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Upcoming events and playing opportunities at Potomac Squash Club
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November 2017 Newsletter
Editor: Tom Cutler
Co-Editor: Jahangir Naseem- Director & Head Pro of Squash
Distribution: Ubu Grace Hoshizaki
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PSC's 50th Anniversary Celebration
Jay and the Play Squash Academy coaches at the 50th Anniversary Celebration
The POTOMAC SQUASH CLUB has been a wonderful refuge of quality squash, camaraderie and sportsmanship for 50 years, and the 50th Anniversary celebration held November 17 - 19, 2017 delivered exemplary examples of each. The weekend
also demonstrated the collaborative efforts of those on the Anniversary Committee, chaired by Bob Stillman, and especially Jahangir Naseem, our Director of Squash & Head Squash Professional, to transform the vision of PSC President Dick Gann of bringing our
members together, generating enthusiasm for the game and sparking our PSC spirit, highlighted by the Saturday evening Gala.
But, the thanks should really go to those players who made the weekend successful by participating in the Members Tournament.
The First and Second Place prize winners in each bracket are listed below and will soon be posted on a commemorative plaque hung in the Club. Congratulations to each!
Division Results: First Place & Second Place
2.5 1st: Pao-Lin Tien 2nd place: Robert Weinstock
3.0 1st: Otto Louis-Jacques 2nd place: Charles Anderson
3.5 1st: Hossein Noshirvani 2nd place: Amir Raza
4.5 1st: Aadil Husain 2nd place: Ross Campbell
45+ 1st: Saiyid Islam 2nd place: Will Corbin
65+ 1st: Bob Rubin 2nd place: Jay Levy
Men's Pro 1st: Shahid Hussain 2nd place: Jahangir Naseem
The level of play across all ages and skill levels was really wonderful. Seeing so many members playing squash at a high level was gratifying, and has been a defining part of our club's development over the past years. The 4.5+ finals between Ross Campbell
and Aadil Husain brought to focus the older superb master and the rising young star in a really quality match.
It was also inspiring to watch many older players making great 'gets'
and executing great shots, while observing the indefatigable quality of youthful players rise to competition and victory speaks well for our club's future. And our women players making their way through victories well into the various brackets (including victory
in the 2.5+ bracket to Pao-Lin Yien) was truly a real highlight of play. (We will work to reschedule the woman's professional exhibition between Heba El Torky and Nouran El Torky that was to take place Sunday but needed to be cancelled due to travel complications.)
Another highlight, of course, was the Men's Professional
Mini-tournament.
The two semi-final matches were just great to watch, and the finals:
Wow!! Jay, the old Yoda master with incredible stamina and wily skills against the young star, Shahid. PSC vs PSC! The injury to Shahid mid-way though (or was it strategy?) and his "I will never give up" attitude led him to a 3-2 come-from-behind-victory
and the top prize money - and bragging rights.
We've spruced up the building recently (more on this below), but it is still the same welcoming place. And that is why those of us who belong to this unique club have kept coming back now 50 years and onward. Great squash, camaraderie, and sportsmanship
are rare enough qualities in today's world, but were front and center November 17, 18, 19 at our Potomac Squash Club.
The place never looked better. Happy Anniversary....
"When You are Serious about the Game."
Our special thanks to Afrouz Anderson and Tom Cutler who took photos of the 50th Celebration which appear throughout
this newsletter and in the Gallery at the end. Even more photos will be posted on our web site.
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PSC Clubhouse Renovation
Over the past year, our clubhouse has undergone a complete face lift under the direction of Dick Gann. It begins with new PSC-logo entry mats featuring the Club's colors of yellow and green. The theme continues with new
carpeting and paint throughout the interior. The women's locker room has been refurbished, and the ventilation has been improved. The old, rusty men's lockers have been replaced, and new elliptical and cycling machines have been installed in the exercise
area. Keith Hartman arranged for replacement of the court lighting, and Charlie Gunn oversaw the upgrading of the dehumidification system (in addition to numerous other repairs).
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Featured Member Laurie Wenger
Laurie Wenger recently played in the Women's Howe Cup National
Championships, an annual team competition for women that attracts players from all over the United States and Canada. Held locally for the first time at Squash on Fire on November 10 - 12, Laurie won three of her matches, which was a tremendous accomplishment
given that she had knee surgery earlier this year. We asked her how she did
it, and she sent us the compelling story below of hard work paying off and the benefits of playing squash.
"My New Year's resolution this year was to enter the 2017 Women's Howe Cup National Championships. I set my sights on competing in my first national tournament before I turn 50 in a few months. Prior to taking up squash,
I had never played a competitive sport. There are so many aspects of squash that pull me onto the court day after day. I have never felt happier and have never been in better physical condition- not to say that some days I walk off the court sulking. But
I'm always back for more.
