Squash Boasts Longtime League Players

RevHetheringtonReverend Bob Hetherington: Richmond City League
Bob, a former national singles finalist and long-time top-ten player, was a founding captain of the league’s debut season in 2002. Participating every year since, and many years at the number one position for his aptly-named Saints team, Bob’s touch shots help him defeat opponents who are sometimes fifty years younger.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERASally Vincent: Buffalo
“You’re never too old to learn a new game.” Sally learned squash from her tennis partner in her forties, and was smitten after her first lesson at the Buffalo Tennis & Squash Club.”Squash bacame her passion, playing city and league tournaments regularly, along with doubles and singles each week to keep fit—along with stress reduction and feeling younger than her sixty-five years.

farhad2 (2)Farhad Ettehad: Northern California
A 4.10 player who first played in England while in college, Farhad moved to NorCal in 1985, joined the Bay Club, but did not play seriously until 2004 and started playing league since 2006, Farhead became captain in 2010. “Our Division 3 team has been a league champion three years.”


Lawrence BarrisLawrence Barris: Houston

A South African ex-pat who arrived in the states in 1984, Lawrence plays squash again at the Downtown Club at the Met. He has participated in the local leagues for eighteen years, with four regular games per week. In 2009, he played on Men’s 50+ team for the U.S. in the Maccabi Games and won a silver medal.

Barry StelznerBarry Stelzner: New York City
Barry, fifty years old, plays squash at EAC at fifty years-old and joined the 3.5 EAC team in 2002, winning a league championship in 2004. He became the varsity squash coach at Packer Collegiate Institute in 2007, and has worked with high school players at the Squash and Beyond Camp for five years.

Lewis HolmesLewis Holmes: Massachusetts
Lewis started playing squash at thirty-one, founded the (in)famous Maugus masters tournament: “A Mature Event,” and co-founded the MA Squash 50+ League. Now seventy-seven, he plays on the 3.0 softball team. “My goal is to develop a ‘good’ softball game before my right knee tells me to stop playing!”

Thomson ChewThomson Chew: Rochester
Thomson has played singles and doubles competitively in Rochester, New York, since 1992. He competes in the City League Division 1 for the Genesee Valley Club and is active in regional tournaments. Thomson supports expanding interest in squash by organizing a city doubles box league.

Frank ReidyFrank Reidy: Philadelphia
In 1995, Frank organized the summer Czar League—each team required to have a minimum combined age of 100—that has grown to over 100 players, representing every club in the Philadelphia area. Frank is also a founding member and past president of the Gwynedd Racquet Club—‘The Church of the Holy Racquet.’

Serafin ValdesSerafin S. Valdes: Northern New Jersey
Introduced to squash sixteen years ago, Serafin plays five days a week and moved up the ranks from D, C and finally A/B. “I’ve met many passionate and wonderful people along the way who taught me skill, competitiveness, sportsmanship and respect. It’s become a passion and way o f life for me.”

Rolando HernandezRolando Hernandez: Chicago Super League
Rolando has been playing the Chicago Squash League since its inception in 2005 and currently plays as part the Lake Shore Sport & Fitness Club—Illinois Center. He is a part of the Chicago Public Schools administrative team, serving students, when not working on that elusive dropshot, that is.