USSRA 2001 Junior Olympics

SquashTalk > USA Junior Olympics 2001 > Event Preview

2001 Jr Olympics

Preview
Entrants
Results
   Friday Report
   Saturday
   Sun/Monday
Photogalleries
   Gallery I
   Gallery II
Features

2000 Jr Olympics
College Squash

DEPARTMENTS
Latest news
Tournament Calendar
Bronstein Global Gallery
Player of the month
Videos
History
Pakistan Squash
School Squash
Camp Index
Features Index
Player Profiles
Worldwide Clubs
Worldwide Links
Rankings
Jobs

More Good stuff:
About Squash
Just starting
Books
Juniors Squash
Women's Squash
Regional Reports

USA JUNIOR OLYMPICS BECOMES LARGEST WORLDWIDE JUNIOR EVENT

Princeton NJ. Dec 3, 2001, by Ron Beck

The USSRA Junior Olympics, an elite international junior squash extravaganza, has this year attracted a record 457 entrants, 118 of them hailing from international destinations.

"We are excited about the continuing growth of the Junior Olympics," said USSRA spokesman Steve Gregg today from Bala Cynwyd Pennsylvania. "Our event has now become larger than the British Junior Open and has attracted great players from every continent." Gregg cited in particular very strong contingents from Mexico, Canada, Columbia, the Caribbean, and Pakistan, as well as a stronger-than-ever field from the USA.

The event this year is being held Dec 14-17 at Princeton's Jadwin Gym Squash Facility, a venue recently upgraded and rededicated at this fall's 100 years of Princeton Squash Celebration. Jadwin's 10 courts and Dillon's 5 courts will meet the demands of draws ranging in size from 32 to 128 players.

Bob Callahan and Gail Ramsay, the Princeton coaches who will play an integral role in co-hosting the event with the USSRA staff led by Mike Hymer, are no strangers to managing massive junior events. Princeton hosted the '98 World Junior Men's Championships as well as several recent editions of the USA Junior Closed tourneys and prior editions of the Junior Olympics. In recent years, this event has rotated between the facilities at Princeton and Yale University.

"Of course, we're a bit disappointed with the UK entry (3 players)," indicated Gregg with a laugh, "seeing that the US is sending it's largest contingent to the Scottish and British Open's in a month! But we're sure the UK Juniors will soon see the light. Our expanded entries from places like Pakistan and South America certainly add to the luster of the event"

Mike Riley - WSF certified referee

A new innovation this year at the Junior Olympics will be the presence of fully certified adult referees, led by International-certified-referee Mike Riley from Newport, RI. Riley, the first US Referee to reach WSF certification, leads a team of professional referees who will be called into play for the key matchups. The remaining matches, as with almost all junior events worldwide, will be refereed by fellow juniors. All junior USSRA tournament players are required to attain referee certification for USA junior rankings.

The event, set for December 14-17, may in fact be the single largest junior squash gathering on earth. And the best part: admission is free!

SQUASHTALK TODAY
WISPA Vassar
NAO Doubles
WISPA Greenwich CT
WISPA Rye NY

RECENT EVENTS
Junior Mens Worlds
Men's World Open
US 5 Man Teams
Weymuller US Open

CURRENT CONTENT
Hall of Fame
News Index
Club Links
Gear Links
E-boast Newsletter
(sign up now free)