A Melting Pot of Squash – The Yellowjackets on Local TV

January 29th, 2010 Mithun Mukherjee posted in College Squash, General, Video

Last night on the news, Chuck Wade of 13WHAM News did an excellent piece on the international melting pot of cultures that is the University of Rochester Squash Team. Great to see the Yellowjackets (and squash) get some local TV coverage.

“You’ve probably heard the sound of a squash game being played before, but chances are you’ve never heard it like the University of Rochester’s Squash team plays it. The Yellowjackets have players hailing from near and far – 11 countries, four different continents, all brought together by one common sport…..
….Rochester’s coach is an interational as well….. Putting together a virtual United Nations of squash talent was his idea when he first came to Rochester. “I wanted to create this very diverse group of athletes, because the experience that they get learning from each other,” Heath told us. “To me, that’s the best thing about meeting people….””

Watch the entire video of the piece on 13WHAM.

Recap – Harro Turkey Day 2009

December 2nd, 2009 Mithun Mukherjee posted in Events, General, Video

Pictures and video (courtesy of Paul Schwartz) from another edition of the annual Thanksgiving morning round robin tradition at the Harro East Club. Recognize these faces? :

Why We Love Squash

August 13th, 2009 Mithun Mukherjee posted in General, Video

Nevermind the lack of love from the IOC for 2016, here are more than a dozen reasons why we love squash. Slick video from England Squash and Racketball.

Squash makes a compelling case for the Olympics

June 16th, 2009 Mithun Mukherjee posted in General, Video

A contingent of representatives of the sport made the case for squash to be included in the 2016 Olympic Games before the International Olympic Committee in Lausanne, Switzerland yesterday. The last time before the IOC in 2006, squash narrowly missed its deserved place in the 2012 Olympics. Three years have passed in the buildup to this day. This final video which was shown to the IOC yesterday makes a compelling case for the sport’s inclusion in 2016. Read all about the 2016 effort at SquashSite.

Squash for 2016

April 26th, 2009 Mithun Mukherjee posted in Events, General, Video

Squash2016 is endorsed by all major governing bodies of the sport. World Squash Day founder Alan Thatcher says “This gives every squash club the opportunity to support two major objectives: to raise the profile of the sport and to raise valuable money for the Squash 2016 Bid Fund….The Olympic bid is an ambitious project which, if successful, will give squash a deserved place in the Olympic Games. That bid process is not cheap and it is up to every squash player to help the cause.”

More info @ Squash2016.info and WorldSquashDay.com and the SquashSite 2016 feature. Or email Eric Hernady for information/questions/ideas etc.

More links: World Squash Movement and Squash for 2016 Event on Facebook

2009 Rochester ProAm in Pictures

April 10th, 2009 Mithun Mukherjee posted in General, Tournaments, Video

Yellowjackets at the ’09 CSA Individual Nationals

February 27th, 2009 Mithun Mukherjee posted in College Squash, General, Leagues, Video

Following their spectacular performance at the team nationals last weekend, the #3 Yellowjackets are back in action this weekend at the CSA Individual Nationals at Williams College in Williamstown, MA. The top 96 college squash players in the country face off every year at the Individual Championships which is played in a solo format (as opposed to the the regular season team format). The Potter Cup division includes the top third (32 players) based on final season ranking and the Molloy Cup division includes the bottom two third (64 players). Read more »

Urban Youth Squash on the Today Show

February 27th, 2009 Mithun Mukherjee posted in Education, General, Press, Video

Former Rochesterian and GVC player, Jim Moore is the squash coach at the prestigious Blair Academy boarding school in New Jersey. His student, Manuela Peres, a graduate of CitySquash was featured in this wonderful clip that aired on the Today Show this morning. The segment focused on CitySquash, a free youth enrichment/mentorship based urban squash program in Bronx, N.Y. Incidentally, Tim Wyant, Executive Director of CitySquash, also played in the first ever Rochester ProAm seven years ago in 2002 when it was a challenger event with six entrants! (Thanks for the info, Jim!)

More information on the national urban squash movement at www.nationalurbansquash.org.
More inspiring videos on just two of the many growing urban squash programs across the country:

City Squash, Bronx, NY: Program video by by Rachel Luskin and Greencard Pictures

SquashSmarts: Philadelphia based urban Squash program

Trinity does it again…for the 11th time!

February 23rd, 2009 Mithun Mukherjee posted in College Squash, General, Video

On Sunday, while Rochester was busy making their own history against Harvard, #1 Trinity College defended their “11 year 200+ match winning streak” in a nailbiting thriller final against #2 Princeton. ESPN did this great piece on them:

Yellowjackets at the ’09 CSA Team Nationals

February 20th, 2009 Mithun Mukherjee posted in College Squash, General, Video

ROCHESTER BEAT HARVARD 7-2 FOR #3 SPOT IN THE NATION!

