03T20:02:00.003-04:00

2011 Tony Tomicic Results

2011-03-31T07:38:00.012-04:00

Click On Picture to Enlarge

MSRA Skills Tournament Summary

2011-03-17T09:43:00.005-04:00

Windsor Squash and Fitness Club made their presence know in the MSRA Skill Tournament last weekend at the DAC. This year's event was the largest turnout in the past few years with over 50 participants. I would also like to thank Mick Joint, the Detroit Athletic Club and their courteous staff for allowing us this opportunity to play at their facility.

4.0 Draw

Was a very good draw, two excellent five game semi’s. In the first semi Mike Miller from Birmingham was matched against Rob Roy from Windsor. The match see-sawed back and forth, predictably went to overtime in the fifth. Rob had the first match point but could not capitalize, Mike got to match point, Rob hit a great passing shot into the backhand (left) rear corner, Mike took a desperate swing at it, connected cleanly – with the frame, and hit a boast winner into the nick. Wow!

The other semi was an all Windsor affair with Hugh “Mr. Metro/Mr. MSRA President” Stalker versus Barry “The Gentleman Bulldog” Leavitt. Another great five game match with the younger Mr. Stalker holding on to win over the seasoned (like fine wine) Mr. Leavitt. This set up a Stalker vs Miller final. Mike had both a speed and age (much younger than the ‘past 45’ Mr. President) and was able force a split of the first two games. At this point Hugh was able to take advantage of his experience and went on to a 3- 1 win.

4.5 Draw

Up to this point there had not been a…….significant upset in the tournament to talk about. In the top of the draw number one seed and (sorry) many times a bridesmaid, Greg Deeg again took a tumble, this time at the hands of Windsor’s Mike “Muscle-Shirt” Wilbur (when Mike plays in Windsor it is typically in a cutoff style – muscle-man shirt, thankfully he dressed appropriately for the DAC – thanks Mike) three games to one.

In the other semi the 2 and 3 seeds squared off, Lifetime’s Holmes Ahari vs Windsor’s Dave “Zippy” Guthrie. The experienced Holmes, not fully back from an injury, did not have quite enough for the younger Guthrie who advanced to set up an all Windsor final. Muscle shirt Mike, probably from having to carry the extra weight of both sleeves and a collar all tournament, just did not have quiet enough game left for the younger Guthrie, who zipped around the court to win in three close games.

5.0 Draw

The 5.0 draw was just awesome! Up until a late withdrawal just hours before the first round of matches, we had a 16 man draw. There were many close matches, and since some were played upstairs at the same time as some downstairs matches, unfortunately I could only catch some of each. However I can tell you that in the round of 16, Justin Warnock’s match against Jason Heywood was a thriller won by Justin in five games, after Jason had won the first two.

In the quarter finals all four matches were exciting, Kevin Furmanek in a very close win over Rob Munro from Lansing. Pete Ruhala, the other half of the Lansing duo, winning a match between two former Racquetball Champions, over the much improved Lifetime’s Ryan Covell. Justin in another very close match over Lifetimes Ricardo Ramos. Finally, Brian Porter winning a tight match against the DAC’s (and number 2 seed) Peter Logan.

On to the semi’s, Windsor’s Furmanek against the pride of East Lansing’s Pete Ruhala, back and forth with Kevin winning in five very close games. The other semi, an all Windsor affair with Justin “Mr. Techno Music” Warnock against Brian “Mr. Cool” (as in nothing fazes me) Porter. Another back and forth match with Mr. Techno prevailing in five close games.

This set up an all Windsor final between number one seed Kevin and number 3 seed Justin. Justin seemed to be peaking at just the right time, he seemed to be gaining confidence in his ability to “put away” the Prince squash ball. Kevin’s game, other than not quite finding the trick to putting the ball away, was awesome. With his quickness, court coverage and retrieving, he play was pro worthy and when needed, his play was patient and deliberate, forcing opponents into mistakes.

The final, first game back and forth, Justin hit’s a couple of late kill shots to squeak it out 11-9. Second game, Kevin covering the court like a pro, forces Justin into hitting some loose balls which Kevin takes advantage of to dominate and win 11-2. Third game Justin tightens his game back up and they stay within a point, sometimes two, up to eight each. Justin again finds a way to hit a couple of winners and squeaks out the third. Into the fourth, Kevin is noticeably the fresher of the two, knows he just needs to be patient and deliberate, no loose balls. Justin, with a game to give, can afford to gamble. Any small opportunity he is going for broke, hitting boasts, reverses, drops, and making some incredible hard drives just above the tin and aiming for the nick when Kevin leaves balls in the front court. Justin the gambler makes many more winners than errors to win the fourth game, and win the match three games to one, another great match to cap of the tournament.

