It was a pleasure for Open Squash to host New York Squash for a celebration of its centennial on September 14. Once known as the Metropolitan Racquet Sports Association, New York Squash is the nonprofit that runs New York's squash league. It's also the official New York affiliate of U.S. Squash, based in Philadelphia.
The 100th year event, held at our FiDi facility, drew a crowd of enthusiasts who reveled in the sport's rich history and vibrant future. The highlight of the celebration were two unique exhibition matches featuring New-York-area-based PSA players Alex Haydon and Simmi Chan (pictured), as well as Andrew Gordon and Chris Douglas, who took to the courts to honor the sport's legacy in a nostalgic manner. Haydon and Chan, engaged in a vigorously contested match, played a third of their game using rackets that were at least thirty years old. Chan emerged victorious with a score of 2-1. When asked how it was to play with such old rackets, Chan admitted, “it’s really hard.” But her and Alex's adeptness with the old rackets still showed their incredible skill. The men’s match mirrored the womens' approach, with Gordon and Douglas playing half of their game with traditional wooden rackets, much to the delight of the numerous spectators.
More than a hundred New York squash aficionados came along and played in a variety of age-level-appropriate round-robins before the exhibition games.
Joanne Schickerling, the president of New York Squash, encouraged folks to get involved in the next 100 years of the game. With a variety of committees ranging from fundraising to tournament organization, diversity, communications, and more, the organization is keen on welcoming new members who wish to contribute to the sport’s flourishing future. If you're interested in participating please do get in touch.
Besides commemorating the centenary, the event also highlighted New York Squash’s renewed focus on community and inclusivity. Efforts to extend squash’s reach are evident through its vibrant programs aiming at diversity and engagement such as Women’s Squash Week, and the organization's partnerships with local organizations.
Joanne said:“Today we celebrated a hundred years of squash in New York, but we also set the stage for the next hundred. With the sport headed to the Olympics and our community growing stronger and more diverse, the future of squash looks incredibly exciting.”
New York Squash has been celebrating its centennial with a host of legends posts on its website. From John Nimick, who has hosted the famous Tournament of Champions at Grand Central Station for more than 25 years, to Fred and Carol Weymuller, pioneers in junior squash development. There's also Victor Neideroffer, storied American player of the 60s and 70s who didn't set foot on a squash court until his first year in college, and Dr. Quentin Hyder, who founded the ongoing Hyder tournament which we've hosted at Open Squash over recent years. Squash court builder Harry Saint and seven-times national champion Alicia McConnell are also profiled. And there's a profile of legendary squash booster Treddy Ketcham, not to mention the world's all-time greatest squash doubles player, Damian Mudge. Not to mention histories of the city's various clubs including the Printing House, some of whose members went on to co-found Open Squash.
New York's squash scene used to boast more than 55 clubs and in the early 1980s, the Boodles tournament had 862 entrants. With the sport's inclusion in the 2028 Olympics, New York Squash is now determined to fuel a resurgence in the world's healthiest sport. Congratulations to all involved, and here's to the next century of the game.
