For the second consecutive year, the US Squash Masters Championships will be hosted at Squash on Fire in April 3-5. Masters pits players in age groups from 35-85 for a weekend of great squash. Regardless of the host club, DC always sends a big contingent of players. With it in our home town, let's see a great DC showing this spring!
Register here by March 18.
Twenty three national mens' squash teams played for the biennial world championships at Squash on Fire in December. The opening matches on December 15 dazzled the DC crowd bringing squash enthusiasts as well as newcomers to the sport from around the region to watch world class play. Host Team USA fell to the number 1 seed, Egypt, during the opening day, but played bravely, cheered by the home crowd.
The week was marked by personal and team bests...and even the mighty Egyptians faced tougher competition on the court than ratings and book makers might have predicted.
National Capital Squash was a proud sponsor of the event. For more coverage, see: worldteamsquashdc.com/news
After many years of nearly capturing the title, the NCS B team won the Howe Cup B final in a thrilling match against Boston. The team, led by Captain and NCS VP of Women, AJ Copeland, edged out a win in the 3-2 victory. Top seed Heidi Wagner secured the first win for NCS while AJ fell in a tough match at the fifth spot. Sally Pei turned fortunes for DC while Deb Phippard struggled in a tough match with Boston. In the end, Carole Grunberg eeked out a win in a tie break in the fifth game of the fifth match.
US Squash called Grunberg's match the "match of the tournament and described it this way: The match of the tournament came at the No. 3 spot in the Division B final. With the teams tied at two matches apiece, Washington, DC’s Carole Grunberg, the reigning 60+ national champion, … Continue Reading ››
Several National Capital Squash competitors played deep in the draw at the first World Masters held in the USA. Alister Walker, the head pro at The St. James, turned in the top result in reaching the final of the 39-player Mens 35+. After not dropping a game on the way to the final, he battled Laurens Jan Anjema, former world #9, to four games.
Margaret Gerety reached the semis of the Womens 35+, where she ran into Lauren Briggs, former World #18 and the eventual winner of the division.
Steve Hufford reached the round of 16 in the 80-player Men's 60+, where he put up a good fight against the eventual winner.
Carole Grunberg won the consolation of the Women's 60+ after losing a tough five-game match to one of the semifinalists.
The event attracted 800 players from around the world to the McArthur Squash Center at … Continue Reading ››
The St. James will have a grand opening on September 15, including 8 new squash courts.
This mega facility has state-of-the-art facilities with fields, rinks, pools and courts galore.
The grand opening will feature a day of free squash. There will be round robins, play a pro, a clinic for juniors and exhibitions.
There are eight international squash courts.
More info here.
The St. James is located at 6805 Industrial Road, Springfield, VA
National Capital Squash (NCS) is pleased to announce a scholarship program to encourage high school varsity or club teams to participate in the US SQUASH 2019 National High School Championships.
The High School Championships offers divisions for teams at all skill levels. Even if your team has never played in a team tournament, you will be placed in a division that should provide good competition.
There are up to two scholarships for up to two teams. Each scholarship would be for up to $1500 to pay for entry fees and a portion of other expenses.
Here are the eligibility requirements:
The school has not sent any team to any prior US SQUASH High School Championship.
The team must have played team matches recorded in the US SQUASH database against other teams (ideally, at least four such matches prior to the seeding of the High School Championship).
The 2019 U.S. Women’s and S.L. Green U.S. Men’s Championships and 2019 National Squash Championships (aka the Masters age group championships) have been awarded to Squash on Fire!
These are three of the most prestigious events on the championship calendar. The U.S. Women’s and S.L. Green U.S. Men’s Championships will determine the best US squash player. All the top players are expected to compete.
The events will be held March 26-31, 2019.
Combined Reporting from US Squash and National Capital Squash
Team USA ended its 2018 Pan American Junior Championships campaign by claiming bronze medals in both the girls’ and boys’ team competitions June 23, 2018 at the Capitol Squash Center in Brasilia, Brazil.
The U.S. delegation returned home with a total of five medals, including the girls’ and boys team bronzes.
Liam Rotzoll (right) celebrates bronze medal with Team USA teammates in Brazil.
The boys’ team, including National Capital Squash Junior Liam Rotzoll, outperformed their eight seeding by making a surprise run to the semifinals. The U.S. boys clinched a spot in the semis with of an upset over four seeds Mexico in the quarterfinals. The boys eventually fell against a strong Canadian team in the semifinals, consigning the U.S. to bronze medals.
Prior to the team championship, Liam competed in the individual event. … Continue Reading ››
Princeton Senior and co-captain Kira Keating won two upsets to win her draw at the College Individual Championships. The winners of the four 16-player Holleran draws earn four of the Second Team All-American honors.
Kira, who grew up in Chevy Chase and went to Potomac High School, was seeded 7th. After knocking out George Washington's #2 player in the first round, she faced Grace Doyle, who played #3 for Princeton. Kira easily took the first game, then was trounced in the second. The third game was a real battle, with Kira edging out a 13-11 win and then closing out game four 11-7.
Kira Keating joined First Team All-American and co-captain Olivia Fiechter (left), and coaches Gail Ramsey and Tyler Osborne, to celebrate her win in the final.
In the semis, she faced yet another teammate, Kate Feeley, who upset Dartmouth's … Continue Reading ››
