Coach Ranza (l) presents the Dave Johnson trophy to Stewart Boswell as Dave Johnson and Zafi Levy look on , photo ©Williams College Squash

It was an interesting meeting at center court at the Simons Squash Center at Williams College Monday Evening. The retired coach, from a traditional American squash background, Dave Johnson; the new coach, irrepressible Israeli-come-to-Williamstown, Zafi Levi, and the champion, the quietly dominant Stewart Boswell.

Levi decided to institutionalize his new PSA tournament and honor his prior coach at the same time, by establishing the Dave Johnson Award as the permanent trophy for the Berkshire Open PSA squash tournament. This event, which quietly has burst into the USA squash schedule, this year was raised to a $20,000 pro tour stop. Zafi and his Williamstown MA supporters were rewarded by a particularly strong field this year, which included both Stewart Boswell, who is on a quest to regain his world top ten status after a long injury break, Laurens Jan Anjema, one of the hottest players on the pro tour lately, three of the brightest American stars (Illingworth, Gordon, and Donegan, all of whom passed up the concurrently running US Men's selection event in Chicago), and an intriguing supporting cast.

Along the way there was a great American moment, when Yale's Julian Illingworth upset Raj Nanda, a player ranked in the top fifty.

And it all culminated with a proud moment for the Williams sports community, when they were given the opportunity to honor Dave Johnson, longtime squash coach and still running tennis coach. Dave Johnson, in addition to a long tenure as Williams squash coach, served a stint as President of the World Professional Squash Association (WPSA) and had a gifted career in hardball squash, especially with some inspired results on the hardball doubles tour.

Levi has plans to increase the prize money next year and firmly establish this event as one of the main pro stops on the USA pro squash tour.