As U.S. SQUASH launches implementation of its three-year strategic plan focused on growing membership, building awareness and increasing participation, a core component of building awareness outside of squash ties directly to the performance of the U.S. athletes. In order to achieve the goal of earning four gold medals (two individual and two team) at the 2011 Pan American Games in Mexico, U.S. SQUASH will focus its team-related resources on fewer players, in a more comprehensive way.
Pulling away from the administratively demanding “Team USA Squash Tour” which has served as a U.S. citizen-only mini pro tour to select U.S. SQUASH Team members, the U.S. TOPS Program has recently been launched. TOPS is a play on acronyms since the International Olympic Committee (IOC) sells multi-billion dollar quadrennial sponsorships under the title, The Olympic Program (or TOPS). For U.S. SQUASH, TOPS stands for “Top Six.” U.S. SQUASH will provide direct support to players meeting specific eligibility requirements, with the athletes supported being adjusted semi-annually.
To qualify for TOPS, players must be among the top three American PSA or WISPA players and ranked within the top 100 of the international PSA or WISPA tours. This criteria places specific emphasis on U.S. players to engage in the leading professional squash tours worldwide, exposing them to the best competition in the world and encouraging them to play full time, or as near to full time as possible.
What TOPS entitles each player to includes a range of benefits to support his or her professional pursuits:
- Elite athlete health insurance;
- Access to complimentary sports psysiotherapist and rehabilitation services in the NYC area and career support services from Adecco, the world leader in human resources solutions;
- Performance bonuses from the USOC and eligibility to receive direct funding from U.S. SQUASH for coaching, training, therapy or travel with an annual cap;
- Reimbursement for PSA/WISPA annual membership dues and waived annual U.S. SQUASH membership dues and entry fees to all U.S. Squash Championships; and
- Eligibility to compete on the U.S. SQUASH Team for the Pan American Federation Cup, Pan American Games and World Team Championships, receiving travel logistics administration, airfare, uniforms, room and board (per diems), and player stipends.
In return, the players must abide by the U.S. SQUASH Code of Conduct, meet USADA (anti-doping) requirements in and out of competition and represent U.S. SQUASH in various ways at events and on their playing apparel.
Longer term, U.S. SQUASH plans to fund athletes with more direct support, and expand the program to more players in pursuit of the goal of earning four gold medals in the 2016 Olympic Games, pending the 2009 vote by the IOC. Olympics or not, U.S. SQUASH anticipates the program will serve the athletes well, and enhance their performance on the court.
