The MA Squash Annual Meeting occurred on Monday, May 4 at the University Club of Boston.
Rip Hastings, President, recapped another good year for MA Squash and squash in our area. Highlights of the year and the meeting included the following:
Leagues
– Annual fall/winter leagues: 9 open skill level, age group, and women’s divisions; 88 teams; 830 players, playing at 20 participating clubs
– Annual fall/winter hardball doubles league: B/C/Women’s divisions; 4 teams; 59 players
– Sam Magruder Summer League: 10 teams; 139 players
– A new spring 4.0 league starting this year: 5 teams; 65 players
Tournaments
– Annual singles state tournament: 27 flights; 605 players; and all finals and some 3/4 spots played at the Harvard Murr courts on April 9
– Annual state hardball doubles tournament: 9 flights; 190 players; with all finals played concurrently with the Annual Meeting at the UClub on May 4
– Annual state softball doubles tournament: 3 flights; 64 players; with finals played at the Maugus Club on April 11
– 13 US National, MA Squash, and privately run junior tournaments, 7 run by MA Squash.
– Maugus Masters tournament, perhaps the largest US age group event outside the US Masters
– A successful pro-am hardball doubles tournament, an SDA event, held at the UClub
– And five other US Championship events run by US Squash in the MA Squash area
Other MA Squash sponsored efforts
– A successful free Junior Round Robins program, occurring on six Sunday afternoons with about 100 juniors participating.
– A fun women’s squash night, with 73 enthusiastic attendees
– Support for 22 women to attend last year’s Howe Cup event in Charlottesville, VA
– Several free squash rules & refereeing clinics held at local clubs
– A visit by Kevin Klipstein, President of US Squash, to meet with the MA Squash Board as well as junior parents and local squash pros
MA Squash Junior/League/Tournament Awards and National Recognition
– Several special junior player awards were announced by Tom Poor, Junior Committee Chair.
– Awards were handed out to all league and tournament champions and finalists by the league and tournament coordinators.
– All MA Squash members who won national championships over the past year were recognized.
Special President’s Award
– Rip Hastings awarded Linda Watts the President’s Award to recognize her numerous contributions to MA Squash over the past 25+ years.
Solid MA Squash financial situation
– David Hybels, Treasurer, reported another break-even year for MA Squash and a healthy savings account
– Savings are maintained as backup in case of any operating shortfalls, to be available for occasional squash development opportunities.
– MA Squash targets to run break-even operations each year, with junior tournament, membership, and other revenues reinvested into all MA Squash sponsored programs.
MA Squash Board for 2015-2016
– Vote was held for the incoming board slate.
– The new slate of 17 board members will be posted on the MA Squash website shortly.
– The board thanked Rip Hastings for his services as President over the past year and welcomed Kevin Hollister as its new President.
– Rip Hastings thanked Maria Mayorga, outgoing board member, for her services, and welcomed Lisa Putukian and Kara Kardon as new board members.
Summary
– MA Squash exists to promote the game of squash in the state.
– All operations are volunteer-run, with about 120 volunteers (board members, league/tourney/junior coordinators, etc.) contributing their time each year to support operations.
– MA Squash would like to thank the 20 clubs that participate and allow reciprocal play in our leagues and that participate in our programs.
– MA Squash especially thanks Harvard University for allowing us the use of their courts to hold our annual singles tourney as well as holding other events such as the Junior Round Robins and the women’s squash night.
– MA Squash thanks the UClub for use of their conference room for monthly MA Squash and MA Squash Junior Committee board meetings.
– Overall, the state of squash is strong in our area and we look forward to another good season next year!