alain @ squash: Ron Beck @ Moosewood Squash (Palmer, Alaska)

Moosewood Squash Amidst Snow and Ice
By Ron Beck, December 2007
Squashtalk Independent News; © October, 2006 SquashTalk LLC

Perched high on a gentle hill above Palmer, Alaska, two low-slung buildings look out over farmlands, an alluvial river valley, and the mountains that surround Palmer (Matanooska Peak, Skyscraper Mountain and their friends).

This is the home and squash court of the Alger family.

Mark Alger, of course, was the star student of Seattle's Yusef Khan, in the late 1970s. Alger put Seattle on the US squash map when he won the US National Championships (amateur) in 1981 — the first time a west coaster had won the US Championships. But the game of squash in the US was going "open" at that time. After winning the nationals, Alger made the choice not to turn professional and then quietly dropped off the squash radar.

In 1999, Mark, a pilot for Alaska Airlines, moved from Washington State to Palmer, Alaska. "Not that different from where we lived in Washington," Mark says. "It was country there too."

It was soon after his move that Mark decided that his Palmer home wasn't complete, that he needed a squash court at his house to fuel his still simmering passion for squash (The nearest court was in Anchorage, a full hour's drive away, and that court, at the Alaska Club, wasn't a regulation softball court.) So Mark decided to build a court — and a building for that court — and the rest is history. Mark now owns the only regulation court in the state of Alaska. (There are four other courts in Alaska — in Anchorage, Juneau and Ketchikan — but those are converted racquetball courts or narrow courts.)

"I wanted to build the whole thing myself," Mark said, "but my wife Dawn put her foot down at me erecting the steel reinforcing beams for the ceiling myself, so I hired a contractor for that part, but most of the rest we built ourselves.

Mark said he contacted Gordie Anderson in Buffalo, NY with his plans, who said, 'You're crazy, you don't want to build the court yourself!"

"Yes I do," Mark reports he convinced Gordie, and, "Gordie was as helpful as he could be - he sold me the components and had his guys help me over the phone the whole way through."

Mark assembled a group of curious friends and neighbors to help erect the court - and the Moosewood Squash Club was launched. Mark and friends got the court erected over just a few weeks time. And those friend became the core of a group of fifty avid players in the area, all using his court.

He's never stopped working on his court setup though. There's now a computer-operated reservation system, a stove that keeps the balls warm, and club members can log into the club to turn on the heat in the out building in advance, so when they arrive it is warm enough to play (yes it does get cold up there!) Not only that, but you can watch play at the club on the two webcams and Mark's now working on a computer-voice scorekeeping system, which automatically calls out the score and will also report it on the internet. (see the moosewood squash website.)

It's not just the variety of things at Mark's court that stand out though, it's the quality. Every element of the club - from the crafted wood to the neon signs - tells us that Mark is not just a championship squash player, he achieves excellence in everything he does.

Mark and Dawn, generous and friendly as can be, have opened the court up to any comers, under the name Moosewood Squash Club. (and not long after the court went up I got an email from Mark, telling me about his new court.)

Mark's enthusiasm for the game was infectious. In addition to his entire family — wife Dawn and his two sons and daughter — a lot of people in the neighborhood are playing too. As of right now there's a box league that Mark set up a few winters ago, that has about 33 players actively competing.

To inaugurate the court, Yusef Khan, Mark's old coach and mentor, traveled up from Seattle to play an exhibition with Mark. And a few seasons ago, Sarah Fitz-Gerald came to visit, giving an exhibition with Mark and leaving behind a signed poster that's now proudly displayed at the club.

Last year my son Nate moved up to Anchorage, and is Mark's irregular sparring partner there. I've been promising Mark since Nate got there that I'd come soon too and visit the court.

It was this last Thanksgiving that I finally made it up to Alaska. My son Nate drove my wife and I over to see the club and hit a few balls. It was unseasonably warm the day I came over (about 32 degrees F), so the court was warm, and it being a holiday the club was full of players. A box league match was even underway. It all made for a somehow surreally normal squash scene, tucked away in a corner of "the last frontier."

Mark was coming off a hamstring pull, but on seeing me, he couldn't resist getting out on court to "hit a few balls".

To those watching us hit it around - it probably wasn't a big deal, just a few Masters players running around the court (Mark had a great run in a recent World Master's event.) For Mark and I, though, it brought back memories of the old amateur tournament circuit, and some memorable matches - especially a couple around 1979 that we played in front of a very full house in St. Louis. And I can report, from that few minutes on court, that Mark's game is still well-honed and very praiseworthy.

The court is great and the setup is wonderful - changing area, viewing area, and amenities, all beautifully and thoughtfully decorated. Mark is especially proud of the floor - which feels and plays perfectly - and he described to me in all detail, the construction process.

In addition to the court itself - in a nod to his wife - Mark built alongside a loft workshop for Dawn to work on her art creations. There are racquets and goggles to borrow - and a large complement of squash shoes to borrow - for casual visitors or players.

As we drove away after an invigorating squash session and a thorougly enjoyable visit, Nate told us, "This is actually the part I like the best about playing out here," He pointed to the incredible vista of mountain peaks ahead of us and concluded, "The drive away is just so gorgeous."

So, if you're planning a visit or vacation to Alaska, bring your racquet. From Anchorage, make the hour's drive, up past Eagle River and on to Palmer, climb out of the valley, and reach the Moosewood Squash Club.

source : SquashTalk

Palmer, Alaska

Palmer is a city in and the borough seat of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city was 4,533. 2005 Census Bureau estimates give the city a population of 6,920.