Submitted by: Phil Blagdurn, MSRA Tournament Director

To see the tournament draw and result sheets please visit http://www.michigansquash.org/

2011 Harrow Canadian Squash Championships

2011-03-15T08:32:00.003-04:00

The 2011 Harrow Canadian Squash Championships will be staged in Toronto at the National Squash Academy. It is the premier competitive opportunity for athletes from all provinces and territories. It recognizes the best players in Canada in all categories.

CategoriesMen’s and Women’s Open, A, 30+, 35+, 40+, 45+, 50+,55+, 60+, 65+, 70+, 75+
Companion Events: Men’s and Women’s B & C

Entry DeadlineThursday April 14th at 11:59

Prize Money$15,000.00 (Open Events)

For Complete Details Check Out:

http://www.squash.ca/canadianchampionships/2011/

Windsor Squash And Fitness Club is looking to send as many players as possible to this event. Please Contact Mark Porter squash@windsorsquash.ca or David Guthrie dguthrie@windsorsquash .ca if you are interested.

Squash Tips - Hashim Khan's Nine Simple Rules

2011-03-08T10:19:00.001-05:00

(1) Keep eye on ball.
(2) Move quick to “T.” [Center court position.]
(3) Stay in crouch.
(4) Take big step [to reach ball].
(5) Keep ball far away from your opponent.
(6) Have many different shots ready so opponent does not know what you do next.
(7) Do not relax because you play good shot; maybe opponent retrieves that ball; better you get ready for next stroke.
(8) Soon as can, find out where opponent has idea to send ball; then quick take position for your return shot.
(9) Have reason for every stroke you make.

2011 Tony Tomicic Challenge

2011-03-01T09:39:00.003-05:00

2011 TONY TOMICIC CHALLENGE At Windsor Squash and Fitness Club!

The 2011 Tony Tomicic Challenge is coming up March 25, 26 & 27/11. Don't Miss Out. Sign Up Today. This Year's Event Is Going to Be Outstanding.

Events: Open, A, B, C, D, 40+, 50+, Boys/ Girls U18. Doubles: A,B and Mixed.

Entry Fee: $60.00 - Tournament Souvenir, Cash Prizes for Event, Prizes for all other Events.
Entries: (519)- 966-2141 Email: squash@windsorsquash.ca or dguthrie@windsorsquash.ca

Social Events: Beer While it Last
Friday Night Snacks
Saturday & Sunday Continentail Breakfast
Dinner Saturday Evening

Please Note that Payment is Required at Sign Up.
Deadline for Sign Up: March 19th/11

If any Individuals are interested in Sponsoring this year's event please Contact David Guthrie dguthrie@windsorsquash.ca or Mark Porter squash@windsorsquash.ca

MSRA Skills Tournament

2011-02-19T17:00:00.004-05:00

March 7 thru March 13/2011

Location: Detroit Athletic Club

Based on the total number of entries we will try to offer: 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, 5.0, 5.5.

Entry is free, however you must be an MSRA member to enter ($25).

Join online at: www.michigansquash.org/

Entry deadline is Friday March 4th. @ 4:00pmEmail your entries to Phil Blagdurn: blagdurnp@dteenergy.com

You must include the following: Your full name

The class you feel is your appropriate skill level.

Your Squash Club Affiliation

Daytime phone number you can be reached for the draw sheet

This is a Great Event and Great Opportunity to Support The MSRA.

RockHead Doubles Squash League

2011-02-19T16:50:00.001-05:00

Rotating Partners
Monday Nights : A Divison - SundayMornings: B/ Mixed Division
Cost:$20.00
Weekly Drink Specials, Prizes for Winners and Pizza Party at the end of League.

Deadline to Sign Up March 7/11

Contact: Paul Gebrael to Sign Up pgebrael@uwindsor.ca or David Guthrie dguthrie@windsorsquash.ca

DAC Squash Classic

2011-02-14T11:51:00.004-05:00

Windsor Squash and Fitness had a strong presence once again at the 2011 DAC Squash Classic with thirty-five members from our local club making the trip across the border. London Squash was also well represented with twenty five of their own players. Great thanks to Mick Joint and his staff for doing a fantastic job.

Three words can sum up the DAC Squash Classic, squash, food and of course beer. The tournament is almost like a triathlon, as each part equally contributes to the overall experience. How much can you eat and drink and still play at a high level squash. Some WSF members actually thought they could compete in all three events and win their division. Some did okay until they reached Sunday when their bodies could no longer react properly. Andrew Caille’s performance is a perfect example; he played some solid squash Thursday thru Saturday and seemed primed to capture the 5.0 title while at the same time being ever so present on late night scene. By Sunday morning his squash play severely dropped as result from excessive partying fatigue set in and he was playing more like Elmer Fudd than David Palmer. Despite this Caille had a very strong showing and looks to be ready to defend his 5.0 MSRA Championship in a few weeks.

