New Mexico Squash Racquets Association 
September 10, 1994
New Mexico Squash Racquets Association
As is evident from the content of this issue of the Tell-Tale, the New Mexico Squash Racquets Association is showing some signs of very good health.
May marked the start of the Association's 11th year. We started off right with an election of officers and it was rewarding to see so many members take an interest and cast their votes. I have been re-elected as the President. No doubt, this had much to do with name familiarity, as my "worthy opponent," Charlie Perkins is somewhat new to our Association (and to New Mexico, for that matter). However, you should know that Charlie is most supportive and enthusiastic when it comes to the game of squash and has contributed greatly to the growth of squash in the Southwest (particularly in Texas). Hopefully, I can hand the scepter over to you next year, Charlie! Also, I am proud to welcome Albuquerque teaching pro Chris Lang as the new Vice-President. He has already demonstrated his postitive influence and organizational abilities by initiating the state league, as well as an Albuquerque challenge ladder; he also has two very successful tournaments under his belt. Finally, a grateful "welcome back" to re-elected Treasurer Richard Hammer and Secretary Randy Kahn. Richard's hard work is evidenced by a balanced checkbook, the enclosed membership listing, and our ranking list. As for Randy, you are holding the fine results of his ceaseless efforts in your hand right now, as he has the demanding job of editing (and writing much of) the Tell-Tale, as well as answering my phone and making my coffee (ha ha).
The number of tournaments and "extra-curricular" activities organized by the Association is a key indicator of our organization's health. These activities make for great times and add much to the value of being an NMSRA member. The highlights so far this year include the now-famous (and really fun) "Las Vegas Blitz" by Team New Mexico, which was organized by Randy Kahn, as well as the Talbot Agency OpenInternational Grand Prix tournament, skillfully directed by Chris Lang. See the articles on these events in this issue of the Tell-Tale. In the calendar of events on the back page of this issue, you will note that a terrific idea for a new tournament is coming to fruition: the 1st Annual International Balloon Fiesta Squash Championships! In addition, we have the 11th Annual Albuquerque Open, which should be an event particularly dear to our hearts, as this was the Association's very first tournament. Next, we have the "old faithful" Kiva Classics, always a great tournament that gets "top-billing" amongst Southwest squash events (particularly for veteran players).
That's about it for now. As always, I encourage your support of the NMSRA in any form you can offer, as well as your participation in NMSRA events. These are important contributors to keeping our organization in shape for continued "good health."
JULIE KAHN
By Chris Lang
During the week of July 19th-24th, Midtown Sports and Wellness hosted the 4th Annual Talbot Agency Open [ed. note: the 5th International Grand Prix event in Albq]. Squash pros from Europe, Australia, and North America flew into town and for six days, they overtook the courts, captivating any squash enthusiasts who were on hand trying to pick up pointers from the experienced entourage of squash elitists.
Play commenced with the qualifiers draw on Tuesday. New Mexico's Chris Lang and Randy Kahn gave their opponents a run for their money, but were unsuccessful in trying to defeat their counterparts. Advancing through the qualifier to the first round were Stuart Cowie of England, Jeffery Bond of Australia and the U.S.'s own Richard Chin and Tim Long.
The first round of the main draw began on Thursday. As was predicted, all of the top seeds advanced into the quarter-finals. With the exceptions of Jamie Crombie and Sebastian Lecat, all players won their matches in three straight games!
The quarter-finals and semi-finals proved to be very exciting. The pros manipulated the ball around the court with flawless expertise. Patience was the dominating factor, as was clearly evident in the long ralles, which are a staple of the professional squash player's game.
In the end, the tournament's number one and two seeds, Jamie Crombie and Jonathan Power, advanced to the finals. After dropping the first game 10-15, Crombie took advantage of his less-experienced and weaker adversary to win the match in the next three games, 15-4, 15-7, and 15-8. For Crombie, who won the first International Grand Prix Tournament in Albuquerque in 1989, this was his second visit and win in the Duke City.
Jamie Crombie wins his second Albuquerque Grand Prix Tournament
The weekend also played host to the twenty-five players who competed in the amateur half of the Talbot Agency Open. Once again, round-robin was the tournament format, guaranteeing participants an abundant numberof matches.
The Men's A & B divisions were comprised of two four-man round-robins, with the winner of each group competing in the finals. In the Men's A's, Albuquerque's Chris Lang defeated Los Alamos' Richard Hammer 3-1. In the Men's B's, Albuquerque's Rick Jackson defeated Albuquerque's Len Connell, 3-2.
The Men's C division was a single elimination format. In the finals, Albuquerque's Hal Hudson battled it out with Los Alamos' Dick Silbar. Dick won the match 3-1.
