Playing college squash is a highlight for many squash players. Opportunities exist for interested junior squash players at all levels, from top-ranked college varsity programs to club teams. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the traditional process for evaluating college prospects has been disrupted this year – both in the realm of athletics and also more generally. In response, US Squash and the College Squash Association (CSA) have been working closely together, including devising the college showcase series, to assist players’ navigation of the current landscape and with their desire to find the right college fit.

Part of the recruitment process is making sure that college coaches know that players are interested in the college squash experience, regardless of their level of play. Traditionally, college coaches have attended the junior accredited tournaments to help them identify potential recruits for their team. These events allowed the coaches to actively interact with players who were in their recruiting year, while also giving them insight into the future to fill their recruiting pipeline. Conversely, players had the chance to display their skills and sportsmanship and, in the case of 11^th graders or older, to speak with coaches, possibly to express interest in their school.

The Coronavirus pandemic has halted national tournament play leaving a void both for college coaches and for the student-athletes. Following the model of other sports in the United States, US Squash and CSA have partnered to allow local facilities to host a series of college showcase events. The college showcase series offers players an opportunity to compete, a reason to train, and a chance to provide video evidence of their playing ability at a time when other in-person recruiting opportunities are limited.

All college coaches, including those who previously may have been unable to attend some junior events, are invited to watch potential student-athletes at the showcases either live or through recorded video at their convenience. At the same time, all interested players, no matter their ranking or rating, including those who may not have qualified for the accredited events, have the opportunity to participate and showcase their ability.

It’s important to note that college coaches are aware of the wide variations in the current situation of junior squash players across the country. Some players are able to regularly step on court, some are able to engage in limited competition, while others are unable to play due to personal or facility-access circumstances.

Players and their families should also remember that recruitment is a comprehensive process. Metrics like player ratings and rankings are only two of many criteria that coaches use to evaluate potential recruits. Similarly, engagement in showcase events is not necessary for players who either do not have the opportunity to participate or who choose not to for any reason.

Concerns for family and player safety remain paramount when considering the current process for student-athletes applying to colleges and engaging in the recruiting process. The foremost thing players of recruiting age can do is to actively communicate with coaches about their current situation. Authentic, professional communication with coaches about one’s personal story matters. This document includes answers to many commonly asked questions regarding the recruitment process. Families can also view video of the recruiting presentations CSA has offered here.

US Squash and CSA are frequently adding new showcase events to extend the reach of this program to support interested high school players in their hope to play squash in college. The full list can be viewed here.

The College Squash Association (CSA) has confirmed three new members of its Board of Directors, who are all set to serve terms through the 2021-2022 season.

Richard Chin joins the Board as an independent director with over four decades of experience in squash. One of the most well-known faces on the U.S. squash scene, Chin is a celebrated player and coach, known for his sportsmanship, strategic advice, and unwavering composure. Chin has been the Head Professional at the Harvard Club of New York for over two decades. He has served on the Board of StreetSquash from its inception and is a former Board member of U.S. Squash.

Due to recent independent board member departures, including founding Board member, Jeanne Blasberg, Chin fills the open Class II director position. He will take on important roles with the Rules & Regulations and Development standing committees.

Gilly Lane, the Head Men’s Squash Coach at University of Pennsylvania, and Joanne Schickerling, Associate Head Coach at Columbia University, step into vacancies on the Board created when Jamie King of Hamilton College and Sean Wilkinson of Princeton University concluded their service on the board.

Lane, a Penn alumnus, has led the Quakers’ rise in national prominence in the men’s collegiate game both on and off the court over the last four years. In 2020, Penn reached the Potter Cup (national championship) final for the first time in program history, while also earning the Sloane Award for Team Sportsmanship. With several leadership roles in the greater squash community already on his resume, Lane will now bring his expertise to the CSA Nominating & Governance and Hall of Fame Committees, along with other subcommittees, in his first term on the CSA board.

