Report by Tefft Smith
The US Squash Hardball Singles season got off to a GREAT start at the 12th Annual Cardinal in D.C. the weekend of November 8. There was a significant new hardball entry -- Sabrina Sobhy -- the reigning US Squash Women’s National Champion! So now, hardballers can count both the US Squash Men’s and Women’s National Champions as hardball enthusiasts and promoters of hardball singles play, as both GREAT fun and an enhancement to soft ball performance.
Sabrina rapidly and progressively evolved as a hardballer. She defeated several hardball veterans before falling to her brother, 23 year old Omar Sobhy, the Pro at the Metropolitan Club, a highly ranked 6.0 softballer.
This year’s opening hardball singles tournament was played on the Met’s magnificent glass back walled, traditional hardball court. Omar’s and Sabrina’s match came in the semi-finals. Not surprisingly, it attracted quite a crowd. 18 year old Sabrina … Continue Reading ››
The third annual national Women's Squash Week event was celebrated in style in the National Capital region! More than 35 women attended the event at McLean Health and Racquet Club on Tuesday night, September 23. Skill levels of the participants ranged from rank beginners to rusty old ex-varsity hardball players, some of whom have not been seen on a singles court in this area for more than 20 years! Players new to the area and new to the game were able to meet up with other players of similar skill level. Play started with queen-of-the-court to accommodate the large number of players, which segued into rotating 5-point PAR "games". The first 30 attendees got a charcoal gray commemorative T-shirt, courtesy of US Squash. Many thanks to McLean Health and Racquet Club, to National Capital Squash, and to … Continue Reading ››
This event is FREE and open to women of all ages and skill levels!
Kick off the season at McLean Racquet and Health Club1472 Chain Bridge Rd, McLean, VATuesday, Sept 23, 2014, 6:30 – 8:30pm
After August 15, click here to sign up.
New to the sport?
Eager to get back into the game?
Want to learn about squash opportunities for women?
Meet other players at your level
Learn about local clinics, leagues and tournaments
Have a hit with old friends and new
Questions? Email NCS VP-Women AJ Copeland: ajcopeland@copelandco.com
Hosted by National Capital Squash and the McLean Racquet and Health Club
Sponsored by US Squash
In the Premiere Division, Northern Aggression dropped just one individual match in the 2014 playoffs, and beat the finalist Shamrock Rovers (Results, The Gym) 3-1 to win the title. The starting four players of the winning team in the finals were: Syed Kukhari, Dan Petri, Lekgotla Mosope and Cameron Bahadori.
In Division 2, a combined team from Sports Club/LA and Regency Sport & Health edged Chevy Chase Athletic Club by a 2-1 score in the playoff finals. Ben Smith, Fabien Sarrran and Cameron Bahadori started for the champions.
Another combined team from Sports Club/LA and Regency Sport & Health won Division 3, defeating the University of Maryland team 4-0 in the final of the playoffs. Tim Bandel, Tyler Stilwell, Peter Gallagher and Abir Ray started for the division winners. Abir served as captain for the winning teams in the top three divisions and also serves as VP for League for National Capital Squash.
US Squash began naming All-Americans this season to recognize the top junior players who compete in high school leagues or tournament play.
Cameron Bahadori and Kira Keating were selected as the top players in the Mid-Atlantic Squash Organization, a regional high school varsity league that just completed its fifth season. Kira finished the season ranked #5 in the nation among all high school girls, while Cameron was ranked #42 among boys. Jeremy Barnes was selected by the coaches in the Washington Area Squash Association league, a local high school club team league that played its inaugural season as a US Squash sanctioned league. Jeremy finished the season ranked #102 among high school boys.
A strong field of National Capital Squash juniors competed at the US Squash National Championships and Silver National Championships. It is an honor to gain entry into either event -- congratulations to all NCS juniors who competed in these championship events!
Kira Keating was the sole NCS junior to compete in the National Championship, open to the top 32 players in the nation. This year's championship was held at Princeton University. Kira won 5 matches in GU19 to win the consolations, good for ninth place. She trounced two players she had never beaten before. Her only loss was a round of 16 match that had two tie breakers and her opponent went on take to fifth place.
Silver National Championships (Philadelphia)Nghi Nguyen won the GU19 Silver Championship over her Potomac School teammate Isabel Young in a thrilling five game match. Both players had rankings high enough for … Continue Reading ››
The fifteenth annual Potomac Fever welcomed 69 players from around the region. There was an exhibition match between Jahangir Naseem, head pro at McLean Racquet & Health, and Shoby Gul, who leads junior programs the same club. Shoby took the lead in the first two games, but Jahangir won the next two before Shoby won 11-7 in the fifth.
The exhibition was followed by a wine tasting, Pakistani food and a raffle.Congratulations to the tournament winners and finalists:Women's 2.5: Winner, Aalia Hussain; Finalist, Ubu GraceOpen 2.5: Winner, Miles Brown; Finalist, Rohan PaceOpen 4.0: Winner, Aadil Hussain; Finalist, Brent HarrisOpen 4.5: Winner, Ben Rind; Finalist, Anurag UppalMasters 45+: Winner, Ross Campbell; Finalist, Chuck MillerMasters 60+: Winner, Bruce Simons-Morton; Finalist,Gene Colice
Isabel Young won the Women's 5.0 in the U.S. Squash Skill Level Championships. She also competed in the final of the Open 3.5 division. To make that final she won a four game match against a Virginia boy who played #2 and #3 this season on his high school varsity team.
Tyler Stillwell reached the consolation finals of the Open 4.5 division.
The Potomac Girls Varsity team competed in Division 1 of the High School National Championships, the first time a National Capital girls team has ever competed in the nation's most elite division. At the championships, the Potomac girls got to match ball in an individual match that would have secured at least a top 12 finish, but it slipped away. Still, the girls finished the season with a national ranking of 16, while the Potomac boys took 15th in the nation. Both the boys and girls teams were undefeated in league play and both teams also beat the top Baltimore high school teams too.Congratulations to all of the players of each team and to the boys and girls teams head coach Mark Lewis and girls assistant coach Carole Grunberg. The players who competed at the national championship are listed below, along with their national high … Continue Reading ››
