In response to Brown University’s announcement late last week that the institution is transitioning varsity men’s and women’s squash to club status, student-athletes on the teams started a petition in support of saving their programs.

Save Brown University Varsity Squash!

The CSA supports the signing of this petition with the hope that the Brown University administration will reconsider its decision to eliminate the varsity squash program.

Please note that the donation portion of the petition do not go to Brown University or the squash programs in any way.

On May 29, 2020, College Squash Association (CSA) Executive Director & League Commissioner David Poolman and CSA Board of Directors Chair John Nimick sent a letter to Brown University President Christina Paxson supporting the reinstatement of the Brown squash programs to varsity status, which has been rescinded via the newly-released Excellence in Brown Athletics Initiative. The content of that letter is shown here:

Dear President Paxson,

As the College Squash Association, the official governing body of intercollegiate squash in the United States, we are dismayed that the Brown University men’s and women’s squash programs are scheduled to be demoted to club status. We strongly urge you to reconsider. It is not clear how the rationale applied to this decision by Brown’s review committee leads to the conclusion that varsity squash at Brown should be eliminated.

The Brown Squash programs have been outstanding representatives for the University for many years, with pristine records in the classroom and on the court. If your ideal scholar-athlete is “the bright and passionate student who embraces excellence both in academics and also in their sport,” you do not have to look farther than the squash teams to meet that ideal. Earning the most CSA Scholar-Athlete Awards of any member institution last year – 11 total between both programs – and finishing ranked among the top 15 teams in the country for both genders certainly matches your quotation from the letter to the Brown community. Each program has also won the CSA team sportsmanship award in the last three years (and six times overall), an added testament to the quality of the undergraduates populating your squash teams. These accolades should be celebrated and promoted as the epitome of Ivy League Athletics, not buried as the teams’ varsity status is stripped away.

It is our understanding that the Brown Squash programs have foundational support via substantial endowments and annual giving. It seems that because of the programs’ funding structure, eliminating these varsity teams will not actually ensure that “operating funds are made available” to the remaining varsity teams. Further, if Brown Squash is currently allocated some operational dollars from the Athletic Department, would it not be reasonable to offer the program a chance to replace that allocation completely with fundraised money instead of blindsiding them with an automatic move to club status?

Citing the University’s rationale further, it is alleged that the fewer number “of varsity teams will support stronger recruiting in the admissions process.” It is our understanding, however, that Brown Squash recruits regularly exceed the Academic Index of the entire admitted class – not to mention the athletics department’s AI target – by a meaningful margin. Maintaining that buffer with varsity squash intact only serves to boost the department’s efforts to find “stronger” and “deeper” talent for the other varsity teams.

In reference to the myriad data-driven reasons for the change presented in the Athletics press release, Brown Squash already meets the standards and expectations applied to the remaining varsity teams. [Director of Athletics Jack] Hayes points to the Ivy League Principles in his remarks about valuing competitive balance, and we acknowledge Brown’s subpar record in recent League competition. He fails to note, however, that Brown Squash satisfies several other Ivy League Principles, specifically the values focused on academic and personal growth, equal opportunities by gender, wide participation for non-recruited athletes, granting admission based on academic promise and personal qualities, and normal and successful progress towards a degree. Moreover, the squash teams have a relatively small roster size, access to quality facilities, gender equity and diversity, and a strong community built on pride and collegiate loyalty, all data points recorded during the review process. This evidence suggests that a reconsideration of Brown Squash’s varsity status is in order.

We understand that enhancing the club sports program at Brown is a core part of the Initiative. What is more difficult to understand, however, is how moving squash to club status will enrich the playing opportunities for squash players on campus. The current Club Squash team appears to be co-ed, meaning there will be fewer competitive playing opportunities for many players, particularly women. Forcing squash to become a club program limits chances to compete, which goes contrary to your stated efforts. The effected squash student-athletes cannot fathom how their transition to club status will be the “University’s top priority” when the ultimate goal of the Initiative is increased competitiveness in varsity athletics, all amidst an unprecedented global pandemic.

While Brown University dedicated careful thought to the formation of the Initiative, it is disappointing that coaches, student-athletes, or governing bodies like ours were not given a chance to advocate for our sport. Brown is a valued varsity member of the CSA, a shining example, and an ideal destination for numerous junior squash players. We hope, after reading our response to your stated rationale, you consider opening a dialogue about reinstating Brown Squash to varsity status.