While Caille and others were painting the town Brian Porter was recovering from a bout with the flu. Porter spent the better part of Saturday in bed and despite being sick he still managed to reach the 5.0 finals. Along the way Porter had some tough matches. In the semi finals he played nemesis Ricardo Ramos from Lifetime Fitness of Troy, it was a hard fought four game match that appeared to be on it way to a fifth, when late in the game Ramos made some uncharacteristic errors that allowed Porter to steal the game and match from Ramos. In the finals Porter met the upstart John Rakolta from the Detroit Athletic Club. Rakolta’s play was nearly flawless in the matches leading up to the finals, however they did not fair him well against WSF very own Brian Porter. Porter experience allowed him to grind out the 5.0 Championship in four games.

Some of the new WSF members to make the trip this year were doubles team Herb Funkenhauser and Dave Hornby. Funkenhauser and Hornby had heard through fellow WSF members how great the DAC Squash Classic was and decided it was time for them to check it out for themselves. After registering Funkenhauser and Hornby began a hard training regiment. They spent many weeks on the doubles court practicing and many hours in the weight room preparing for this tournament. By the time tournament came they were in the best shape of their lives. Or at least that was until they saw the amount of food in the buffet at the tournament. Needless to say from that point on Funkenhauser and Hornby had little interest in whether they had won their matches or not but rather on how soon they could return to the buffet line. Both of them enjoyed themselves so much that they are making plans to return next year.

Squash Ontario - February E-Magazine

2011-02-02T11:27:00.002-05:00

Squash Ontario is pleased to announcethe release of the February issue of Squash Ontario E-Magazine!
The E-Magazine features the latest squash news, informative articles, and event listings pertinent to all squash enthusiasts across Ontario! From recreational to competitive; junior to senior; singles to doubles; coach to official - this E-Magazine is for you!!

Click here http://www.squashontario.com/documents/february2011.pdf

Look for the next issue in March, 2011!

Motor City Open - David Palmer

2011-01-30T11:59:00.004-05:00

2011 Ludwig Financial Recruitment Cambridge Cup

2011-01-27T06:57:00.001-05:00

World's best squash players in Toronto for 2011 Ludwig Financial Recruitment Cambridge Cup TORONTO – Four players ranked in the world’s top-10 are confirmed for the $45,000 Ludwig Financial Recruitment Cambridge Cup men’s professional squash tournament set for January 31 to February 2 in Toronto.
Canadian number-one Shahier Razik of Toronto, ranked 23rd internationally, will be Canada’s entry in the eight-man field.
Joining Razik is current world number-two Ramy Ashour of Egypt, four-time world champion Amr Shabana, also of Egypt, world number-four James Wilstrop of England, 2005 world champion Thierry Lincou of France as well as top-20 Egyptians Wael El-Hindi and Hisham Ashour and their compatriot Mohamed Abbas.
‘’This is the biggest squash tournament in Toronto in the last three years,’’ said Razik. ‘This year's tournament is looking to be bigger and better. We are building on the huge success of last year’s sold-out event and have doubled the field.
" Thanks to all the clubs, pros, and sponsors that came on board this year. We will keep working towards a full scale Toronto event in future."
Eleven matches are scheduled for six venues in the city of Toronto and area: the Toronto Athletic Club, Adelaide Club, Cricket Club, Toronto Lawn and Tennis Club, Mayfair Parkway, and the Barrie Athletic Club.
For complete story: http://www.squash.ca/e/story_detail.cfm?id=3055
Squash Canada401 - 2197 Riverside DrOttawa, Ontario, K1H 7X3Tel. 613-731-7385 squash.canada@squash.ca

Need A Place To Watch The Big Game

2011-01-27T06:11:00.004-05:00

Watch the Game for a Good Cause

Click On Picture To Enlarge and Read Full Details

Hope To See Everyone There!!!

WATCH THE BALL

2011-01-09T09:21:00.000-05:00

All professionals say "watch the ball". But, did you know that there is a certain way of watching the ball. During a rally your opponent will be either in front, behind, or parallel to you. There is only one way to watch in each of these circumstances.When your opponent is in front of you, it is easy to see where and when your opponent is going to hit the ball. The secret is to stay as close to your opponent as possible, without crowding, as he or she is striking the ball.This adds mental pressure to your opponent because by doing this your opponent knows you're ready, especially for a drop. If your opponent is in front, remember the drop is the most likely shot to be executed. And this means trouble. So get close to your opponent when he or she is in front of you.When your opponent is next to you or behind you, try not to look directly at the ball. Use your peripheral vision. The reason to do this is that it may be physically impossible to follow a fast crosscourt and turn your head at the same time. Use your eyeballs instead of your head and neck. A good reference point is the serve line that runs across the floor of the court. Follow the ball with your eye to this line and then lock your eye at the serve line area and let your peripheral vision track the ball to your opponent's racquet.The only exception is if you've hit a high length shot that comes off high on theback wall. In this instance you need to watch your opponent closely. Just make sure you're watching from the front while on the "T".