The Men's 40+ division contained players who also competed in the Men's A & B divisions. The final was won by Albuquerque's David Neal, who defeated Dick Carrington of Dallas, 3-1.
Pro Qualifier Draw Results
On Saturday night, both pro and amateur participants converged at the Midtown pool for a Mexican feast, drink, swimming, and a pinata! Thanks to Jim Miller, the in-house chef, everyone readily devoured a piping hot green chili stew, enchiladas, and other Mexican fare. This was followed by an uninvited toss of tournament director, Chis Lang, into the pool! The festivities closed with the smashing of the pinata. T-shirts, balls, and bags were the prizes, which were donated by Head Sports. Main Pro Draw Results
Tournament Director Chris Lang awards B winner Rick Jackson and runner up Len Connell
Overall, the tournament was a tremendous success, with thanks owed to Rolex, Head Sports, Inc., Dunlop, The Talbot Agency, Inc., New Mexico Beverage Co., X-Ray Associates, and New Mexico Sports and Wellness. A good time was had by all and everyone will be looking forward to next year's event.
[Ed. note: Chris Lang deserves tremendous thanks for handling ALL the details for both the amateur and pro tournament, doing such a fantastic job!]
New Mexico Sports and Wellness will be hosting the First Annual Balloon Fiesta Squash Championships commencing Friday, September 30th.
There will be T-shirts and Power Bars for all participants, as well as lots of refreshments throughout the weekend. Catch this - balloon rides will be raffled off!!!
Look for an entry form in the mail, as well as in "SquashNews" magazine, and in the New Mexico Sports and Wellness newsletter. For information or questions, please call Chris Lang at 505-888-4811.
The Fall/Winter State Squash League season will soon be underway. The tentative start-up date will be October 10th. Players are asked to organize teams, with captains, and submit rosters to Chris Lang no later than September 30th.
Look for information concerning league rules and format in the mail. For information or questions, please call Chris Lang at 505-888-4811.
by Bruce Takala
What do you get when you combine loads of good squash and hospitality, an abundance of food and drink, and a town that never sleeps? On a recent trip by ten players from the New Mexico Squash Racquets Association [ed. and four terrific supportive wives/friends] to Las Vegas, Nevada for friendly team competition with two Las Vegas clubs, the result was a great time, tired legs, and mostly empty wallets. The trip was organized by Randy Kahn and the New Mexico team captain was Chris Lang. Richard Hammer and Bruce Takala from Los Alamos joined Dave Neal, Hal Hudson, Rick Jackson, Hart Renger, Mike Hussey, and Julie Kahn to fill out Team New Mexico.
The trip began Friday, August 12th, with a flight from Albuquerque to Las Vegas (excluding Dave Neal, who decided he needed to drive 12 hours instead). We stayed at the Circus Circus Hotel and Casino on the Strip. Because the room reservations had to be made early when the exact participants had not been finalized, some of the rooms were registered under names of people who did not make the trip. This made for all kinds of "fun" mixups, particularly for David Neal and Richard Hammer. However, after 12 hours on the road, Dave can be quite persuasive!
Our match on Saturday was at the Las Vegas Sporting House, which is just off the Strip. Due to a change in club ownership/management, the front desk staff had not received information regarding our sched match. Just when it appeared that the match was in doubt, David Perkins, a Sporting House squash player, arrived to save the day. On short notice, he put a team together.
The club is a beautiful facility, a modernized version ofone of the many racquetball clubs of times past. Squash, basketball, weight training, and a health bar are all featured. Despite the outside temperature being well over 100, the club was very comfortable and everything was (eventually) in place for some good squash.
In order to allow maximum opportunity for additional matches following the "official" team match, team captains agreed that individual matches would be three games instead of the usual five. It was also agreed that play would be generally from the bottom up, so that the best players would decide the team competition if it was still close at the end.
Hal Hudson led off for Team New Mexico by defeating Malcom Poon, 2-0. Hart Renger then followed by defeating Cory Jenkins, 2-0, in a match much closer than the game count would indicate. Mike Hussey gave New Mexico a 3-0 lead with a victory over Darren Breeze, 2-0. Amazingly, Dave Neal's match was moved up so he could get to a golf course! He returned this favor by defeating John Garrett, 2-0. Bruce Takala defeated Harry Sidhu, 2-0, and a trend began to be apparent. Perhaps we were just in better condition than our opponents! The initial games were often close, but even with the shortened match, the locals began to fade before long.