Thank you for your consideration and attention to this important matter.

Sincerely,

David Poolman & John Nimick

Chris Hanebury, a University of Western Ontario alumnus and former Canadian National Champion, has been hired as the Head Coach of Western’s Men’s Squash team, the university announced earlier this month.

A 2009 graduate of Western, Hanebury most recently was a squash director in Turks & Caicos and maintained ownership of his company, Serious Squash. Previously, he coached for eight years at St. Michael’s University School in Victoria, British Columbia.

“Western Squash and, in particular, Jack Fairs were such integral parts of not just my squash development, but also my growth as a person,” said Hanebury. “I’m excited about being able to continue on Jack’s legacy by providing valuable guidance and coaching on and off the court to one of the most successful college squash programs in the world. Go Mustangs!!”

Last season, the Mustangs finished ranked 11th in the CSA under the guidance of interim head coach, James Van Staveren, another Western alumnus. Western has also won 37 consecutive Ontario University Athletics men’s squash championships.

For the official press release from University of Western Ontario’s Department of Athletics, please visit this link.

College Squash Association (CSA) Board of Directors member Jeanne Blasberg, her husband, John, and their family have made a generous gift to entitle and memorialize the CSA Lifetime Achievement Award in honor of John’s late father, Arthur Blasberg, Jr.

The Blasberg family is the second family to sponsor a CSA award as part of the Founding Partners Campaign, CSA’s coordinated philanthropic effort to secure the near-term future of the organization. The Schiller family presented the Skillman Award in honor of their father, Dr. Sheldon Schiller, for the first time this past season.

Arthur Blasberg, Jr. learned to play squash at the Harvard Club of Boston and then taught his sons to play. Little did he know that those early lessons would lead to an enthusiastic, decades-long love of college squash and all that it embodies.

“Arthur supported and rooted for his children and grandchildren, as well as their teams, and he was a fixture at matches and national championships for the last decade of his life,” said his daughter-in-law Jeanne. “Nothing brought him greater joy than watching a hard-fought squash match.”

The most recent Blasberg grandchild to complete a college squash career, Annie, Dartmouth College Class of 2020, had this remembrance of her grandfather: “I’ll always remember Pop Pop in the stands watching me play. He’d come to support us grandkids but wouldn’t leave until all the matches were finished. He made great friends with other parents over the eight seasons my brothers and I competed, and a hard-fought squash match was something he would talk about for weeks.”

The honor – now named the Arthur Blasberg, Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award – was first awarded in 1998 and is reserved for “those rare individuals who have contributed throughout their career to college squash as a whole and who have dedicated a career to the sport.” The most recent award was bestowed in 2007.

“This gift and entitlement will give us the enthusiasm to revamp and restart the process of identifying and honoring worthy candidates for this honor,” said John Nimick, Chair of the CSA Board of Directors. “We anticipate this award returning to prominence as a vital component of the CSA community.”

Jeanne Blasberg added, “This gift is made with love from his CSA playing progeny: Arthur Blasberg III (Wesleyan ’85), John M. Blasberg (Amherst ’85), Jeanne McWilliams Blasberg (Smith ’87), Jack Blasberg (Brown ’16), Charlie Blasberg (Brown ’18), and Annie Blasberg (Dartmouth ’20)”

Like the Blasbergs and the Schillers have done, contributing to the CSA Founding Partners Campaign offers individuals, families, and companies the opportunity to align with the passion of college squash, to enhance players’ experiences, and to amplify the vibrancy of varsity competition. Near-term goals include enriching the student-athlete experience at all levels and retaining the Executive Director, whose focus is emphasizing fairness and consistency in college squash and expanding the opportunities to play competitive squash on college campuses.

“On behalf of the CSA, I want to thank Jeannie Blasberg and her family for the many ways that they have positively impacted our community over the last several years,” said CSA Executive Director & League Commissioner David Poolman. “Jeannie’s leadership and generosity, both with this gift and her three years as an Independent Director, have helped put the CSA on a path to sustained success.”

All general inquiries about the Founding Partners Campaign, as well as requests for more details about specific gifts and sponsorship opportunities, should be directed to admin@csasquash.com. General contributions can be made using this link – DONATE TO COLLEGE SQUASH ASSOCIATION – or via check made payable to Intercollegiate Squash Association, Inc.