DAC Squash Classic - February 3-6, 2011

2010-12-30T07:36:00.004-05:00

Please read the article for all the important information regarding draw limitations and required time availability, and all the details of the event and the entry form. Because of the popularity of this event, entry numbers will be capped. Once the maximum has been reached, all subsequent entries will be placed on a reserve list. http://thesquashjoint.blogspot.com/2010/12/preparing-for-another-colossal-classic.html

Due to DAC policy, entry can only be accepted with payment. We accept cash, check, or credit card.

Matches will be organized for Thursday evening for local players in the Detroit area only.

It would be great to see you all here again for this prestigious event. Entry deadline is January 21 or until full.

New League - Saturday Morning Rally Squash League

2010-12-21T08:04:00.003-05:00

All matches will be played above the RED TAPE - Lengths - No Drop Shots allowed in this league.

Starts: January 15/11Time: 8:00am

PAR 15 Scoring System

9 Weeks of Play Plus Playoffs Deadline to Sign Up January 12/11

Free For All Gold Members and $20 for Non Gold

Contact David Guthrie dguthrie@windsorsquash.ca or Mark Porter squash@windsorsquash.ca to sign up.

2010 Fall Squash League - Video

2010-12-09T06:30:00.004-05:00

Winter 2011 Junior Squash

2010-12-07T07:58:00.005-05:00

Winter 2011 Junior Squash Starts - Week of January 10th

For Complete Details http://wsfsquash.blogspot.com/p/fall-2010-junior-squash.html

Winter Squash League 2011

2010-11-26T09:59:00.006-05:00

Fall Squash League Is Almost Over - Time To Sign Up Winter Squash League

Winter Squash League Starts January 11/2011 - Don't Miss Out

New Feature to the League - 10 Players Per Division

9 Weeks of Play + 1 Week for Make Up Matches

Deadline to Sign Up January 5th/2011- Don't Wait Until The Last Moment To Sign Up!!!!

Contact: squash@windsorsquash.ca or dguthrie@windsorsquash.ca to Sign Up.

MSRA City A, B and C Doubles Tournament

2010-11-25T07:32:00.002-05:00

December 17 - 19 at the DAC

This Tournament is Open to all MSRA Members

Contact: John Dunwoody to Sign Up johndunwoody1@comcast.net

Deadline is Friday, Dec 11 at 5:00pm

The Importance Of A Good Serve

2010-11-23T09:31:00.001-05:00

START TO WIN: THE SERVE. The point starts with a serve; it continues into a rally for position; and then either you or your opponent finishes the point with a winner or a mistake. Let's discuss how you should start a point.The point starts with a serve. This makes the serve important, but many squash players focus on the wrong aspect of the serve. I have seen players try to get their serves tighter and tighter. But, you should know that developing an ace serve is a waste of time. A good serve should be hit close to the walls to restrict your opponent's swing. That is all. Nowhere will you find that you need to develop a service ace. You should concentrate more on your opponent's return. You need to differentiate a rail return from a crosscourt or a drop. What I'm getting at, is that, squash serves don't count as much as reading your opponent's return of serve and the way you prepare for the return.The best way to prepare for a service return is to get in the crouch position. Get ready to pounce on the ball and make sure your opponent sees this.It'll add mental pressure to his or her return. Mental pressure works best when your opponent sees you hovering on the "T" in the crouch position right after a tight serve. Try it!

2010 Fall Down Classic Results

2010-11-18T06:50:00.003-05:00

Singles Winners

A Draw - Ryan Herden (London, Ont)

B Draw - Megan McEachern (Windsor, Ont)

C Draw - David Mill (Windsor, Ont)

Womens - Joyce Bennette (Windsor, Ont)\

Doubles Winners

A Doubles - R. Doherty/ Osbourne (London, Ont)

B Doubles - K. Parent/ J. Dunwoody (Windsor, Ont/ Detroit, Mich)

Mixed Doubles -M.McEachern/ M. Jarvis (Windsor, Ont/ London, Ont)

Ontario Doubles Championships

2010-10-26T07:22:00.003-04:00

Squash Ontario and the Pickering Recreation Complex
request the pleasure of your participation in the first
Ontario Doubles Championships of the season……
Ontario Men’s and Women’s B Doubles Championships
Ontario Men’s C Doubles Championship

Date: November 19 – 21
Your Hosts: Nicole Pirko and the doubles members of the Pickering Squash Club {Pickering Recreation Complex}
Closing date for entry is: Monday, November 15th at noon

For Information on the event: http://www.squashontario.com/tournaments/documents/OntMenBCWomenBDoubles2010.pdf
To Register: http://squashontario.com/Registration/RegistrationHome.aspx

Great Cross Training For Squash Players

2010-10-21T07:54:00.003-04:00

Come On Out On October 31 And Join the Fun

This is a great chance for all Squash Players to improve their Cardio Fitness

Contact Erin Porter pilateserin@yahoo.ca or Call 519-966-2141

To Sign Up Today!!!!!

