February 13, 2014
- Debbie Brown, Director of the Santa Barbara School of Squash,
National Urban Squash & Education Association member - and Orla
O'Doherty, Squash Professional at the Santa Barbara Athletic Club,
visited fellow professional Bob Hanscom at the Arroyo Seco Racquet Club
in South Pasadena, CA, (Debbie's former home tennis/squash club) for an
informal visit with the world's #1 female squash player for over seven
years, Nicol David! Just returning from
her two impressive wins at the Tournament of Champions in New York and
the Cleveland Classic, (not dropping a game in eight matches) Nicol was
visiting the club and local squash community friends for an informal,
fun-filled evening of squash, camaraderie and an authentic Malaysian
buffet that she herself ordered the bill-of-fare for. Upon taking the photo
below, Debbie stated: "Oh yeah - she's a legend! She's so fast...she's
blurry! I couldn't get a clear picture of her playing because she is so
fast! And...let her order dinner! She does that well too!" Nicol David is a "blur" playing New Zealander Al Preston The evening included
Nicol demonstrating how she warms up prior to playing a match, three
person drills, rallies and games with two former professional
squash-players, Ronen Goldberg, five-time Israeli national champion,
Maccabiah Game Gold Medalist and Al Preston of New Zealand, former PSA
player living locally with his wife and two children. The game-scores
certainly dispelled the notion that women professional squash-players
are not up to "competing" with the men, Nicol coming out on the winning
side of their games with only four, five and six points scored against
her. The latter part of the
evening featured an authentic Malaysian buffet for everyone, which was
great due to the fact that it was Nicol herself who created the
bill-of-fare for. This was followed with Nicol signing autographs and
posing for photos with the delighted junior squash-players in
attendance. To quote little junior squash-player Kate Chang, “I'm going
to remember this night for the rest of my life!” Nicol unwrapping her Malayasian bill of fare for the junior players
The evening concluded
with an extensive question and answer period, which Nicol graciously
(as always) participated in. Addressing many questions, Nicol said:
"Even after 11 years, I still need to train and work hard to keep my
level of play up." And..."A player should not only practice their
technical and tactical skills, but also practice game and match
focus." When Nicol was asked what she has planned after she
retires, she commented: “I'd like to open a squash academy and work
with a coaching staff, the goal being to develop a quality junior
program. I suspect I'll be working personally with some of the higher
level juniors as well.” Nicol...the 30
year-old seven-time world champion stated that she hopes to continue
playing for as long as her body remains healthy...perhaps for another
five years! Nicol and her "friends" at the Arroyo Seco Racquet Club in South Pasadena, CA
