US Squash Policies:
Participation Policies
US SQUASH Broadcast Policy
US Squash has been and, in the future, will be entering into agreements with media companies to provide coverage for its various events. There are limitations imposed by these media companies on the spectators at these events, including coach, athlete and volunteer members of US Squash, prohibiting photographing, videotaping and other audio/visual recordings for commercial non-personal use, and broadcasting, publishing and disseminating the product for any and all commercial purposes, and are therefore prohibited without express written permission from US Squash.
Any photographs, videotape or other audio and/or visual recordings of the event created by a spectator may be used solely for such spectator’s personal non-commercial use, and may not be broadcast, published or disseminated, or used for any commercial purposes, without the prior written consent of US Squash. This policy allows for videotaping, filming, digitally recording and photography for educational and personal purposes, however prohibits others from taping and then attempting to sell or post on other sites. Use of a photographic or recording device within the court, other than by parties approved by US Squash, is prohibited. Live-streaming videos taken during accredited play is prohibited, including, but not limited to, services such as Youtube, Periscope and Meerkat, unless previously approved by US Squash.
US SQUASH Protective Eyewear Policy
The risk of eye injury in racquet sports such as squash is “high” according to the American Academies of Ophthalmology and Pediatrics, the American Optometric Association, and eye care professionals who have studied sports eye injuries. Fortunately, these injuries are almost totally preventable with appropriate protective equipment.
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- All players and coaches must wear protective eyewear whether playing singles or doubles, hardball or softball squash during all activities that take place on the court involving racquets and balls at US Squash-only accredited events.
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- The eyewear must meet or exceed the current American Society for Testing and Materials standard ASTM-F3164. The legacy ASTM-F803 standard will also be accepted. To be used in competition, protective eyewear must appear on the ASTM reference listing.
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- The eyewear must be unaltered and worn over the eyes as designed at all times.
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- The policy applies to participants at all events in the United States including tournaments, exhibitions, clinics and leagues which are accredited only by the US Squash or organized by its member districts.
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- Players under 19 years of age participating in Junior competitions internationally must wear approved eyewear at all times.
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- Members of Team USA (Men and Women) are strongly encouraged to wear protective eyewear while competing in international events.
US Squash will maintain a reference list of ASTM approved eyewear but does not test, evaluate, or certify eyewear as compliant with ASTM-F3164 (or ASTM-F803).
Selecting protective eyewear that meets or exceeds the ASTM-F3164 standard is the responsibility of individual participants. Streetwear spectacles and un-lensed eye protection do not meet the standard. In some cases eyewear manufacturers may assert their products are compliant with the standard or the products may carry the seal of an independent certifier such as the Protective Eyewear Certification Council. However, US Squash recommends seeking advice from an eyewear professional before buying to insure that the eyewear meets or exceeds the ASTM-F3164 standard.
APPROVED
The companies below assert these eyewear models have been tested and meet the ASTM-F3164 or ASTM-F803 standard for eye protection. If you have knowledge indicating otherwise, please send an email to office@ussquash.com.
Black Knight Action Eyes Stiletto
Black Knight Action Eyes Turbo
Black Knight Action Eyes Turbo Junior
Black Knight Lasers
Black Knight Sight Guards
Black Knight Kona
Black Knight Kona Junior
Black Knight Lynx
E-Force Crystal Wrap
E-Force Dual Focus
Ektelon Scopa Slim
Ektelon Speed
Ektelon Strobe
Ektelon Strobe 2009
Ektelon Vendetta
Dunlop I-Armor Protective Eyewear
Dunlop I-Armor Junior Eyewear
Gearbox Vision
Harrow Radar
Harrow Covet
Harrow Radar Jr
Harrow Banzai
Harrow Shield Pro
HEAD Impulse
HEAD Pro Elite
HEAD Raptor
HEAD Rave
i-MASK (WARNING: For i-MASK users: Polycarbonate spectacle lenses should be used if spectacles are worn under protective eyewear.)