Fall Down Classic - 2010

2010-10-14T06:09:00.003-04:00

Sign Up Today!!!!! Beer, Squash & Good Times!!!!!!
Deadline For This Year's Event is October 31/10
Payment Will Be Required At Sign Up.
$60.00 Entry Fee.

Quick Hits About Week 2 - Squash League

2010-10-05T07:42:00.001-04:00

Week 1 - Draw Prize Winner –Adam Pole -
Must Have Played You Match On Time To Be Eligible For The Draw Prize

A3A – Rod “Rocket” Larson returned to league action after spending the summer at the golf course and car shows. Unfortunately for Larson his summer off killed his cardio and in his 1st match back he played Ron “Mr Cardio” Funkenhasuer. Let just say the match was not pretty for Larson who normally is the ultimate grinder

A6B – Jay “The Midnight Specialist” Patel’s squash play continues to impress everyone on Monday Nights. Patel’s 3- 0 victory over Peter “The Pit Bull” Wares proved the Patel belongs on Monday Nights. Keep Up the Strong Play Jay.

B1A – Joyce “The Smasher” Bennett is making a strong case to play on Monday Nights. She took on Gino “The Conqueror” Longo in a match that was billed to go 5 games. Bennett instead made quick work of Longo beat him in 3 games. Nice Job Joyce.

B3B – Daniel “The Punisher” Lester continues to mop the floor with everyone he is playing in the squash league. His latest victim was Matt “Dead Eye” Musson. Although Musson lost the match to Lester he strongly believes that his game is getting stronger. Watch Out B3B.

Quick Hits About Week 1 - Fall Squash League

2010-09-24T15:04:00.002-04:00

Week 1 - Draw Prize Winner – Keith Kryway - $ 20 Gift Card to the Poor House-
Must Have Played You Match On Time To Be Eligible For The Draw Prize

A1A - Kevin “BBF” Furmanek returned to league action on Monday and showed no signs of summer rust by defeating Andrew “Beavis” Caille 3 - 0. The real challenge for Kevin will be when he enters A1A. Sandbagger.

A2B- Aly “Law Student” Somani was impressive in his WSF league debut. Somani took down Mike “The Muscle Shirt” Wilbur in three games. Nice start Aly!!

B1B - John “The Terminator” Zuliani returned to the league in excellent form after a long absence for the league. Zuliani beat Adam “The History Prof “ Pole in a five game epic match.

B3B - Anthony “Paul Jr” Gebrael debuted in league by defeating fellow rookie Matt “Dead Eye” Musson. One has to wonder whether the squash league can handle another Gebrael.

Die Hard Cup - Final Summary And Standings

2010-09-13T16:34:00.005-04:00

The Die Hard Cup came to a triumph close with the X- Court Assassins claiming the championship. Quickly after their victory the champagne was flowing everywhere. Team X- Court Assassins sipped from the cup like Stanley Cup Champions. Although it was a little testy for the The X – Court Assassins down the stretch as they had to hold off a last-gasp rally from The A – Team to claim the championship.

Mike “The X Court Master” Twiner captain of The X – Court Assassins set the tone early for the Assassins by taking down Justin “Raver” Warnock 3 games to zero. Following Twiner’s win Barry “Dive Guy” Garant also of Assassins stepped on the court and employed his Balls to the Wall squash style in defeating Conor “The Law Student” O’ Keefe. After their match O’Keefe felt as if he had a lawsuit on his hands based on Garant’s play. Finally, an early victory for the Assassin over the A Team came from Myles “The Rocker” Talbot. Talbot pulled off a tough four game victory over the University Of Windsor finest history professor Adam Pole. These three clutch victories put the Assassins in control to win the Die Hard Cup

The Final Match of the night was between Konstantin “The Professional” Houbchtev and Tim “Thunderball” Autterson. This match would determine the outcome of the Die Hard Cup. Houbchtev is usually a professional on and off the court, but on Tuesday Night he was not interested in being cordial. He wanted to finish off The A Team once and for all and claim the Die Hard Cup Championship for his team. Houbtchev came out swinging against Autterson running down every shot and forcing Autterson on to the defensive. Autterson just could not keep pace with Houbhtchev’s aggressive style. Unfortunately for Autterson the match ended quickly as he could not find the answer to solve Houbtchev. This loss marked a disappointing end to a tremendous season for the A – Team. The A Team had led the Die Hard Cup all season only to have the championship snatched from their hands on the last night on play.

Thank You to all the player and teams who participated in the inaugural Die Hard Cup.