Schickerling has played an integral role in the meteoric rise of the Columbia University squash programs over the past several years, joining the coaching staff in 2013. After starting new varsity squash teams just 10 years ago, Columbia has reached No. 3 (Men) and No. 5 (Women) rankings in the last three seasons. Schickerling’s ongoing efforts to engage the women’s coaching community will be instrumental for her roles leading two newly established Coach Advisory committees touching on gender, diversity, and inclusion in college squash.

CSA extends immense gratitude to Jeanne Blasberg, Jamie King, and Sean Wilkinson for the critical roles they played on the revamped CSA Board of Directors for its first three years.

The New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC), whose 11 members all sponsor CSA varsity teams, announced yesterday that the NESCAC Presidents “unanimously decided to cancel all conference competition, including conference championships, for the winter season.” We appreciate and support the NESCAC administrators prioritizing the health and safety of their student-athletes through this decision, despite the disappointment resulting from the announcement.

While formal NESCAC conference competition is cancelled, individual institutions may have the option to schedule outside contests at their discretion. CSA will continue to monitor the national and local landscapes regarding COVID-19 and intercollegiate sports, but at this time, CSA will support any teams that wish to schedule contests, as long as the matches can be staged safely. This stance applies to all CSA teams wishing to schedule matches for the 2020-2021 season.

CSA sends best wishes to all student-athletes who have had their seasons diminished or cancelled by this week’s decision. Special consideration is given to the seniors who will not have the opportunity to complete their college careers on court as expected. We look forward to the return to normal operations as soon as it is feasible.

Events over the last five months have impacted and challenged all of us dramatically. Institutions and activities that we have relied on for years disappeared or were put on hold, causing heartbreak and, in some cases, considerable loss. Intercollegiate sports have not been immune, with over 300 varsity programs being discontinued across the country. Unfortunately in the squash world, collegiate squash programs at Brown University, Stanford University and George Washington University have lost their varsity designation.

Rising to the occasion, the squash community has responded quickly in the face of the ongoing challenges. Many constituents from different parts of the squash world have lent their time, expertise and voice to the efforts of countering these existential threats to the collegiate segment of squash.

The College Squash Association (CSA) is better positioned than ever before to address current concerns thanks to its new governance structure implemented three years ago as a result of a US Squash – CSA Joint Task Force. With an independent board of directors and its first full-time staff member in Executive Director & League Commissioner David Poolman, the CSA has a streamlined and effective leadership structure.

During the last several seasons, the CSA has implemented several positive changes (e.g. a robust incident reporting process, consistent recruiting timelines, age-of-player restrictions, and randomized order of play, to name a few) and is facing the current challenges head-on.

“The CSA has made significant strides in leading and supporting college squash recently,” said Kevin Klipstein, US Squash President and CEO. “They are great partners and have focused on sportsmanship and consistency for all teams. Varsity squash has already seen growth as a result, with UVA, Chatham and Georgetown all adding varsity programs. Collaboration with their leadership, and the coordination of the entire squash community in support of their efforts, will be essential in the coming months and years to counteract the effects of the pandemic reverberating throughout the country.”

For the past several weeks, representatives from US Squash, CSA, and Squash & Education Alliance (SEA) have met and formed a working group to share information and discuss ways to support advocacy efforts. The working group is focused on short-term strategies for program retention and the return of the existing collegiate varsity squash experience, while at the same time building plans for the coordination and investment necessary to significantly expand and diversify varsity playing opportunities in the future.

In rapid response to the Brown University administration’s decision to discontinue their varsity squash teams, squash organization and community leaders offered full support – including letters, advocacy, and guidance – to the Brown squash program’s efforts to achieve reinstatement. In addition, specific short-term collaborative efforts are being made to solidify and strengthen collegiate squash, including:

• Direct contact from the principals of the working group to athletic directors providing an updated, data-rich snapshot of our sport and to impress upon them the value that college squash adds to their communities.
• Strategy sessions focused on connecting coaches with key decision makers in campus communities and increasing teams’ visibility and relevance at their institutions.
• Dissemination of best practices for alumni stewardship, organization and advocacy, diversifying programs, and return-to-play and return-to-competition considerations amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Weekly virtual group meetings and individual conversations with all CSA coaches, assessing each varsity program’s strengths and opportunities for growth.
• Renewed and vigorous exploration of pursuing NCAA status for squash.
• Consideration of further initiatives to continue to increase the diversity of the recruiting pool, particularly racial and socio-economic diversity, on college teams.

