Carole Grunberg and Susan Greene, two stalwarts and long-time organizers of the women’s game, were recognized with the Women’s Sportsmanship Award and Women’s Achievement Bowl, respectively, April 13, during the U.S. Women’s Masters and Skill Level Championships at the Arlen Specter US Squash Center.
The Women’s Sportsmanship Award is awarded by the US Squash Women’s Committee to players who have shown exemplary sportsmanship on and off the court.
Originally a tennis player, Grunberg picked up the sport attending Vassar College and has been an active squash player ever since. Throughout her fifty-year plus career that has included eight Masters titles, Grunberg has earned a reputation for her exemplary sportsmanship. After accepting the award, Grunberg–who received the women’s Achievement Bowl in 2009–praised the sportsmanship shown by all participants competing in the Women’s Masters and Skill Levels.
“I really do agree with the player who said ‘if you don’t call double bounces on yourself or your balls out, you can’t live with yourself,” Grunberg said. “Good sportsmanship makes the game more fun and more real, and makes it’s more fair, and that’s what we like in squash–a match that’s fair. Everybody here that I’ve watched play has been an incredible sportswoman. Calling your balls out and your double bounces so I commend all of you for being good sportswomen.”
The Achievement Bowl, the oldest award in US Squash, is awarded by the Women’s Committee to people who have made notable and profound contributions to the advancement of the women’s game.
Throughout her career, Greene has played an instrumental role as a player on court and organizer off court, locally and nationally. Greene–a two-time Century Doubles National Champion–currently serves as the President of Mass Squash–one of the nation’s largest and most active districts–and has served on numerous women’s and doubles national committees for years. Boston-based Greene–who received the Sportsmanship Award in 1996–has consistently organized one of the largest regional representations at the Howe Cup year on year. After accepting the award, Greene recognized fellow Achievement Bowl recipients that were in attendance including Beth Rasin, Karen Arango, Hope Prockop, Carole Grunberg. Molly Pierce. Greene thanked longtime opponents Wendy Berry and Leslie Cameron, and encouraged the younger players to act as organizers in their own communities.
“It’s a huge honor, I want to thank everyone who voted for me,” Greene said. “My hope is that all of you women go back to your cities and encourage others to play in these national events. Hopefully many of you will be in the game thirty years from now. As you can see this weekend, it’s a wonderfully supportive community.”