Rick Jackson continued the rout with a defeat of Walter Kan, 2-0. Richard Hammer then dropped the first game for New Mexico to David Perkins, but with conditioning again being a factor, came back to win the next two games handily. Randy Kahn then used his typical marvelous mix of shots to defeat John Garrett, 2-0. Trying to avoid the shutout, the Sporting House threw Bret Harnett, a respected racquetball pro, at Chris Lang. Our thanks to Bret for being a good sport for playing, but Chris beat him 2-1 and showed him that good racquetball condition does not necessarily translate to good squash condition. The Sporting House did avoid the shutout when Cory Jenkins defeated Julie Kahn, 2-0. The final score was Team New Mexico 9 and the Las Vegas Sporting House 1. Much more squash was played by New Mexico's players, but the locals generally did not participate (primarily due to fatigue? Maybe there is something to high altitude training, since Team New Mexico players all play at altitudes above 5000 feet and some as high as 7500 ft!)
The rest of the day, Team New Mexico split up to sample the many highlights of Las Vegas. Some gambled; some walked the Strip and watched the volcano at the Mirage and the sea battle at Treasure Island; some toured the newer resorts like the Paramount Pyramid and the MGM complex. In the morning, some took the rental car to see Hoover Dam. The squash was a nice break from the crowds and helped to work off some of the plentiful food and beverages.
The Sunday match was not scheduled until 2:00 at the Green Valley Athletic Club. This club is only a short drive from the Strip. The club is a large and modern club with fine facilities and an active membership. They have three international courts and one hard ball court. Upon our arrival, it was clear that Amy Milanek, Green Valley Team Captain and our host, and Rocky Hanson, the Green Valley Court Sports Director, had put considerable effort into preparing for our match. Refreshments, towels, and lockers were provided and team photos and video tapes were taken; even T-shirts had been specially printed to commemorate the event! We were made to feel very welcome and Amy's and Rocky's attention to detail was sincerely appreciated.
Team New Mexico lines up before beating Green Valley Athletic Club
Word of our previous day's success preceded us; it was clear that they we were going to face a much more accomplished team this time. All matches would be the best of five.
Hart Renger led off for New Mexico with a victory over Larry Lehrner, 3-0. Playing on a second court, Green Valley tied the score when Rolf Maile defeated Julie Kahn, 3-0. New Mexico again took the lead when Hal Hudson defeated Mark Littigio, 3-0. Mike Hussey then defeated John Siegrist, 3-0. Rick Jackson then defeated Gene Shutler 3-0. Bruce Takala followed defeating Chris Tunley 3-0. David Perkins, who had been defeated on Saturday by Richard Hammer, dropped down one slot to take a crack at Dave Neal. New Mexico took a 6-1 lead with Neal's 3-0 victory. Richard Hammer was not about to get behind as on the previous day and defeated Scott Collins, 3-0. In the most hotly contested match of the weekend, Randy Kahn gave a classic lesson in court discipline and manners in defeating Tom Moore, 3-2. Ian Macintosh, a transplant from South Africa, upheld the honor of Green Valley and international squash with a sound defeat of our Chris Lang, 3-0. The final tally was New Mexico 8 and Green Valley Athletic Club 2. Some of us were so impressed with our hosts and the facilities that we are returning to the club for the 5th Annual Squash Classic to be held 8-11 September.
[ author's note: Team squash events are make for a great time, whether formally organized or informal dual matches, like this trip. The camaraderie is contagious and this a terrific way to meet new players. Chris Jackson's team squash event, held at the Metropolitan Athletic Club in Houston each May, is one of the biggest and oldest team events around. I encourage everyone to give team squash a try.]
[ed. note: Future Team New Mexico trips are being planned for San Diego and San Antonio.]
Last month's tip suggested the raising up of one's racquet while approaching the ball in preparation to hit it (which I am sure all of you are now doing on a regular basis). This month, I'm going to offer my advice on one of the least-used shots in the game--the lob.
During a match, your opponent relentlessly insists on forcing you to return his flawless drop shots or boasts. So, you run to the front of the court, rush your stroke, and either drive the ball to length or drive it cross-court.
At the time, you may think this is your only option; more often than not, you just get yourself into more trouble, because your hurried return delivers the ball back to your opponent quicker than you can return to the "T". Try lobbing the ball.
The lob is a high, softly hit shot that floats back to the rear of the court. If properly hit, not only is it difficult to return, but it also gives you plenty of time to recover to the "T".
As you approach your opponents drop or boast, open the face of your racquet ( so that your strings almost are pointing towards the ceiling). Next, when you swing through the ball, be sure to lift the ball high onto thefront wall, aiming as close to the out line as possible.
The trick with the lob is in your follow through. Imagine you are "shoveling dirt" with your racquet. Now you wouldn't want to get any dirt on your nice, white squash clothes, would you? So lift the racquet over your shoulder, throwing the "dirt" over and away from you. Focus on that principle while lobbing the ball. Lift the ball high and finish your stroke with a nice clean follow through.