The CSA has already taken concrete action to promote the value of the CSA Championships by creating a new championship event, the Collegiate Club Team Championship, which will be operated in conjunction with US Squash. The new event will highlight the growth of college squash, offer greater visibility for the club team players who commit themselves to the sport, and also serve to elevate the significance of the varsity National Championship experience.

The US Squash, CSA and SEA working group will continue to meet regularly and will need assistance from the entire squash community at large to successfully reach the goals for college squash.

“The CSA has always valued its relationships with US Squash and SEA, but the coordinated response to recent challenges by these squash partners has fortified our bond and bolstered our efforts to secure the future of college squash,” said David Poolman, CSA Executive Director & League Commissioner. “Recent announcements by member institutions may have presented some setbacks, but we are spurred on by our recent growth and organizational adjustments, the tangible support we have received from the squash community and campus partners, and the action plans currently being implemented. We intend to emerge from this period as an even stronger entity.”

Poolman continued, “We are keenly aware that college squash is a driving force in the sport. We are committed to doing everything we can to protect the varsity status of current programs, expand on the recent growth, and enhance its potential to serve as a valued experience for more scholar-athletes.”

Last week, George Washington University announced that it would be discontinuing seven varsity sports programs, including men’s and women’s squash. The CSA is disappointed with this news and is interested in assisting efforts to convince the George Washington administration to reconsider its decision.

In response to the GW’s announcement, alumni and student-athletes from the teams started a petition in support of saving their programs.

Save George Washington University Varsity Squash!

You can help by signing the petition and sharing it widely. Included in the post about the petition is an open letter that the GW Squash alumni community has written to administrators on campus.

Please note that the donation portion of the petition does not go to George Washington University or the squash programs in any way.

The College Squash Association (CSA) has been actively monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic and the unprecedented impact it is having on colleges and universities, including our member institutions. We are encouraged that recreational squash is returning in some states with the implementation of effective public health guidelines.  However, the disruption to college athletics continues, including the cancelation of fall semester competitions in many conferences.

The CSA remains committed to organizing and supporting intercollegiate competitions in its traditional winter season. At this point, the vast majority of dual matches will commence after January 1, 2021, subject to future decisions about the viability of winter sports in the face of ongoing health concerns.

Schedules and other important dates are still to be determined and verified with campus and conference partners, but the CSA does not expect to hold competitions outside of the traditional winter season footprint. The CSA will consider extending its traditional season end dates by a few weeks if it maximizes safe playing opportunities for squash student-athletes.

The CSA will support those member schools who choose to safely conduct squash activities, including competitions, at their own discretion during the 2020 fall semester.

If member institutions enable their squash programs to plan for a winter season, the CSA will support the implementation of measures intended to limit the spread of the virus on campuses. Examples of such measures include, but are not limited to, enforcing consistent return-to-play guidelines, eliminating overnight travel, scheduling only regional or conference competition, asking spectators to refrain from attending matches in person, and adjusting typical matchday rituals and behaviors.

As the higher education and intercollegiate athletics industries continue to navigate an uncharted and shifting landscape, the CSA stands poised to collaborate with its member institutions in order to create safe and meaningful playing opportunities for intercollegiate squash players during the 2020-2021 season.

The CSA will provide further guidance on plans for the season as the situation develops over the coming weeks and months. To receive updates related to this topic and future newsletters from the CSA, please sign up for the CSA mailing list.

The College Squash Association is disappointed in Stanford University’s recent announcement discontinuing women’s squash as a varsity program after the 2020-2021 academic year, which came as part of a reduction that demotes 11 sports from varsity status. The CSA stands with the squash team members, coaches, recruits, families and program stakeholders who are directly affected by this decision as they navigate this tumultuous time.