Draw Prize Winner – Marcus Morceri - $ 40 gift card to The Pour House

Fall Squash League Start Sept 20/10 - Deadline to Sign Up Sept 15/10

Die Hard Cup - Week 7 - Round Up - Schedule - Team Standings

2010-08-29T21:22:00.004-04:00

Tuesday night was the last night of tie breaking action in the Die Hard Cup. Next week will be the Night of Champions where the #1 seated team will play the #2 seated team for Die Hard Cup Championship. Also on the Night of Champions the #3 seated team will play the #4 for 3rd place and the #5 seated team will play the #6 for 5th place.

Some key matches were played on Tuesday to break up ties. Gino “The Conqueror” Longo of team Showtime played team Young Gun’s Jay “The Midnight Specialist” Patel in a critical match that would determine the outcome for their respective teams on Tuesday night. Longo and Patel have a long history of playing each other. They are both apart of a social group that plays every Thursday night that has allowed them to become good friends. Although their friendship was put on hold Tuesday Night as each was trying put their team over the top. As the match began both Longo and Patel were increasingly becoming frustrated and testy with each other. As well both of them made attempts to intimidate each other with occasional trash talking that made this squash match look more like an NBA basketball game. Despite this circus atmosphere Patel built up a two game to one lead when in the fourth game Longo jumped out to a large lead and seemed to be cruising along when he took his foot off the gas pedal. This failure provided the opportunity for Patel to storm back from a 5 – 12 deficit to steal the game and match from Longo. Following the match a clearly distressed Longo told Patel that he better not enjoy this victory too much because he planed to whip him the next time they played.

While Longo and Patel were doing battle on Court #3 there was another war being waged on Court #5 between Barry “Dive Guy” Garant and Peter “Easy Rider” Ryan. Garant and Ryan both have similar styles of play and I am not sure if you can truly put a name on their styles of play. They play with reckless abandon that has no regard for their physical bodies. Garant’s squash game has vastly improved over the summer and Ryan is a very experienced player who represented a good challenge for Garant. Unfortunately Ryan’s experience did not show up until the fourth game when Garant had already built up a 2 game to one lead. In the fourth Ryan game played in desperate fashion by out working Garant and forcing a fifth game. Ryan seemed to have regained his form and started to dominate Garant. The start of the fifth game was totally controlled by Ryan, who was on his way to a hard fought victory when something happened. Ryan’s gas tank went empty and had nothing left to finish off Garant. Garant quickly noticed the change and forced Ryan to run more. As a result Garant overcame Ryan’s lead and finished him in dramatic fashion. After the match Garant made the comment to Ryan that he knew he was going to win the match despite the large deficit that he had to over come in the fifth game.

Following matches on Tuesday night we will be taking pictures of the winning team so please stick around after your match. Thank You

Winner of the Free MSRA Membership and Shirt - John Hosapple -

Die Hard Cup - August 24 Schedule

2010-08-21T22:59:00.001-04:00

Die Hard Cup - August 17 - Schedule and Standings

2010-08-14T19:35:00.005-04:00

Die Hard Cup - Week 5 - Round Up

2010-08-12T21:10:00.002-04:00

Tuesday marked the end of the regular season for Die Hard Cup action. Next week will be the first round of the playoffs. All teams will make the playoffs but everyone is talking about how impressive “The A-Team” has been. The A team has compiled a record of 4 wins and 1 loss. No other team has come close to that record. Team Captain Justin Warnock says his team is doing so well because of their extraordinary off court training regiment. Warnock would not give details on this training regiment out of fear that other teams might pick up on it. Although he did say that his skateboarding back and forth from the squash club has improved his court quickness.

The match of the century took place on Tuesday. Konstantin Houbhtchev vs Stefan Houbhtchev. This match was hyped up so much that people were comparing it to the first Ali vs. Frazier match. Apparently before the match strong words were being exchanged between the two Houbhtchevs. Once the two of them settled down they both played very good squash. The younger (Stefan) Houbhtchev had a clear strategy right from the start. He wanted to attack the older (Konstantin) Houchtchev and force him to be defensive. Although Konstantin has made a career of being a defensive player which would make Stefan’s strategy that much harder. After Stefan quickly stole the first game Konstantin’s defensive style started to wear down and frustrate the younger Houbhtchev. The match was all tied in the third game when Stefan regained his composure and started to make some tough shots that Konstantin could not get to. This allowed Stefan to roll through the third game and put the pressure on Konstantin in the fourth game. In the fourth not much changed for Konstantin as Stefan continued his onslaught of tight shots that allowed him to easily triumph Konstantin in the fourth game. Following the match a deeply frustrated and distressed Konstantin said that he was taking away Stefan’s allowance for this week.

