ATHLETICS
Vivian, left, and Amy Gaddis played in the U.S. Women’s National Team Championships in October.
game, by a score of 15-8, 15-9, 14-15, 14-15, 15-14. Other MAC division winners included the mother and son team of Phoebe Trubowitz and Rowan Schnebly, who craftily played to the top of Mixed Division I. Speaking of family teams, mother and daughter MAC members Amy and Vivian Gaddis played in the 2013 U.S Women’s National Team Championships in October, which were held outside of Philadelphia. Vivian and Amy played on a team that won the 3.0 consolation bracket. Vivian, a previous junior MAC squash player and a 2011 Villanova graduate, is currently a mentor at StreetSquash in Harlem, one of the urban squash programs that provides academic enrichment and competitive squash training for urban youth. Junior MAC players Alec Spiro and Schnebly traveled to Massachusetts in November to compete in the Frank Millet Massachusetts Junior Championships, part of the U.S. Squash Junior Championship Tour (JCT). JCT tournaments are the highest level of competition for top-ranked U.S. junior players. In a 32-player BU 11 draw, Spiro won 4 matches, only losing in the division final to the No. 1 ranked player. Schnebly also competed extremely well, beating a player ranked above him in his second round. In national U.S. Squash rankings for boys under 11, Spiro is ranked No. 2 and Schnebly No. 9. –Wendy Comstock
Holiday tournament honors Roger Illingworth
squash
Players Stand Out at the National Level J
uniors and adults, singles players and doubles players all have been actively engaged in squash tournaments and activities at MAC and at tournaments throughout the U.S. and in Canada. MAC hosted the annual Wrightson Cup Oregon Doubles Championships the third weekend in October. Hosting more than 70 players, the tournament was fiercely competitive and enjoyable for competitors and spectators alike. Tournament director Chuck Williams commented, “The open final was perhaps the closest, most exciting and well-played match the MAC court has ever seen (at least in his 25 years at the club). MAC members Tony Catalan, Jr. and Erik Wohlgemuth lost to the highly-ranked Canadian team of Mike Lecke and David Goldsmith by a single point in the final
In a tribute to a MAC squash stalwart, the late Roger Illingworth, MAC has renamed its annual holiday tournament the Roger Illingworth Holiday Squash Tournament. The inaugural run was a terrific success, with competitive but casual play. In doubles, 16 teams battled, with the men’s A final seeing Julian Illingworth paired with junior Rowan Schnebly losing in a hard fought three games against the veteran team of Will Davis and George Hale. The Men’s B was equally competitive, with two teams finishing with 2-1 records; Mark Bogdanoff and Richard Appleyard squeaked out a tie breaker win over Gene Gidley and Don Livingstone. In the C round robin draw, four juniors vied for the win, with Rowan Schnebly and Vaughan Siker outlasting Gordon Lam and Alec Spiro in a tightly contested five-game match. In singles, Sean Ryan won over Will Davis in the finals of the men’s A, Todd Welch defeated Mark Bogdanoff in the men’s B, Gordon Lam won against Jordan Winkler in the men’s C and Jordan Cundari defeated Teddy Siker in the men’s D finals. –Nancy Keates WM
Khalid Mir stepping down after 35 years After 35 years as MAC’s Head Squash Pro, Khalid Mir steps down from that position in June. Mir has been an invaluable resource at MAC since he came from the New York Athletic Club in July 1979. After only a few short years, he had MAC Squash producing national champions, the list of which now includes over 40 championships by members during his time as head pro. In addition, he has passed along his love of the game to many more members, which is also part of his legacy at MAC. Fear not: MAC squash players will still benefit from Mir’s vast experience, as he continues to be involved with the program for a period of time to help with the transition before he officially retires. An open search for Mir’s replacement will begin by the end of 2013. –Nancy Keates WM
54 | The Wınged M |
january 2014
Head Squash Pro Khalid Mir, left, steps down in June after 35 years at MAC.