I took up squash about five years ago. My first introduction was with group lessons with Jay and also participating in the Saturday women's clinics. As my squash friend Maureen Wylie puts it, I got the "fever." I began
to take more and more lessons with Jay and his team, even reserving court time to practice on my own. I made a full and rapid recovery following a meniscus repair earlier this year, which I attribute to my squash conditioning. I became more determined than
ever to get my squash game up to the level so that I could compete in the Howe tournament without getting slaughtered. I trained hard day after day with Jay and his team. I listened to a book called "The Inner Game of Tennis" so that I could understand the
psychological elements of the game and learn to keep my head in the game.
I was the 5th seed on my "District of Squash" D team. While I may have been on the bottom rung of the ladder, I won all three of my matches. The weekend was an eye opening experience for me even at this age. Squash has
allowed me to develop a new passion later in life-providing me mental and physical health for which I am so grateful. I hope to continue this practice indefinitely."
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Featured member, Ahson Hasan
One of the hardest hitters in the club is Ahson Hasan who also has a
big smile and a lob that will buckle your knees. People have asked "where did he get those shots?" Well, squash was a family sport growing up in India, Pakistan and the UK, and Ahson began his squash journey at age 5. Ahson's formative squash years were
spent under the tutelage of the legendary Roshan Khan (Jahangir Khan's father), which led to him turning pro in his early teens. Ahson played the international tournament circuit in Europe and the Far East. He made his mark in minor leagues and mainstream
championships as well as the junior PIA Colts tournament in Pakistan. A supreme moment was stretching Zaheer Khan to five games in a 1985 British Open qualifying match. In his brief stint on the tour Ahson had the good fortune of hanging out with and competing
against the likes of Jahangir and Jansher Khan, Geoff Hunt, Qamar Zaman, Chris Dittmar, Ross Norman and Rodney Martin. Ahson looks back at his years playing pro as an exercise in self-discipline, staying focused on goals, and showing respect to all. After
a lengthy hiatus from the courts, Ahson eventually returned to squash, first at the Rio and then at PSC. Ahson tries to play two or three times a week, usually on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. He believes that following a robust fitness regimen such as
cross training, running and biking produce effective results on the court. As age catches up with him, Ahson hopes to transition to a more sedate and methodical style but for now he remains a powerful force on the court
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Lessons & Clinics
Jahangir Naseem and Shahid Hussain are working to design our clinics and lessons to better fit the members.
Summer is over, and PSC players are returning to the courts, so is your game rusty? We are here to work with you at free clinics and Play-the-pro sessions to sharpen those
hard rails and tune your drop shots. We want to provide you with the practice to improve your techniques of the game.
Beginner/Intermediate Players (between 2.0 and 3.0)
Tuesdays: 7:15 - 8:15 pm
We want to give you a firm grounding on the fundamentals of the forehand and backhand swing, on footwork, and basic game techniques.
Intermediate/Advance Players (between 3.0 and 4.5)
Saturdays: Noon - 1:00 pm
We will advance to lessons on improving speed, and focusing on difficult shots like backhand volleys. In addition, we will talk about positioning and game plan.
Saturdays: 2:00 - 4:00
We will work on grip, swing, and footwork, and I will demonstrate the importance of getting back to the T during the match play. (Small fee for non-members).
Play The Pro
Sundays: 12:15 - 1:30
And if you want to see how well you perform on the courts, we challenge you to play one of us on Sundays at Play-The-Pro.
We promise to play you just one notch above your level and show you the secrets of being able to get to your "put-away" shot (hint: it's all about getting back to the T).
This is also a good time to play other players in a round-robin session.
We urge you to attend these free clinics. Please sign up for clinics and play-the-pro on our reservations site at least three days in advance.
"Sessions can be cancelled if no one has signed up three hours prior to the start time"
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Target Players |
Day |
Time |
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Beginning/Intermediate |
Tuesdays
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7:15-8:15 pm
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Intermediate/Advanced |
Saturdays |
noon - 1 pm |
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Women |
Saturdays |
2 - 4 pm |
Lessons Will Help Your Game
If you want to correct a flaw in your game (and who doesn't have at least one?), if you want to be more competitive with your playing partners, or if you just aren't getting the level of exercise you used to, try some lessons with Jay, Heba,, Nouran or
Shahid.
PSC and PlaySquash have established economical rates for all Club members.
Contact Jay for more information and scheduling a class.
jay@jahangirsquash.com or 410-905-6317
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Congratulations to Steve Weber!
