Belgian Casteleyn gets prestigious LA post When Bob Hanscom retired from his position as the head squash pro at the Los Angeles Athletic Club last summer, he said he hoped the position would be filled by someone who would "continue to promote the game and the facilities in greater L.A. so that it continues to grow." Stefan Casteleyn has been doing just that since moving to Southern California 10 years ago, making the former World No. 7 and 13-time Belgian National champ a natural fit. Southwestern Fixture Casteleyn applied for the position immediately after hearing of the vacancy. Casteleyn on Tour Casteleyn now heads up a very active program that boasts more than 150 players and four courts. When Hanscom took on the position in the late '80s, the club had one court and just a dozen members. Casteleyn has witnessed the growth in Southern California in the years he has been there, noting membership increases and the founding of teams at Cal, USC and Stanford. Less than two weeks into his new position and Casteleyn already seems to be doing just what his predecessor hoped for. source : SquashTalk
Nov 6, 2008, by Kirsten Carlson for SquashTalk.com , Independent News; © 2008 SquashTalk LLC 
JCasteleyn - here in an exhibition with Jonathon Power in Phoenix - has settled into the Southwestern USA :Read more (photo Roy Ollier ©2008)
"As long as I've lived here, it's the position I've dreamed of having," he said.
Casteleyn moved to Los Angeles after meeting the woman who would become his wife while playing in a PSA tournament at the San Francisco Bay Club in 1995. After a short stint in California, Casteleyn and his wife Margarita Franco, moved to Belgium so he could train while on the PSA tour. In 2001, a back injury forced Casteleyn to retire from the Tour and he returned to Southern California where he began giving lessons at multiple clubs. A desire to start his own junior squash program led him to move to New York in 2006 and work at Brooklyn's Heights Casino to learn what he could from one of the nation's top programs.
When Casteleyn made his way back west one year later, he joined Peter Gerra at The Sports Club LA in Irvine. His goal of starting a junior program was put on hold, as children were not a regular fixture at the club. In mid 2008, Casteleyn became the squash pro at the Renaissance ClubSport and was on the verge of launching a junior program when he was awarded the job at the LAAC.
Stefan was always a threat to the top five on tour (photo Debra Tessier : ©2008)
"I think it's finally starting to sink in with people out here that squash can be a part of their lives," he said. "I believe in the last five years we have seen a lot of change."
Casteleyn is planning to launch a junior program at the LAAC, with the help of a particular group of club patrons. The USC team trains at the Club and Casteleyn runs the practices there alongside the team's coach, Charles Braff. Casteleyn said that the USC team will help coach the kids and hopes to have things going by the end of November. He explained that even the team practicing at the Club has generated interest, and thinks it may lead to some current members bringing their children in to try out the sport.
Si les Américains y croient, ils ne faut peut-être pas désespérer de voir le squash devenir sport olympique !Chicago to Make Squash History 
Sweet Home Chicago Open
Chicago, Illinois, USA
By Amy Magro
Chicago will make sports history September 9-15 as Michigan Avenue plays host to the Sweet Home Chicago Open – the first-ever professional squash tournament to be held outdoors in North America.
With the sponsorship of Lakeshore Athletic Clubs, Zeller Realty Group, Caledonian Fund Services, SmithBucklin and The Fairmont Chicago the SHCO will will be staged on an all-glass court in Pioneer Court, between Tribune Tower and the Chicago River .
This "open-to-the-public" event is widely expected to draw the world’s top-ranked players as the newest stop on the Professional Squash Association (PSA) and U.S. Squash Association tournament series. “Being among the first squash tournaments of this scale to be held outdoors, the Sweet Home Chicago Open will be an innovative forum to show off the fun and exciting game of squash,” said Kevin Klipstein, President, U.S. Squash. “With its passionate base of fans who also participate in all types of sports, Chicago presents the ideal location to host this first-of-its-kind event.”
Endorsed by the U.S. Squash Association and the PSA, the Sweet Home Chicago Open will include professional and exhibition matches, as well as clinics involving children from area schools and the METROSquash program, which combines academics and athletics for inner-city youth attending Chicago Public Schools. Exhibition play will feature Canadian-born Jonathon Power, a two-time World No. 1 champion who is regarded by many as the greatest squash player of his generation.
In conjunction with the professional tournament, this event will also showcase approximately 200 local and national amateurs in the Great Lakes Open, which will be held at The University Club of Chicago, Lakeshore Athletic Clubs and the Union League Club of Chicago. The exhibition matches will further reinforce Chicago’s love of amateur athletics, as evidenced by the City’s Bid for the 2016 Olympic Games.
“Squash has long been a game that celebrates the skill and accomplishments of the professional and amateur athlete,” said Gus Cook, North America Representative, PSA. “As the squash community aspires to find its place among other Olympic events, the Sweet Home Chicago Open is the perfect opportunity to demonstrate the appeal of and enthusiasm for this great game and the skill of the athletes who play it.”
To date, squash – a racquet sport recognized by the IOC and one of 5 sports under review for incorporation into the 2016 Olympics – is played in more than 150 countries by an estimated 15 million people, including some 500,000 players in the United States. The widespread interest in the game was a draw to many of the tournament’s sponsors.
“As Chicago’s sponsor of the Virginia Slims Invitational in 1974 and the partner and co-founder of World Team Tennis, we believe the Sweet Home Chicago Open is just as unique and intriguing as those sporting institutions,” said Jordon Kaiser, Founding Partner, Lakeshore Athletic Clubs.
source: squash360
Why Build Squash Courts?
U.S. adopts the International Squash Game
Until recently, squash in the United States was played with a "hardball" on an "American" court that measured 18'6" wide by 32' long. In the past decade, the "International" game played with a "softball" has been adopted in the U.S. The International Court is larger and measures 21' by 32'.
The NCAA and prep leagues have switched to the International game and as a result, U.S. players are becoming increasingly competitive on the world front. In addition to new construction of International sized courts, schools and clubs continue to convert their American sized courts to meet the International specs.
Over 122 countries are members of the World Squash Federation, which is actively lobbying for inclusion of Squash in the Olympic Games.
Squash is included in the Pan Am and Commonwealth games.
The USSRA is the governing body of squash in the U.S. and is an excellent information source on the game for your area.
Anderson Courts - The Home of Champions
68% of the Intercollegiate Squash All Americans (2003) play on Anderson Courts. The All Americans represent and play for Trinity, Princeton, Harvard, Williams, Cornell and Brown - all of whom chose Anderson Courts as their court builder!
En relation avec l'article précédent et lu au même endroit :
Life Time Fitness Opens Squash Courts across the Country
The following new Life Time Fitness locations will host 4 Anderson squash courts with full programming such as leagues, ladders, lessons, clinics, events, after-school programs and summer camps. We are working closely with US Squash to provide all players with ranking opportunities. To see our centers please go to http://www.lifetimefitness.com
Life Time has over 40 centers across the US with courts and are still growing. We are committed to growing squash across the US.
Questions on programming or locations in your area, please send a email to dmaur@lifetimefitness.com
New Centers Opening are:
Vernon Hills, IL -August 2008 (special membership pricing available for a limited time only) Contact Peter at 847-995-0670 or email prasmusen@lifetimefitness.com
Johns Creek GA - May 8, 2008
Woodstock GA - June 2008
We hope you join us!
