As a member-supported organization, due to your active engagement, US Squash is able to fully pursue its mission. Our purpose is to encourage and support lifelong positive engagement in squash. We believe that participation in squash transforms lives. Our work expands access at every level and increases opportunities to participate and excel, and to embrace the community’s values of honesty, courtesy and respect. We support every athlete’s ambition to realize their full potential, on and off the court. We value integrity above all, and inclusiveness in all aspects of our programs and services.
Summer is the time when we catch our breath while also plan for the coming season. The US Squash management team is very focused on evaluating and applying what we’ve learned from last year’s unique season as we faced Delta and Omicron waves while meeting the challenge of opening the Arlen Specter US Squash Center.
Look for a series of announcements early fall as we articulate our vision for the future, the programs that will lead us there, and details on how you can help and get involved. News will range from new ways to engage in competitions at all levels, our renewed focus on masters and doubles squash participation, new events, women and girls programming, and scholastic squash support. All of our work ultimately leads us towards increasing access to the sport and pursuing excellence on and off the court.
On the excellence front, last week, Team USA juniors trained together at the Specter Center in preparation for the upcoming World Junior Championships in France this August. Top juniors are also competing at the U19 British Junior Open, and this weekend US Squash will host the Battle for the Border vs. Canada for the first time since its founding 17 years ago. The Pan Am Juniors are July 31 – August 6 in Cochabamba, Bolivia, where 4 girls and 4 boys will represent Team USA. Finally, last week several Americans competed in the World Games hosted in Birmingham, AL. The High Performance Program is kicking into high gear for the pros in their “off season,” providing a training regimen for athletes this the summer at the Specter Center, with top collegiate Americans also taking advantage of the structure.
After so much uncertainty for so long, it’s a genuine pleasure to ramp up planning for the U.S. Open this October 8-15, supported again this year by Truist. We’re thankful for our growing roster of corporate partners, including Penn Medicine and Comcast Business, and are excited to host our inaugural Corporate League season starting in October.
As you can see, we are continuing to lean in on all fronts to drive, plan and support programming across the spectrum and are looking forward to what we expect to be our best season yet. I hope you’re having an enjoyable summer wherever your plans may take you and that you are as proud of your association and membership as I am of the entire staff’s commitment and hard work in supporting our mission.
We like to think that if you are passionate about squash, you are passionate about us. All of us at US Squash wish you a happy and healthy summer!
