Squash

Kiva Believer: Long Road Leads to Squash Victory for Jubitz

MAC member David Jubitz recently made an impressive showing at The Kiva Classic along with a nonmember partner. The doubles squash invitational tournament is hosted annually by 75 active members of Santa Fe, New Mexico’s Kiva Club, and it attracts entrants from throughout the United States and Canada to compete in age-division play. In 2021, the event celebrated its 30th anniversary.

Long-term doubles partners Jubitz and Mike Houghton competed in the tournament for the first time together several years ago. They surprised themselves and other competitors by reaching the finals in the 65+ age group, where they lost to a better team 3-1. In subsequent years, they have fallen short of that mark several times, but their goal has remained the same: “Someday we are going to win this!” Half-jokingly they’ve shared that it would likely happen in their 80s and they are the last men standing, winning by default.

The 2021 Kiva Classic provided another opportunity, but they would be unable to enter the 75+ category as Houghton was 74 and just shy of being eligible to play in the older division. The Kiva tournament director put Jubitz in touch with Mark Hinchcliffe from Toronto, who also needed a partner. They communicated and realized they were both “right wall” players. Hinchcliffe was uncomfortable switching to the left wall, and Jubitz had played left wall in the past, so he agreed to move over.

Jubitz spent all his remaining time before the event practicing playing the left wall, including solo drills on an empty court in mornings before work and switching to the left wall for any matches leading up to the tournament. He also focused on doubles strategies that MAC pro Julian Ilingworth taught in a fall clinic, and those led to a big boost in both his play and confidence.

Long-term doubles partners Mike Houghton and David Jubitz.

As popular as the Kiva Classic has become due to great competition, welcoming hosts, and delicious catered meals, there’s only one doubles court, so warm-up time is limited to three minutes per team in order to accommodate all the matches and not run past midnight.

Though Hinchcliffe and Jubitz would not have an opportunity to practice before the first match, they realized they were both more mobile than the other 75+ teams. Their strategy was simple: Jubitz would keep the ball in play, hopefully deep, and limit risky shots. Hinchcliffe would use his uncanny ability to anticipate their shots and chase down weak returns for winners.

It worked. They won the first match 3-0. In the finals, they were playing against the No. 1-ranked 75+ doubles player in the country. “Clearly, he was more skilled than either of us,” Jubitz says, but his and Hinchcliffe’s mobility — and the latter’s shot-making — were the difference. They won again, 3-0. Jubitz was a Kiva Classic champion!

There’s now a framed copy of the 2021 Kiva Classic 75+ draw on his den wall, replacing the 2016 draw in which Jubitz and Houghton were finalists. Goal achieved.