You'll find that if you "shovel dirt" while you lob the ball, it will effortlessly float into the rear corners of the court, giving you the time you need to recover to the "T"!
Enjoy your squash and REMEMBER TO KEEP IT DEEP!!!
Paul Fullerton, Santa Fe
C.T. Herman, Santa Fe
Rank Div. W/L Name Pro 0/0 Khan Aziz Pro 8/0 Lang Chris 1 A 17/3 Kahn Randy 2 A 12/4 Hammer Richard 3 A 8/8 Neal Dave 4 A 3/1 Dodge Chris 5 A 7/4 Kraut Bruce 6 A 9/6 Krauser Bill 7 A 9/8 Takala Bruce 8 A 2/1 Jones W K 9 B 1/2 Fahey Brian 10 A 4/3 Ginsparg Paul 11 B 1/7 Stephenson Dale 12 B 2/8 Unkefer Clifford J 13 B 10/4 Silbar Dick 14 B 3/6 Hussey Michael 15 B 1/1 Fullerton Paul S 16 B 0/2 Ballard Sandy 17 B 7/9 Jackson Rick 18 C 3/0 Ramirez Joe 19 B 7/5 Boggio Shelby 20 C 2/2 Carswell Courtney 21 C 3/3 Wolak Frank 22 C 5/6 Jackson Dr. Mike 23 C 2/2 Hudson Hal 24 C 3/2 Duffy Clarence 25 C 4/6 Anlian Edward 26 C 3/9 Kahn Julie 27 D 1/5 Perkins Charles 28 C 3/3 Ortega Feliz Unranked NMSRA Members 1/1 Boman Tord 0/0 Bolsterli Mark 0/0 Cohen Joe 0/0 Dolejs Josef 0/0 Fearey Bryan 0/0 Garrett Scott 0/0 Hamilton John 6/5 Janton Chris 0/0 Jones Ross E 0/0 Mathews Dave 0/0 Olson Dennis 0/5 Oravecz Kalman 0/0 Ortega Adam 0/1 Renger Harmut 0/0 Rennie Richard 0/0 Stark Stanley N 0/0 Tubbs David 0/0 Cameron Jim 0/0 Herman C.T. 0/0 Klein Morris 0/2 Simmons Dave 0/0 Yogesh 0/0 Leonard Aaron
The New Mexico Games/NM Englishball Championships and Talbot Agency Open are included in the ranking.
[From Squash Racquets, The Khan Game, pgs 129-130, by Hashim Khan, with Richard E. Randall, 1967, Wayne State Univ. Press]
Some players have same, every-time opponent pal, they work in same business, they come to play squash together. Sometime I ask such player, "What are strong points, weak points of your opponent?" and he does not know. No surprise for me: I see him in court. Maybe opponent likes to stand near "T" and volley: he is strong in this way. Friend does not watch this, he gives his oponent lovely high balls right in his hand, and opponent enjoys to put away those balls. Friend says, "Good shot, good shot!" It is like he puts head in mouth of lion, he want to give compliment to lion when he takes bite.
I advise to study your opponent. Every opponent you have, he has his own way to play, different from all other player, it is like different way he writes his name. After few games with him, you know his way to play. You know how to keep head out of mouth of lion. Also how to twist tail.
In beginning, I understand, you cannot study opponent, you have hands full to study self, you try to learn how to stroke, make shots, etc. But later--do not forget!
Sometime you do not need to study opponent to find a weak point. You see it
in one moment. One player tells me this helps to win important match for him.
He meets opponent first time, and he sees this man has glasses on. So he plays
many high lobs, opponent looks up, electric lights in ceiling make flash on
glasses, he has trouble to see ball to make good return. Not good sports? You
answer! I tell you this: many player I know, professional, amateur, when they
want to win match, they do same thing, only they do not tell me about this.
[Note, you can order Hashim Khan's book through the SQUASH NEWS magazine]
Contributors: Julie Kahn, Richard Hammer, Chris Lang, Bruce Takala
Send articles & news to:
NMSRA Newsletter
7423 Lantern NE
Albuquerque, NM 87109
or call Randy Kahn at 881-9840.
Annual membership to the NMSRA is $35, runs 1 May - 30 April, and includes membership to the USSRA. If you would like to become an NMSRA member, send your check made out to the NMSRA to:
Richard Hammer
1043 Cheyenne
Los Alamos, NM 87544
Enter the International Ballon Fiesta Squash Championships 30 Sept
- 3 Oct
This page was last updated on April 6, 1996 at 12:57:21.
Topics: [The Tell-Tale | New Mexico Squash Racquets Association]