Inspired by fellow Jester David Body.
John
Luck, Opportunity, and Lessons Learned
A distillation of my squash experiences explaining why this is the greatest game:
Luck: Discovering squash and having the good fortune of being taught by my coach Dick Crawford.
If I attended most any other college - no squash.
Luck: Discovering squash and having the good fortune of being taught by my coach Dick Crawford.
If I attended most any other college - no squash.
Opportunity: Doubles. My squash career was long, storied, and became well-rounded because of Doubles.
Only 6 courts in the entire state of California. The University Club has two of them.
Lesson Learned: Losing is painful, but results in greater improvement than winning against average competition.
- Lost the 1990 35+ National Championship
- Won the 1991 35+ National Championship in a rematch. Repeated in 1992
- 1998 US National 40+ Doubles Championship with Gordie Anderson
Knowing Peter Gaynor was a noteworthy source of inspiration on this front.
When he was the President of NorCal, the squash season was “A Movable Feast”. It was an ongoing celebration that began in June with the Joe Ginet Invitational in Fresno; a time of year when tournament play in Northern California was played at different clubs with more or less the same motley cast of characters bringing life and energy to the party. The season finished in June with the NorCal Championships.
It became NorCal’s seasonal ritual which grew; lasting for years.
“Remember. It’s only a game!”
When he was the President of NorCal, the squash season was “A Movable Feast”. It was an ongoing celebration that began in June with the Joe Ginet Invitational in Fresno; a time of year when tournament play in Northern California was played at different clubs with more or less the same motley cast of characters bringing life and energy to the party. The season finished in June with the NorCal Championships.
It became NorCal’s seasonal ritual which grew; lasting for years.
Lesson Learned: You don’t have to be a star to get great satisfaction from “playing the game”.
This HOF is significant not only for recognizing the players' competitive successes, but for the players' goodwill who back to the game.
The following group of hardball players was the heart and soul of NorCal:
Alex Eichmann - former owner of the Peninsula Squash Club and the Squash Club of SF
This HOF is significant not only for recognizing the players' competitive successes, but for the players' goodwill who back to the game.
The following group of hardball players was the heart and soul of NorCal:
 |
| The Sound Factory (formerly the Squash Club of San Francisco) |
Dick Crawford - founder and first President of NorCal, former Varsity Coach at Cal
Peter Gaynor - former NorCal President
John Lau - former NorCal President
David Tepper - former NorCal President
Brett Elebash - former NorCal Secretary
Tom Dashiell - former NorCal President
Lesson Learned: Be generous with your time to mentor younger players.
Dick Crawford - former Cal Bears Varsity Squash Coach
Lesson Learned: Be generous with your time to mentor younger players.
Dick Crawford - former Cal Bears Varsity Squash Coach
Alex Eichmann with his two commercial clubs: The Peninsula Club and the Squash Club of San Francisco opened up the game of squash to the multitude.
Lesson Learned: To quote Stan Woodworth with the maxim on every Cate School tournament entry form
Lesson Learned: To quote Stan Woodworth with the maxim on every Cate School tournament entry form
“Remember. It’s only a game!”
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