Just follow the bouncing ball.
The Winter Squash Classic will take place in Maspeth on Saturday, Jan. 11, from 10:30 am to 2:30 pm.
The event features two matches corresponding to the semi-finals of the $35K Intsel Steel Pro Invitational.
On the men’s side, Timothy Brownell, who is currently the best men’s squash player in the United States, will verse Mohamed Nabil, who played for the national junior team in his native Egypt and now coaches in New York City.
The women’s match pits Nicole Bunyan, a Canadian who founded the online training platform Squashletic and has ranked as high as number 39 in the world, against Alina Bushma, who hails from Ukraine and has been as high as number 73 in world rankings.
Visitors are welcome, and admission is free, but please click here to RSVP or send an email to [email protected]. Hot chocolate, soup, beverages, and bites will be available.
A Little Background
Pretty much all humans love watching top-notch competition, drinking hot chocolate, and eating, but what is squash and when did Maspeth get a court?
Invented in a London prison in the 19th century, it’s somewhat comparable to racquetball or handball. The sport involves hitting a small rubber ball with a racquet and chasing it around inside a four-walled court.
Maspeth Welding is a 120-employee construction firm that specializes in structural steel and miscellaneous metals. The private company operates out of a 45,000-square-foot facility at 59-30 54th St. in Maspeth’s Industrial Business Zone.
President Jeff Anschlowar and his good friend Robert Gibralter are huge squash enthusiasts. They spearheaded the effort to build the only outdoor, steel court in the United States. They are also the forces behind this Intsel Steel Pro tournament.
Nestled among the huge welding-related buildings, the court has an all-glass back wall, and spectators check out the action in an outdoor area with space for about 50 people who sit on folding chairs and benches or stand. (Organizers will provide heaters during these matches, but warm attire is encouraged.)
The venue is not easy to reach via public transportation, but there is on-site parking.
Editor’s note: Squash enthusiasts love this court, naturally, but so do others. The unique space is admired by architects, urban explorers, and designers of all kinds.
Some testimonials follow.
According to architect Rand Elliott, FAIA, principal at Rand Elliott Architects in Oklahoma City: “This is a piece of art…It’s truly inspiring. If you were going to teach a class about what is possible, there’s a realization that even a squash court can be a piece of art. It’s beautifully detailed and says something about its purpose and use. Even the proportions and scale are right.”
Nick Matthew OBE, an Englishman who was ranked number one in the world in 2010, referred to the facility as “…one of the truest courts I’ve ever played on…I felt like a kid again.”
Adrian Grant, another Brit who has been ranked as high as number 9 in the world, opined: “Hands down the coolest court I’ve ever played on. The guys @maspetheweldingarts have created a masterpiece and it plays just as good as it looks. I sense something exciting on the horizon, time for a facelift, these courts are made for everyone!”
Squash and Education Alliance Executive Director Tim Wyant added: “The artful attention to detail and blend of natural and industrial design are striking. And it’s simply surreal to feel the breeze and see the sky while playing a game we’ve always thought of as being for the indoors. Visiting Maspeth is to expand your conceptions about what’s possible for squash.”
Images: Maspeth Squash