Karakal 2500
Karakal Pro 3000
Oliver Prolite
Oliver D AC Vision
Prince Speed
Prince Pro Lite
Prince Pro Lite II
Prince Scopa Slim
Protec P360 P1
Protec P360 P2
Protec P360 P3
Protec P360 P4
Protec P360 P5
Python Rad Turbo Amber/Lens
Python Rad Turbo
Ria Reflex
Salming Split Vision Junior
Salming Split Vision Senior
Swans Sports Eye Guard
Tecnifibre Absolute Squash
Tourna Specs Clear
Wilson Jet Eyewear
Wilson Lynx
Wilson nVue Eyewear
Wilson Vents Hope Squash
UNAPPROVED
The following eyewear models have NOT been confirmed as having been tested or having met the ASTM-F3164 or ASTM-F803 standard for eye protection and are therefore are NOT currently approved for use in order to be compliant with the US. Squash Protective Eyewear Policy. If you have knowledge indicating otherwise, please send an email to office@ussquash.com.
Ektelon Attitude
Ektelon Mirage II
Ektelon More Game
Ektelon Quantum
Feather Eyewear – all models
HEAD Master
HEAD PowerZone Shield Junior
HEAD PowerZone Shield
I.X. Power Pro
I.X. Talbot Speed Pro
Oakley – all models
Rudy Project – all models
S&W Eyewear – all models
Vents Eyewear
Vents Junior
Wilson GPS
Wilson Triple X Squash
Wilson Vents Cadet
Wilson Vents Squash Goggles
New Standard for Athletic Eye Protection: ASTM F3164 – Racquet Sports
Junior Policy
A transgender athlete under the age of 18 should be allowed to participate in US Squash accredited events in accordance with his/her/their gender identity, irrespective of the sex listed on the athlete’s birth certificate or other records, and regardless of whether the athlete has undergone any medical procedure or treatments.
Adult Policies
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- A transgender male (FTM) athlete may participate in men’s or mixed competitions without restriction, but is no longer eligible to compete in a women’s competition if undergoing hormone (testosterone) treatment.
- A transgender female (MTF) athlete being treated with testosterone suppression medication may participate in women’s competition after completing one calendar year of testosterone suppression treatment. She may continue to participate in men’s competitions until the year of treatment is complete and general policies guiding participation will apply.
- Any transgender athlete who is not taking hormone treatment related to gender transition may participate in competition in accordance with his or her assigned birth sex.
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- General policies guiding participation will apply to transgender male (FTM) athlete who is not taking testosterone related to gender transition.
- A transgender female (MTF) athlete who is not taking hormone treatments related to gender transition may not compete on a women’s team.
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Recognizing excellence is a core goal of US Squash, and central to this goal is awarding national championships to the best competitors across different versions of the sport and varied age divisions.
US Squash engages in regular re-evaluation of its championship structure, utilizing the National Championship Committee, to ensure continued integrity with how championships are structured and champions recognized.
Term Definitions:
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- National Championship(s): A tournament held in which winners of some or all divisions determine a national champion.
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- Championship Division: A division within a National Championship(s) in which the winner is honored as a national champion.
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- National Champion: The individual, or team, honored as a U.S. champion through virtue of winning a Championship Division.
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- Open Division: A division in which players of any age or skill level may participate assuming other requirements have been met. For the purposes of this document, an “Open Division” does denote whether or not non-U.S. citizens can compete in that division.
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- Age Division: A division in which players are restricted to participate if they are younger, or older in the case of junior tournaments, than the age cutoff.
Key Principles:
To determine a national champion, a tournament or division should:
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- recognize those who are the best competitors nationally in the specific competition in which they are playing, whether in an open or age division;
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- have demonstrated a significant level of participation in a given year;
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- meet other specific qualifications, including age, for that division.
Criteria:
Based on the above principles, US Squash follows the below standards and criteria for awarding national championships and designating championship divisions. Criteria apply across all versions of the game and apply equally, unless specifically noted otherwise. Versions include, but are not limited to: Singles/Doubles Softball, Singles/Doubles Hardball, Squash 57 (English Racketball).
Awarding National Championships
A National Championships must be representative of a version of the sport that has adequate participation across many regions of the country in which the sport is played. Versions of the sport that are localized in a particular region should not be eligible for a National Championships until participation has grown into multiple regions.