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#24 in 2006, #16 in 2007, #10 in 2008, and now #3 in 2009!

“…The Rochester Yellowjackets, a team whose talent was never questioned this year but ability to handle pressure was, defeated the Harvard Crimson 7-2 to finish third in the country….
…”Our goal was top four, but we thought we had a chance at three,” said Rochester head coach Martin Heath. “To actually finish third, it’s fantastic for the kids.”…
…”We got Bennie Fischer in January,” Heath said. “He strengthened the top of the lineup. He was a great addition. Our training worked out and we peaked at the right time. Hameed Ahmed is playing better. He is such a talented player, and I don’t think he has reached his potential.”
Heath and his team have no intention of slowing down or easing up now that they have proven to be a top team. Heath hopes to add more top recruits next season and to see his current players continue to improve.
“We don’t want to stop here,” Heath said….”

READ ALL ABOUT THE WIN AT SQUASHTALK!
Draw/Results – CSA Division I Potter Trophy

Rochester 7 Harvard 2 at Lawrenceville School, Sunday Feb 22nd
#	Rochester	Harvard	Winner	Scores
1	Jim Bristow	Colin West	Harvard	9-1 9-4 9-0
2	Bennie Fischer	Verdi Disesa	Rochester	9-0 9-0 9-5
3	Hameed Ahmed	Niko Hrdy	Rochester	9-1 9-5 9-0
4	Matt Domenick	Buchanan	Rochester	9-7 9-2 9-0
5	Fred Reid	Reed Endresen	Rochester	9-1 9-4 9-2
6	Will Newnham	Richard Hill	Harvard	9-6 9-5 9-0
7	Joe Chapman	Frank Cohen	Rochester	3-2
8	Adam Perkiomaki	Will Ahmed	Rochester	9-7 9-3 9-0
9	Yohay Wakabayashi	Ned Reeves	Rochester	9-1 9-6 7-9 1-9 9-6

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UPDATE: 2/22 8:15 PM – ROCHESTER BEAT HARVARD TODAY TO CLAIM #3 SPOT IN THE NATION! More details soon…
DEFENDING NATIONAL CHAMPIONS TRINITY BEAT PRINCETON IN AN EPIC 5-4 FINAL BATTLE.

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UPDATE: 2/22 9:38 AM: Impressive showing by Rochester in spite of a loss to Princeton:

“…The two College squash men’s juggernauts (Princeton and Trinity) both won their semi final contests to move into another meeting at this years CSA Team Nationals. Both squads had to work hard for their wins, and Rochester in particular, were impressive in their opposition to Princeton, staking a very legimate claim for a position among the elite CSA contenders….
…The majority of Trinity’s matches against Harvard were short and one-sided, while several Princeton players engaged in long, physical duals against the University of Rochester. Crowd members whispered variations of “Rochester is helping Trinity out” – before the match was decided and long before Harvard and Trinity ever stepped on court….
…”Chris was frustrated he wasn’t able to do what he wanted to,” Callahan said. “Hameed was playing too well. He’s (Hameed) a wonderful talent, with exceptional shotmaking.”…
…Chapman stuck to the gameplan imparted to him by teammates who had played Shannon in the past: Hit the ball straight – straight drive or straight drop, and that’s it. And that gameplan gave Rochester it’s sole win today.
…”I think I played really well, some of the best squash of my life,” Chapman (pictured to the right) said after the match…
…”"I think Rochester is a very talented team,” Princeton coach Callahan said. “They played well today, did beautifully. I’m sure we’ll hear lots more about them over the next few years.”….
…Rochester is hoping people hear about a Sunday win over Harvard. The team lost 5-4 to Harvard in Cambridge during the season, squandering the opportunity to win it. Rochester head coach Martin Heath and his team are on a mission to turn the close loss into a win.
“This is why we’re here,” Heath said. “Our goal was to finish third this season. We’ve proven that we are a top team. Even Princeton and Trinity have to play their best with us.”…..”

Read the entire story on Day 2′s events at Squash Talk.

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UPDATE: 2/21 11:19 PM: Semifinals: Princeton bt. Rochester 9-1. Sole win for Rochester by Joe Chapman at #7. Tomorrow, the Yellowjackets take on the Harvard Crimson for third place. Given the 5-4 score in Harvard’s favor at their last faceoff, this one is up for grabs.

