A First Class US Open, But Where Were The Spectators?
from Bryan Patterson, special to DailySquashReport.com
photo courtesy Steve Cubbins
October 9, 2011 - Went to the Delaware Investment Group US Open to see the finals: Massaro v Brown and Matthew v Shabana on Thursday 6th October. What a terrific venue at the Daskalakis Athletic Center at Drexel University in Philadelphia.
One of the best that I’ve see, not that I’ve seen too many around the world, and I’m sure that there other spectacular venues. However the Drexel arena had it all: great all round court seating, executive boxes, (thanks Richard Chin and US Squash), a little like the boxes at some of the Major National sports in this country, with good seats, good food and to top it off good beer. Also to one side an open eating area with seats and tables plus the Squash Zone with all the fun squash games that you could want at a top squash event. Never got to try my hand at seeing how fast I could hit the ball, but Cameron Pilley is now the hardest hitter, and has taken the title from John White, the Drexel Squash Coach. I also hear that Shabana was beaten at WiFi squash too!
I coached in Philadelphia for seven years from 2000 – 07 at the Squash Club @ CHASS. Coached many kids and adults there, brought the National Squads to the Club, ran tournaments, played and ran teams in the PSRA leagues and made many great friends in the community. Philadelphia is one of, if not THE Squash City in the USA.
So what happened to the Philadelphia crowd and squash community?
You didn’t really turn out to support this amazing event. Here was one of the top squash events to have happened in Philadelphia in years, and you all didn’t turn up to support it. Now I know that squash is a players' game, we all want to play rather than watch, but there is loads to be said for watching too and learning a little more about the game. Squash is also one of the few sports where you can actually get close to the players, meeting them, getting autographs, and generally getting to know them. The players did a great job in meeting people, but again what happened to the people, and the kids. The number of clubs AND schools in the area that play squash and have courts is phenomenal, and yet proportionately fewer kids and adults from these clubs and schools came. Shame on you Phila.
The venue should be packed to the rafters, there were amazing matches on all days, right through to the finals. Then Sunday on kids day, they should have been turning kids away because they were full, but they weren’t! No excuses Phila – no wrong time of the year, MLB being played, too much homework, other sports being played, other commitments, live too far away, this is a World Class event attracting World Class players, being played in a World Class City – and you didn’t turn up. Shame on you Phila. Having said all this I do know that Russell and Rix made a valiant effort for the Final, bringing 35 kids from Episcopal Academy. Now if only all the Pros would do that!?? I hope that you all turn out next year and REALLY make this event the World Class event that it deserves to be. I’ll be back to see if you do!! NO excuses!
(To all my friends in Philadelphia who I met at the finals – you guys are awesome, you just need to get the other squash community players, parents, kids and aficionados to come and make this a jam packed WORLD CLASS EVENT. Go for it in 2012!)
Oh and having cycled across America from San Fransisco to the Bronx, 6th June to the 9th July, and now finding it hard to walk (knee and left hip done in), the Yankees playing, I still made it down to the final from NYC. Come on folks there’s no excuse.
John Fry in his speech at the end said that he hoped that this US Open event would be in Philadelphia for years to come. I hope that this happens too, I enjoy coming back to Philadelphia and meeting up with all my friends. So come on you guys -- make this event a huge success in the coming years, so that I can get to visit many times and watch World Class squash.
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