Following the match of the century, came the match that was being billed as the modern day “Battle of The Sexes”. Instead of Billie Jean King playing Bobby Riggs it was Joyce Bennett playing Phil “Tin Man” Blagdurn. Bennett has made a name for herself as being a very determined player that likes to have long rallies but she may be better known for her never quit attitude. Blagdurn on the other hand likes to live a little more on the edge with a wide range of different shots to throw off his opponent. His favorite shot being the reverse boast. These contrasts in style of play would make for a great squash match. Blagdurn jumped out of the gate early by capitalizing on some of Bennett’s early unforced errors but Blagdurn struggled to maintain this early lead as he started to hit the ball excessively into the tin. Luckily Blagdurn held on to win the first game. In the second game Blagdurn continued his onslaught on the tin that had many in the audience wondering whether the tin would remain on the wall. Blagdurn was hitting so much tin because Bennett was forcing him to rally longer than his body would allow him. After the 2nd game the match was all tied up but it really looked like Bennett had Blagdurn on the ropes. In the third game the match seesawed back and forth with neither of them giving up anything but somehow Blagdurn dug deep and stole the game. This new found energy propelled Blagdurn to win the fourth game also. Following the match Bennett made it clear that she let this victory slip away and warned Blagdurn that things would be different, if they played each other again.

Winner of the Draw Prize - Konstantin Houbhtchev - 2 Free Racquet Restringings

Die Hard Cup - Week 4 - Round Up - Schedule - Team Standings

2010-08-05T21:26:00.003-04:00

Die Hard Cup action on Tuesday Night can be summed up in two words “spare night”. Thank you to all the spares that filled in for the regular players. I think we might have had more spares playing Tuesday than regular players. I believe everyone is on vacation and who could blame them with the weather we are having. Despite this we still had some great squash action being played.

Adam “Professor” Pole is one of WSF’s most avid league players. During the day he serves as history professor at the University of Windsor where he’s known among his students as a hard ass who is very strict and marks very hard. Some students call him the Punisher. While at night he is a die hard squash player who is known for his friendly and sociable nature on and off the court. He is always the first one to buy everyone beers following his match. Even offers to buy everyone pizza on league nights. Well that friendly nature went out the door when he found out his opponent was Mike Sauro who is a student at the University of Western Ontario. Once Pole stepped on the court he became the punisher again. Pole made everything hard for Sauro. The rallies were short and testy as Pole did not want to give the younger Sauro any chance. Sauro played through this adversity and pushed the match to a fifth game. In the fifth something happened to Pole and he relaxed his punishing ways. As result he started to play better and improved his shot selections. The fifth turn out of a landslide for Pole and to everyone’s surprise Pole offered to buy Sauro a beer after the match.

Al “Mr Travel” Valente has been beating up everyone in the league and Tuesday provided to be no different but proved to be a little hard. His opponent was Anis “Smasher” Khan. Valante’s patent boast was a little off in the early going and Khan was all over the court showing his lightening quickness despite his tall stature. This match proved to be the best match of the night as it seesawed back and forth with neither of the them give up an edge. Some of the rallies were so long that they had a hard time remembering who served to start the rally. As the match wore on Valente’s boast started to catch the nick which Khan could not counter. This allowed Valente to prevail in the fifth. Following the match Valente informed the league directors that he would be on vacation the next two weeks and will not be around to play his final two matches. Rumors is this “so called vacation” is Valente’s attempt to avoid playing me (David Guthrie) next week in the league.

Next Week – The Match Of The Century – Konstantin Houbhtchev vs Stefan Houbhtchev – Don’t Miss This One.

Draw Prize Winner – Andrew Caille – Personal Training Session w/ Andree Silcock and Squash Shirt

Die Hard Week 4 Schedule and Team Standings

2010-07-31T21:35:00.009-04:00

Matches Worth Watching - Tuesday August 3rd

Tom Porter vs Andrew Caille - Match Could Go Either Way
Guy Hallifax vs Pat Castagna - This Match Should Go The Distance

Mike Sauro vs Adam Pole - I Promise That This Will Be The Match of Night

The A - Team is Undefeated!!!!!!!! Can Anyone Defeat Them???

Die Hard Cup - Round Up - Will Return This Week. I Apologize For Not Having A Round Up Last Week But I Was On Vacation. In Case you were wondering it was an Excellent Vacation!!!!

Die Hard Cup - Week 2 - Round Up

2010-07-22T22:56:00.002-04:00

The 2nd week of Die Hard Cup kicked off with many of the players determined to insure their team a victory. Despite the fact that the Die Hard Cup is a summer league many of the guys are leaving nothing to chance. Some of the early notable matches were Justin “Raver” Warnock beating Andrew “Beavis from Beavis and Butthead” Caille in five games. Another exciting early match was Mike “Professor” Twiner against Tom “The Owner” Porter. Twiner used his patent cross court shots to defeat Porter in three games.

The most interesting match of the night was watching Barry “Dive Guy” Garant play Dan “Silky Smooth” Driscoll. Garant’s style of play is not always pretty to watch but it is effective. Driscoll on the other hand was very smooth and fluent on the squash court. Watching this match was like watching an old episode of the Odd Couple. Driscoll made it clear from beginning of the match that he would have no part of Garant’s all over the court style of play. Driscoll kept his shot selection to tight and deep shots in the corners. These shots forced Garant to be defensive. Driscoll maintained this approach thoughout the match and defeated Garant in three games. This win proved to be extremely important as it allowed Team “Vets” to break the tie with the Assassins and claim victory over them.