Special "CONGRATULATIONS" to our very own Steve Weber who is
featured in one of the cover stories for the October 2017 edition of SQUASH magazine entitled: "Squash Saved My Life". As many of us know, in July 2015 Steve was diagnosed with a usually fatal form of blood cancer. His doctor gave him only two options, the
better one being a bone marrow transplant. But the doctor cautioned that anyone in his mid-70s was an unlikely candidate for this special procedure. Fortunately, due to his squash-fired fitness, Steve tested at the top of the charts, qualified for the procedure,
got the transplant and two years later has beaten the odds. Steve was singled out at the "awards banquet" for the National Masters tournament at the Philadelphia Cricket Club in March 2017 for his inspiring story of how playing squash saved his life. Steve
did his talking on the court, winning the 2017 USSRA national consolation bracket in the 75+ draw. Fast forward to now, and Steve is still a home-grown inspiring story of hope and hard work, a living legend for squash.
Steve usually plays weekday mornings.
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LEAGUES: PSC wins Division 4 & 5 Summer league Titles
In our last issue we reported that PSC's Division 4 team won the 2017 Summer League championship, beating Regency in the finals after having finished in second place during the regular season. Well, the scenario played out the same way in Division
5, as on November 6 PSC upset Chevy Chase for the title, 2-1, after having finished in second place (8-2) behind Chevy Chase (11-1) during the regular season.
Playing in the number one spot, Valentina Della Maddelena (PSC) edged Obert Nyawata, 3-0: 8, 9, 8. At the number two slot, Otto Louis-Jacques (PSC) squeaked by Charlie Berkinshaw, 3-0: 12,8,10. Although the team results were already decided by the time
he played, Samarth Chugh played a thrilling match only to fall short, 3-1, to Steve Rosen of CCAC by the scores of 18-16,(12), 9, 12. Key players during the regular season were Otto Louis-Jacques who went 9-1,
Valentina Della Maddelena & Aalia Husain after their great match Friday night on the championship court at the 50th anniversary tournament
Valentina Della Maddelena who went 6-0, and Adam Lee who posted a strong record of 6-1.
Congratulations to Team Captain Malcolm Jensen and the PSC team players for big wins in the playoff finals in Divisions 4 and 5! Malcolm praised our players "who sacrifice to play for our club even when inconvenient. PSC is home to some fine people
who are also fine players."
Meanwhile, our Division 6 team's summer season also extended past last issue's deadline and in the end they finished in 5th place out of 6 teams, with a 4-6 record. Key players included Ubu Grace Hoshizaki and Eric Wenger, both of whom were 2-1.
Fall season coming up
Looking ahead, the 2017 - 2018 winter season of the National Capital inter-club leagues starts the week of November 28 for all divisions. Anyone interested in playing on one of our teams this fall should contact Malcolm Jensen or Ubu-Grace Hoshizaki.
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Results of the 2018 Maryland State Age-Group Championships
The MSSRA held its 2018 Maryland State Age Group Championship over Veterans Day week-end at the Coppermine Racquet & Fitness Club in Baltimore. Chris Haley won the 40+ in a round-robin
format amid some stiff competition, including our very own Mansoor Qureshi. Competition in the 50+ was postponed to a later date. In the 60+ bracket, previous champion Riaz Arshad from Columbia, MD beat defending champion Courtenay Jenkins, 3-1. Dennis Bourke
beat Joe Murphy 3-2 to win the 70+ division which was organized at the last minute by the players' request.
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Upcoming Events
January 13 - 15, 2018 Mid-Atlantic Juniors Championships at Meadow Mill Athletic Club in Baltimore sanctioned by the MSSRA and the USSRA.
January 19 - 21, 2018 DC Open Mid-Atlantic Championships (age group & skill level) at Chevy Chase Athletic Club.
February 16 - 18, 2018 Woodruff-Nee Skill Level and Seniors Squash Tournament at the University Club.
March 9 - 11, 2018 National Masters Open Age Championships at the Philadelphia Cricket Club.
June 1-3, 2018 Mid-Atlantic Skill Level championships at Meadow Mill Athletic Club in Baltimore sanctioned by the MSSRA and the USSRA.
July 29 - August 4, 2018 World Masters Squash Championships at MacArthur Squash Center/Boars Head Inn, Charlottesville, VA.
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Photo Gallery from the 50th Anniversary Celebration
PSC 50th Celebration Chairman Bob Stillman working the draw sheets
Ubu Grace Hoshizaki works tirelessly with a smile to keep the matches on schedule. Thank you Ubu Grace!
Rajiv Jain appeals to the audience for a different
call in a tight match against Martin Lespada.
"Hey Vladimir (Wolf), isn't the ref supposed to be watching the action on the court?"
The crowd watches an exciting match as Hunt Richardson officiates.
Collapsing in near total exhaustion after a devastating rally is one of the best feelings in squash, as shown here by Samarth Chugh (left) and Martin Lespada.
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Dick Gann, President | Potomac Squash Club |
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Copyright © 20XX. All Rights Reserved.
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