Preparations are heating-up for what is likely to be the largest ever World Masters Squash tournament in Amsterdam this August. The largest one to date was held in Charlottesville in July 2018 and featured 850 competitors. This one should be bigger and will include about 100 Americans of whom more than half a dozen are Open Squash members. Until I’m challenged otherwise, I’m going to claim we have the largest US contingent from one squash community. Go, Open Squash!
When we went to the last World Masters in Poland in 2022, the Hungarian Team stood out: they all had the same shirts, they had a great attitude, they were led by a charismatic woman who was an amazing squash player, and they were all having a great time and were one cohesive team. Meanwhile the U.S. team? Well. We did have a great time and great team spirit, but because players could choose between a plain white, red, or blue shirt, we lacked visible cohesiveness. So, this time around we reached out to U.S. squash to get permission to create a special new shirt we could call our own. To help us create one we leaned on the expertise of Open Squash’s very own office administrator, Adriana Arcangel. She’s designed a lot of our collateral over recent months and came up with this incredible design.
Now we’re showing up in Amsterdam with a statement to make!
Initially we thought people might order, say, 25 shirts - but we’ve now sold over a hundred! And if you’d like a shirt, and if I do have any left over when I get back (I’ve got a few extras at the moment) drop me a line!
Some of the Open Squash friends who are headed to Amsterdam include Bruce Gordon, Justin Berlin, Tom Burns, Tad Friend (author of the New Yorker story about trying to break into the top 10 in the over fifties, worldwide), Lissa Kennedy, Walter Lyon, Mike McConnell, George Polsky, and yours truly.
As the departure date draws closer, our preparation checklist grows shorter. Our luggage is filled with gear, custom T-shirts, and national pride. Last-minute jitters are common, but the air in Amsterdam is going to be thick with a confident resolve. Well at least I *think* that’s what that smell is…
In a few weeks, the cobblestone streets of Amsterdam will witness an influx of squash enthusiasts from around the globe. For Team USA, it’s more than just a sporting event; it’s a showcase of perseverance, unity, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. Team USA is not just participating; we are showing up to make a statement — ready to squash, (or be squashed by), the competition and bring pride to the international stage in a spirit of collaboration and openness.
Who says America is about isolation and exceptionalism? We’re keen to make friends and learn all we can from the competition. That’s what really makes America great!
On a personal note, I’ve been preparing for the tournament: I’ve taken two of the recent adult clinics at Open Squash and I joined the box league to get some competitive matches in. (Too bad I’m zero for one on that count, so far!). To try to figure out how successful I’m likely to be, I've taken a look at the ratings of the top players in my age group. And I have noticed that as I age, their ratings (though still higher than mine) have declined. So my inner geek graphed their decline against my own rating, which has been mostly increasing. The lines cross sometime after 2037 when I’ll be in the 75+ age group. So if not this year, there’s hope for me, yet! Though I do wonder - will I still be as good when I’m 75 as I am today? Something to worry about later.
If you’re headed to the World Masters in Amsterdam in August, let’s be in touch. Squash is about fun, fitness, and community, and Open Squash is thrilled to be sending such a strong delegation of masters players along.