After finishing as high as third in the country two seasons ago and achieving financial independence as a program, varsity women’s squash clearly positioned itself as a successful athletic program at Stanford that was beneficial to the broader University. The CSA hopes to provide a platform this year during which the Stanford team can showcase their high level of play as a varsity team one more time. In subsequent years, we anticipate that the women’s program will match their male counterparts in the effort to become one of the premier club teams in the country.

Without question, it is painful to lose a flagship varsity program in a geographic region where interest in and support of squash continue to grow. While the pandemic has placed challenges on universities and their athletic programs, the overall trajectory of college squash remains positive with several new varsity programs being added in the last few years, most recently at Georgetown University.

The CSA plans to work closely with US Squash and the Squash & Education Alliance to continue the growth of the sport nationally and at the college level, and to improve the quality and diversity of the USA’s best players. The College Squash Association was founded in 1931 and currently represents 69 varsity programs.

On Tuesday, June 8, Amherst College Athletics announced that Busani Xaba would be its next head coach of the men’s and women’s squash programs. Xaba, a native of Zimbabwe with 18 years of coaching experience over three continents, will assume his new role starting on August 1.

This will be Xaba’s second stint with a CSA varsity program. From 2009 to 2012, he was an assistant coach with the Dartmouth College squash teams. Most recently, Xaba served as the Director of Squash and Athletics at the University Club of San Francisco.

Outside of his duties at the University Club, Xaba gave back to other members of the Bay Area squash community. At the beginning of his tenure there, he helped coach the men’s collegiate club squash team at University of California-Berkeley. Xaba also serves as a member of the development committee for SquashDrive, the urban squash program offering opportunities to underserved youth in Oakland.

Xaba takes over the programs led for many years by Amherst coaching legend, Peter Robson. Robson retired in October 2019 and was recently conferred the title of “Coach Emeritus”. Under the crunch of the rapid transition, Interim Head Coach Stuart George did an excellent job leading the teams through the 2019-2020 season. George will stay on as the assistant coach at Amherst.

To view the full press release from Amherst College Athletics, please visit this link.

The College Squash Association (CSA) Board of Directors, at a recent board meeting, adopted a structural change to the CSA National Team Championships, effective for the next full college squash season. The update creates a new championship event reserved specifically for college club teams, while limiting the current team championship format almost exclusively to varsity programs.

The CSA enacted this change for several reasons:

• The growing interest in collegiate club squash and the increased number of overall CSA member teams, which makes the current championship format unsustainable.
• The desire to create high-quality championship tournaments which effectively determine and celebrate the national champion varsity and club teams.
• The interest in expanding playing opportunities for new and emerging teams.
• The value of extending the season for club teams, affording them more chances to play regular season matches during the spring semester.
• The increased attention that can be paid to a wider set of teams by splitting the events.

While the COVID-19 pandemic adds uncertainty to next year’s championship schedule, the CSA wants to provide coaches and programs adequate notice of this new format as they prepare their teams for the coming season.

Details for the new college Club Team Championships will be determined in close collaboration with US Squash. The ultimate goal is to enrich the playing experience for all CSA players. Preliminary models have the college Club Team Championships scheduled a few weeks after the current set of championships.

“We are so excited about the prospects of this new college Club Team Championship event,” said CSA Executive Director & League Commissioner David Poolman. “It will be a great opportunity to showcase the club team players who work hard all season, as well as the sheer growth of college squash overall.”

Moving forward, the National Collegiate Men’s and Women’s Team Championships may feature only a few select club teams depending on the needs of the tournament. In the new format, only varsity teams will be guaranteed a spot in the National Team Championships.

Despite the change to the championship structure, college club teams will still be vital members of the CSA, benefitting from accreditation, support, and team management tools provided through CSA’s partnership with US Squash and Club Locker. As members of the CSA league, club teams will still have the option to play varsity teams to fill out their schedule and improve their ranking. The CSA also encourages club teams to seek its support if they are taking serious steps to pursue a transition to varsity status.

More updates will become available as plans for the 2020-2021 season solidify.