The National Championships should be made up of divisions in which there is a reasonable amount of accredited play occurring during the season, such as US Squash accredited leagues and tournaments.
NOTE: Consideration for versions of the game with lower overall participation numbers should be given to those which are showing sustained growth that is expected to continue.
Process for Certification and Decertification: This process evaluates existing or potential tournaments based on the criteria in this document.
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- Certification: In general, a minimum of two-year trial process be set for certifying a new event as a National Championships. In this time, the tournament would aim to clearly establish itself as meeting the criteria for a National Championships, along with an expectation of sustainability.
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- Decertification: The National Championships Committee may make a recommendation to the US Squash Board for a tournament to be decertified as a National Championships. This triggers a two-year process where recent prior participants of that tournament would be notified of the recommendation for decertification, and the areas in which the version of the sport or the National Championships needs to make progress to avoid decertification. At the end of the two-year timeframe, the National Championships Committee makes a follow-up recommendation to the board.
NOTE: Hardball Squash Doubles presents opportunities for novel combinations of top-level players, even if those combinations are not competed in actively during the season, such as the Century or Father/Son Championships. These tournaments may not have robust equivalent accredited play throughout the season, however often involve elite players who are competing actively in hardball doubles throughout the year. They should still be evaluated based on the established criteria, while recognizing their unique positioning.
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- Designating Championship Divisions
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- Individual participants or teams must be scheduled to play at least three matches, against three different opponents or teams, over the course of the tournament (e.g. a minimum of four entrants in singles, or four teams in doubles or team competitions)
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- Both traditional draws or round robin formats are acceptable
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- Unexpected events leading to fewer matches, such as late withdraws or injury defaults, does not preclude a championship from being awarded
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- Individual participants or teams must be scheduled to play at least three matches, against three different opponents or teams, over the course of the tournament (e.g. a minimum of four entrants in singles, or four teams in doubles or team competitions)
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- In the event divisions are combined, a national champion is only determined in the division played
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- If a men’s 45+ division did not have enough players and was combined with the men’s 40+, only a men’s 40+ champion would be recognized
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- Should a division already qualify as a championship division, it should not be combined with a younger division. In the above example, if there were adequate players to compete for a championship in a 45+ division, it should not be combined with the 40+, even if the 40+ was undersubscribed
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- In the event divisions are combined, a national champion is only determined in the division played
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- National champion titles should be awarded only in open or age divisions. Skill level division winners (other than the top skill level at the national championships event) are not considered national champions
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- Only the winning team in the A division of Howe Cup, the top men’s and women’s divisions at the US Squash Skill Level Championships, or the top team at the U.S. High School Team Championships are considered national champions
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- National champion titles should be awarded only in open or age divisions. Skill level division winners (other than the top skill level at the national championships event) are not considered national champions
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- The National Championships Committee should evaluate championship divisions annually on whether the best national competitors at that age or version of the game are competing for the championship. The following considerations are considered when making their evaluations and recommendation to the board:
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- Are players ranked at the top of that division, and/or the best eligible players, participating in the national championship?
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- Was a lower level of competition in a division a single-year phenomenon, or a pattern over time?
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- Are participants competing at a high level of play in related divisions over time or during the season?
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- The National Championships Committee should evaluate championship divisions annually on whether the best national competitors at that age or version of the game are competing for the championship. The following considerations are considered when making their evaluations and recommendation to the board:
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- Designating Championship Divisions
National Championships Committee
The National Championships Committee is responsible for two primary duties (1) reviewing the criteria for national championships periodically and recommending any adjustments to the US Squash Board, and (2) evaluating potential and existing National Championships and National Championship Divisions based on the established criteria for the purposes of making a certification or de-certification recommendation to the US Squash Board. The National Championships Committee is separate from individual committees established to encourage participation across national championships.
The US Squash Codes of Conduct exist to elevate and maintain the high standard of sportsmanship in squash competition. They have been developed to maintain enjoyment and safety during accredited play, and are aligned with US Squash values of fairness, sportsmanship and respect.