2004 Peter R. Lyman Award – Lisa Slater

May 29th, 2004 Chris Thomas Posted in Awards

2004 Peter R. Lyman Award.
Presented May 1, 2004 by Chip Nimick

Back in 2001, our honoree had recently left another very active and competitive sport, having achieved top 20 North American honors and having been a founding member of the first US national competition in one version of the sport [women’s sabre fencing], a version that will be introduced to the Olympics for the first time this August.

Back then, our honoree was looking to become active in a new sport and was seeking a sport with several qualities – an interactive sport, one that rewards both mental and physical involvement, that invites a high level of fitness, that keeps participants playing from childhood to well past retirement age, and perhaps most important, a sport with a great sense of community. Our honoree chose squash racquets, and we all here are much the better for it.

Starting dead last on the Rochester Squash Ladder, which was around number 250 at the time, our honoree has developed her game and has lately achieved a ranking of 116 on a ladder that has grown to 300. Looking to play the game correctly from the start, she has participated in a refereeing clinic taught by Penny Glover and a weekend squash clinic training taught by Mike Way. On the competitive side, she participates not only in our interclub team play, representing the UR/Zornow club in Division III, but also is frequently seen in local tournament draws.

Our honoree has been particularly active in bring more women players to our sport. She has spent many, many evenings enthusiastically working to get the female students at the University into the game of squash. With former UR coach Chris O’Brien, she helped to coach and chaperone the first University of Rochester women’s squash team ever to participate in the intercollegiate championship tournament.

Our honoree has been on the Board of the Rochester Squash Racquets Association for a number of years in several capacities.

As Club Rep for Kodak Park, she has been instrumental in expanding the club ladder, in keeping the club active in city league play, and even in keeping the courts maintained.

As the current editor of our newsletter, the Boast, she not only seeks out or writes the stories, but she also goes to the event sites to take pictures for our publication. She has been observed, camera and notepad in hand, as far afield as the YMG Canadian Classic in Toronto. Our publication is first rate thanks to her considerable efforts.

Our honoree is a consistent contributor to the Board, both at regular meetings and by frequent e-mail (in fact, some of us have wondered whether Kodak has granted her a leave to guide Rochester squash), and she is not afraid to ask the tough questions on the many issues that the Board must address.

A good indication of our honoree’s commitment to squash, and to holding this event here tonight in appreciation of the achievments of Rochester’s squash players, is her presence with us. It seems that her wide ranging interest in sport would otherwise have placed her in New York City this very weekend, where she would love to be riding her bicycle in the “Great Five Boro Tour”.

I’m sure you would all agree, our honoree is a dedicated supporter of squash who has had a much appreciated impact on the game in Rochester. Please join me in congratulating our most worthy 2004 recipient of the Peter R. Lyman Award, Lisa Slater.