The foremost important match of the night was between Mike “Muscle Shirt” Wilbur and Konstantin “The Runner” Houbtchev. Wilbur has made a career of intimidating his opponents by flexing his forearm muscles while wearing his signature muscle t-shirt. This intimidation technique has worked well for Wilbur in the past until he ran into the father and son combination of Konstantin and Stefan Houbtchev. Last week Stefan (Inserted Photo) who is only entering the 8th grade laughed at Wilbur’s forearms and quickly put up a 2 game lead. Wilbur worked hard to force a fifth game but ran out of gas. Following the match Stefan made the comment that maybe Wilbur did too many bench presses before the match. Wilbur was quick to respond and he would get his revenge against Konstantin. On Tuesday night Konstantin played Wilbur. Not much had changed for Wilbur because he again gave up a two game lead before making a comeback that only stretched the match to a fourth game. After the match Konstantin stated the he thought Wilbur might try a new technique instead of bullying his opponents in order to win a match.

Draw Prize Winner – Marcus Moceri – Squash Package

Die Hard Cup - Week 1 Results

2010-07-20T14:03:00.003-04:00

Die Hard Cup - July 20th Schedule

2010-07-20T10:36:00.003-04:00

Die Hard Cup - Team Rosters

2010-07-20T10:33:00.001-04:00

Die Hard Cup - Week 1 - Round Up

2010-07-15T19:41:00.001-04:00

Die Hard Cup Squash League kicked off on Tuesday Night. This league is a change from the past Summer Squash Leagues. It’s a little more spiced up and has a little more punch to it. It’s like drinking margaritas at Mexican Village on Mondays. Some of the changes to this league are that WSF has finally converted over to POINT A RALLY scoring system instead of point per serve. As well your individual scores do not determine how far you will go in the league, but how far your team will go. Everyone is selected to a Team. Each team has 7 players and players are ranked from 1 to 7 based on skill level. Each week teams will play against a different team and the team that wins the most matches is awarded the victory. Only the top 3 ranked players from each team will play their games to 11 points and the rest will play to 15 points. Also no rescheduling of matches will be allowed. If you cannot play your match please let me (David Guthrie) or Mark Porter know and we will find you a replacement. Each week there will be a draw prize and drink specials.

Enough with the new rules, now let’s talk about the squash action that was played on Tuesday Night. The Die Hard Cup with its new format has attracted newcomers and of these newcomers some were quick to make their presence known on and off the squash court. One of these rookies was Rita Tailleter who has been quietly practicing for about 3 months for this league and as result she made quick work of fellow newcomer Tony Kook in her 1st ever competitive squash match. Tailleter’s side kick Michelle Reiser also made her debut against Asaf Klein. They played an epic 5 game match that Klein barely pulled off the victory. After both of their matches Tailleter and Reiser felt they were ranked too low on their respective team.

Both Vince and Dean Bonadonna came out of hibernation and returned to the squash league after a year of absence from the game. Vince drew a tough match against Anis Khan and Dean played the wily veteran Phil “The Prince” Blagdurn. Khan wanted no part of Vince’s triumphant return and defeated Vince in 4 hard fought games. Despite the loss Vince liked the way he played and felt that his game was only going to improve. Meanwhile Dean played a tough hard 5 game match with Blagdurn. It was only in the fifth game that Dean used his quickness to out work Blagdurn and claimed victory. After the match Blagdurn, said he was tired of no one giving
him the respect on the court and vowed that he would no longer be buying beer for anyone anymore.

Al Valente - The Winner of the Draw Prize: Black Knight CCT 7730 Racquet

Leaner, Stronger, Faster

2010-07-06T07:18:00.004-04:00

Become a Leaner, Stronger, Faster Squash Player In Only 4 Weeks Long. Results Guaranteed.

Summer Junior Squash Programs

2010-06-22T07:25:00.005-04:00

Summer is a Great Time to develop Your Child's Squash Skills

Here are Two Great Programs That Will Develop Your Child's Squash Game

For More Information Please Feel Free To Contact Mark Porter Or David Guthrie at 519-966-2141, squash@windsorsquash.ca or dguthrie@windsorsquash.ca

Die Hard Cup - Summer Squash League

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July 13/10 - Team Play - Each Team will consist of 9 players - Players Will Ranked 1 through 9 - Players will compete against player from opposing team with the same rank - Team that wins most matches will be the winner for the week - Drink Specials and Prizes Every Week

Please Note: No Make Up Matches and Par Scoring Will Be Used

2010 Club Championships - Draws - Updated June 15/10

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2010 Club Championships - Draws - Updated June 29/10

The Attached Files are the Draw Sheets. Please Review Them
Good Luck to Everyone