In an effort to advance U.S. SQUASH into the 21st century, beginning in October of 2003, under the leadership of Palmer Page, the Association conducted an extensive technology search. Page formed a twelve member technology committee, to evaluate fifteen software systems in order to bring the U.S. SQUASH its first real technology solution: a comprehensive online system that would actively address the needs of both the national office as a whole and 36 separate state and local squash associations. The result of the technology committee’s search in 2004, was the selection of the RailStation system, designed and conceived of by Mike Barnet, an MBA/CPA, whose family is made up of squash players and enthusiasts since their older daughter Stephanie, a 2 time national champion in GU12, GU15 and finalist in the GU17’s started her career in 1993. Mike has volunteered as a Vice President of the Northern NJ SRA for ten years and is an active participant along with his younger daughter Leah in many local and regional U.S. SQUASH events, including an avid league participant for 15 years. Mike’s company, Barnet Consulting Inc. established in 1991, after Mike worked as a Management Consultant for 13 years at Coopers & Lybrand in NYC (now Price Waterhouse Coopers), is a Microsoft Certified Partner and has worked with Fortune 100 corporations including AT&T and Johnson & Johnson.
Prior to the selection of RailStation by the technology committee, RailStation had been used by the Northern NJ SRA since 1998 for membership, leagues, ladders and tournaments. In 2002-2003, the Dayton, OH, Cincinnati, OH and Maryland SRAs were using some features of RailStation up to the national rollout in 2004. Key features that RailStation offers is the unique integration of the membership data base directly with all match results to produce real-time rankings and an extensive back office accounting approach and functionality to allow the local SRA’s to manage all aspects of their membership data, including posting checks, inputting real time data updates into member records and to view or export online reports that reflected the settlement of local dues with the national office all from a web browser.
Initially, Mike Barnet worked with Palmer Page in the Bala Cynwyd, PA office day-to-day as interim Director of Operations, after Mike Hymer’s resignation. Mike’s focus was to adapt and automate the manual processes and procedures used by the USSRA for more than 50 years. The initial rollout of the RailStation system from a local system to a national system, was met with mixed reviews, but through the solid support and encouragement of the U.S. SQUASH staff and Board of Directors over the past 4 ½ years, Mike continued to work on improving the system to bring it to its current status, as a collaborative effort to reflect the needs of the local associations and the National office.
Since 2004, membership has increased over 50%, participation in junior tournaments has leapt by 30% or 40% annually, match data capture rate increased from 30% in 2003 to over 90% in 2008. More colleges are offering programs and middle and high schools are forming teams all over the country, resulting in the U.S. High School Championships held in February 2008, the largest ever squash event, via the RailStation Team Tournament module. The Championships were held in New Haven, CT, where 750 players, totaling 94 teams competed. Additionally, the extensive administrative features and functions using the latest Microsoft .net technology, available to tournament directors, squash professionals and local volunteers allowed for streamlined tournament, league, ladder and event planning.
The Association appreciates the contribution of the web-accessible RailStation database and the dedication of Mike and Debbie Barnet during the growth squash has experienced in recent years. The U.S. SQUASH Board of Directors recognizes the contributions to the sport of the Barnets and U.S. SQUASH wishes them the best as they plan to extend their business model to USA Badminton and potentially other sports working within the United States Olympic Committee umbrella in the near future.
