SQUASH CANADA ANNOUNCES CAPTAINS AHEAD OF 93rd LAPHAM GRANT MATCHES
by Danny Da Costa

November 12, 2013 - OTTAWA (ON) – The 93rd playing of the Lapham – Grant Matches between Canada and the United States will take place April 11 – 13,, 2014, at the historic Merion Cricket Club in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  The Canadian Team will be captained by Keith Flavell, assisted by co-captains Marci Sier and Bob Dubeau. 

The annual Lapham – Grant Matches between the United States and Canada consist of four different competitions. The men compete in singles for the Lapham Cup and in doubles for the Grant Trophy.  Concurrently, women compete in a combined singles and doubles competition for the Crawford Trophy, while the men’s “Legends” – over 65 years of age – compete in the doubles competition for the Lawrence – Wilkins Trophy.  Approximately 140 players from across the USA and Canada every year find their way to the Lapham - Grant Matches.

Flavell, of the Atwater Club in Montreal, will captain the men’s singles and doubles matches playing for the Lapham Cup and Grant Trophy.  Dubeau, also of the Atwater Club in Montreal, will captain the men playing for the Lawrence-Wilkins Trophy, while Sier of the Badminton and Racquet Club in Toronto will captain the women’s team playing for the Crawford Trophy.

“The Lapham-Grant Matches are fiercely competitive, but also fun”, said Flavell.  “And the role of the captains is to bring together evenly matched sides, with players ranging from some of our best university and national level players, to veterans and past champions, to enthusiastic but less skillful players who are nevertheless great friends of the game.  In the true spirit of friendship, the weekend is also a social reunion of friends and colleagues and supporters of the game of squash.  But when the teams arrive, let there be no doubt that both sides come prepared to compete for the right to have their names engraved on the trophies.”

Added Lolly Gillen, President of Squash Canada, “Squash Canada is most proud of the tradition of excellence and friendship the Lapham-Grant Matches bring to the game of squash.  There is something unique about how the players from across the country come together and embrace the traditions and sportsmanship of this special rivalry.  We also note the special role played by the Canadian Jesters, over the past 10 years, in organizing and managing the event, including the hosting of these championships when in Canada”. 

The Lapham Cup matches have been played every year since 1922 and stand today as the longest annual sporting competition between Canada and the USA.  The Grant Trophy matches were inaugurated in 1945, the Crawford Trophy matches in 1999, and the Lawrence-Wilkins Trophy matches in 2001. 

The Lapham-Grant Matches alternate host countries each year.  Last year’s matches in Vancouver, BC, saw Canada sweep all four competitions and there is little doubt that the Americans will be out for revenge.

ABOUT SQUASH CANADA:
Founded in 1915, Squash Canada is a non-profit, national sport association responsible for the development of athletes, coaches and officials and sets the standards for Canadian Squash. Squash Canada is a proud member of the Pan-American and World Squash Federations and participates in the Pan-American championships, Commonwealth and Pan-Am Games as well as World Championships at the junior and senior level. Each year Squash Canada hosts various national championships across the country and works with its provincial and territorial partners to promote the growth and development of Squash across the country. Squash Canada is based in Ottawa, ON Canada.