Princeton 8 Rochester 1
#	Princeton	Rochester	Winner	Scores
1	Mauricio Sanchez	Jim Bristow	Princeton	9-2 9-1 9-1
2	Kimlee Wong	Bennie Fischer	Princeton	9-3 9-7 9-4
3	Chris Callis	Hameed Ahmed	Princeton	4-9 9-7 1-9 9-7 9-5
4	David Letourneau	Matt Domenick	Princeton	10-8 4-9 9-2 9-1
5	David Canner	Fred Reid	Princeton	8-10 9-1 5-9 9-4 9-3
6	Hesham El Halaby	Will Newnham	Princeton	9-6 9-5 9-4
7	Kelly Shannon	Joe Chapman	Rochester	9-6 3-9 9-7 9-3
8	Santiago Imberton	Adam Perkiomaki	Princeton	9-3 9-4 9-3
9	Peter Sopher	Yohay Wakabayashi	Princeton	9-4 9-1 9-1
10	Jesus Pena	Ori Goldman	Princeton	9-1 9-0 9-3

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UPDATE: 02/21 10:45 AM – Yellowjacket #4 and US U23 National Team member, Matt Domenick must have slept soundly last night. Like the Energizer bunny, Domenick can go on and on. This was evident in the fifth and final game when his Yale opponent had no legs left but “M Dom” stood strong easily winning that last game 9-0.

….Ron Beck from Squashtalk asked Domenick what changed in game two, how he had turned things around. “It was simply confidence,” he said. “I knew I could win, and believing that, I just played that way.”….
…Coach Martin Heath reflected, “I think it’s the best I’ve ever seen him play, as a Yellowjacket or part of the U.S.Junior Men’s Team. He’s proven he is one of the best U23 players, and one of the best U.S. college players. He’s surpassed all expectations….

Read about the excitement – the entire first day’s report by Ron Beck and Kirsten Carlson at SquashTalk.
Also, a firsthand account on the day’s play by Paul Rubery.
The Yellowjackets play the #2 Princeton Tigers at noon today.

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UPDATE: 02/20 5:18 pm – Rochester bt. Yale 5-4. Domenick saves the day! Other key wins by Bristow, Fischer, Ahmed and Reid! Super effort by the entire team with two of the losses going down 3-2! A top 4 position is guaranteed.

Match point: M. Domenick clinches the win for Rochester (Video by Cathie Reid)	Rochester 5 Yale 4
	#	Rochester	Yale	Winner	Scores
	1	Jim Bristow	John Fulham	Rochester	9-4 9-0 6-9 9-0
	2	Bennie Fischer	Todd Ruth	Rochester	9-7 9-0 9-5
	3	Hameed Ahmed	John Roberts	Rochester	9-1 9-0 10-9
	4	Matt Domenick	Aaron Fuchs	Rochester	3-9 9-5 9-4 8-10 9-0
	5	Fred Reid	Ryan Dowd	Rochester	9-7 9-5 9-5
	6	Will Newnham	Colin Campbell	Yale	6-9 2-9 9-4 9-2 9-7
	7	Joe Chapman	Naishadh Lalwani	Yale	9-0 7-9 9-3 9-1
	8	Adam Perkiomaki	Francis Johnson	Yale	9-3 9-1 2-9 5-9 9-2
	9	Yohay Wakabayashi	Chris Plimpton	Yale	9-6 9-0 9-0
	10	Robbie Berner	Edwin Goncharuk	Yale	9-1 9-5 9-6

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02/20 10:15 am: #6 Rochester square off against #3 Yale at noon today in the first round of the team nationals, the culmination of the 08-09 college squash season in Princeton, NJ. A win today will assure them at least a season ending position at #4. Watch this space through the weekend for updated results, news and special reports directly from Princeton by members of the squad.

‘Tis the season to be …on court!

December 23rd, 2008 Mithun Mukherjee posted in General, Video

Given the massive amount of snow that has been dumped on us lately, where else would you rather vent than on the squash court!
Also, if you’re still looking to get in some last minute Christmas gifts for a squash player, Squash Republic has compiled a list.
From all of us here at Squash Rochester, happy holidays! See you in the new year!

The Mizuki Shot by Hisham Ashour

October 23rd, 2008 Mithun Mukherjee posted in Education, General, Video

Okay so The Mizuki may be just a bit much to practice and perfect. If you’re the regular social club player, you want to make sure you have the basics right – the rails, the drops and the boasts. Here are some words of wisdom from Kim Lee Wong on the #2 ranked Princeton squad:

“…If you are truly a beginner, and you are playing with other beginners, resist the urge to whack away. Instead, try to play the ball high, deep and to the corners….”
“…Ideal rail shots are both deep and tight and usually find their way to the back corners of the court, where space limits both your opponent’s swing and what he can do with his return….”
…”It’s about timing,” Wong said with a slight laugh. “If your opponent is off his balance, hitting a really hard shot just about anywhere will win the point. If your opponent hits a loose shot, you can hit a hard shot that takes up a lot of space, to get him stuck in a corner….”
“…Hacking the ball is not so much hard, but hard to keep it up…”

Read the entire article from the Daily Princetonian – “Mastering the shots: a beginner’s journey” by Jake Miller.

And finally, a quick primer of the basic forehand and backhand from Shahier Razik, current World #22. (previous Razik videos on grip and footwork)