RICHMOND ON A ROLL (click here for past results)
The growth of the North American Open, from a small local tournament into one of the major events on the world squash calendar, has been phenomenal. Journalist Alan Thatcher does some digging to find out how it all happened.

The origins of Richmond squash go back to 1968, when the Westwood Club built two courts. Salty Hawkins was the father of this 1960s squash movement and towards this end, he also established the Virginia Squash Rackets Association in 1968. The mission of the VSRA was and continues to be “to support the growth and development of the Game throughout the commonwealth”.
Towards this purpose, squash spread in Richmond, evidenced by new court construction at the Commonwealth Club in 1980, the University of Richmond in 1984, the Capital Club in 1985 and the Country Club of Virginia in 1989.

In 2002, the Country Club of Virginia renovated its North American courts (which had been overrun by exercise bikes and group fitness) into three international courts and hired Gus Cook as teaching professional. Hiring someone of Gus’s caliber and simply having someone to promote the game has had an incredible impact on the squash community.

Gus started school programs at two local high schools, club programs at two area universities, created a youth program at the club, and started a league with the entire Richmond community. At this point, Richmond squash had outgrown its capacity.
For the 2009-10 season, the Richmond squash league has 190 players. The school programs are so popular that they could easily have two JV teams and even some middle school teams, if there was capacity.

The best illustration of the growth of the game is to look at the professional event here in Richmond.
One of the greatest legacies of the early Richmond squash community was the establishment of the Price Bullington Invitational Squash Tournament in 1970. Over the years, eight national champions, who have won a total of 16 US national championships, participated in the event.

The most notable include Preston Quick, winner of three US National Championships between 2002 and 2004, and Julian Illingworth, the current defending champion who has won each of the last four U.S. national championships.

The Price Bullington has provided continuity to the Richmond Squash Community. Since Cook’s appointment as head squash professional at the Country Club of Virginia, he has extended the Price Bullington franchise into a formidable squash platform over the last seven years.

Before his arrival, there had never been a professional event in Richmond. After speaking with a few of the enthusiasts here in Richmond during his first few years, he was able to discern sufficient interest in hosting an event at the Country Club of Virginia, with a purse of $10k. Soon, it became one of the largest events in North America, and for the past two years it has been second only to the Tournament of Champions in New York.

David Hetherington says: “As a squash enthusiast who grew up here in Richmond, I went on to play in college (Trinity College, ‘94), and also played in Hong Kong when I lived there (96-98). Upon returning to Richmond in 2004, I was amazed. Richmond went from backwater squash community (barely) to hosting a top ten pro event internationally in five short years.

“I am not sure if the point is lost on people, but this simply seems amazing to me - amazing how squash can captivate the minds of a few people and spread so rapidly and readily enough to support a purse of $100k. Doesn’t this say something about the sport?”

Hetherington added: “I would like to take a quick step back to frame this event within the North American squash context. Essentially, the North American Open is a juggernaut within the US squash community.

“Having come from thin air five years ago, this event was the third largest event in North America out of 35 PSA events. Only the Bear Stearns’ Tournament of Champions and the US Open were larger events last year as measured by purse and tournament status.

“Our event is the best example of the growth of North American squash and the best example of the promise of North American squash. Essentially, this community here is pushing the North American squash agenda which pushes heavily on the global squash agenda.

“The sport of squash is an international one and our events bring the world to Richmond, VA. This event also brings the world’s elite of this sport to Richmond.
“Finally, the North American Open is a juggernaut on the squash landscape – it is the fastest growing event in North America. This event is important to global squash, which means that this group assembled here is important to global squash.”

Both Hetherington and Cook are modest about their influence and achievements, and Cook is happy to share the praise. Cook explains: “The main reason all of the above has happened is due to the continued enthusiasm and drive over the past 20 years or more of one gentleman by the name of Ted Price.

“He was the person who persuaded the Country Club of Virginia to hire me on a trial, part-time basis (in late 2002) and encouraged the CCV to invest in the three new international courts that started construction in late 2003, and which were completed for play on January 1st 2004.

“The first pro event was held two weeks later to celebrate the opening of the new courts and was supported primarily by the Country Club of Virginia, the VSRA, Ted Price and Carmax.

“I was employed on a full-time basis from September 2003 after helping to build the program up from approximately 30 players to 75 over the previous 12 months and in preparation for the opening of the three new courts.

“Patrick Chifunda, who was one of my assistants at the Meadowmill Athletic Club in Baltimore back in 2001-02, came to Richmond to help me and coach full time in 2007. He has had a dramatic and positive effect on the local squash community since his arrival, especially among the juniors.

“The PSA event here in Richmond has been the second largest event anywhere in the Americas after the Tournament of Champions since 2008 and will be again for the third consecutive year in 2010.

“In 2010 the North American Open will also be one of only ten exclusive and newly revamped PSA Super Series tournaments to be held throughout the world with improved technology and TV coverage.

“The main reason the North American Open has reached the lofty level of Super Series status for these past three years is due to a number of reasons but not least because of the continued drive and enthusiasm of David Hetherington to raise the required funds, without which we would be catching trains and planes to watch the top guys play at Grand Central in New York.”