Category Archives: Recreation

August 17, 2015 · 12:05 pm

All Good Things Must Come to an End

Today the Athletics Department at Concord Academy organized an “Athletics Assembly” to celebrate the Class of 2014 student-athletes for their performance over the last 4 years. I was unable to attend the event, but wanted to recognize and thank the CA community members who I did not get a chance to bid farewell.

First, thanks to former CA Athletic Director, Carol Anne Beach for bringing me on board as a squash coach and who, once eloquently reminded me after a tough day of coaching, that “we are all in it together.” Many thanks to current Head of School, Rick Hardy and Dean of Students and Community Life, David Rost for allowing me to live on campus and grow as a house parent.

Many thanks to Jenny Brennan, Director of Athletics and my colleagues in the Athletic Department for being part of teams that won with grace and lost with dignity. I would particularly like to extend my gratitude to Assistant Squash Coaches Marty Blue, Danielle Babcock, Josh Parker, Jon Ross, Roger Hunt and Charlotte Whitmore as well as all the numerous captains of the girls and boys varsity squash teams. Furthermore members of the Athletics Department – Kellie Smith, Reed Young, Mike Bouzan and Warren Samuels – deserve special thanks as well for critical support and programming.

2013-14 Concord Academy Girls Varsity Squash with Coaches, Charlotte Whitmore and Tariq Mohammed.

2013-14 Concord Academy Girls Varsity Squash with Coaches, Charlotte Whitmore and Tariq Mohammed.

2013-14 Concord Academy Boys Varsity Squash with Coaches, Charlotte Whitmore and Tariq Mohammed.

2013-14 Concord Academy Boys Varsity Squash with Coaches, Charlotte Whitmore and Tariq Mohammed.

2013-14 Concord Academy Girls Varsity Squash with Coaches, Roger Hunt and Tariq Mohammed

2012-13 Concord Academy Girls Varsity Squash with Coaches, Roger Hunt and Tariq Mohammed

2012-13 Concord Academy Boys Varsity Squash with Coaches, Roger Hunt and Tariq Mohammed

2012-13 Concord Academy Boys Varsity Squash with Coaches, Roger Hunt and Tariq Mohammed

2011-12 Concord Academy Girls Varsity Squash with Coaches, Jon Ross and Tariq Mohammed

2011-12 Concord Academy Girls Varsity Squash with Coaches, Jon Ross and Tariq Mohammed

2013-14 Concord Academy Boys Varsity Squash with Coaches, Jon Ross and Tariq Mohammed

2013-14 Concord Academy Boys Varsity Squash with Coaches, Jon Ross and Tariq Mohammed

2010-11 Concord Academy Girls Varsity Squash with Coaches, Josh Parker and Tariq Mohammed

2010-11 Concord Academy Girls Varsity Squash with Coaches, Josh Parker and Tariq Mohammed

2010-11 Concord Academy Girls Varsity Squash with Coaches, Josh Parker and Tariq Mohammed.

2010-11 Concord Academy Boys Varsity Squash with Coaches, Josh Parker and Tariq Mohammed.

2010-11 Concord Academy Boys Varsity Squash with Coaches, Danielle Balocca and Tariq Mohammed.

2010-11 Concord Academy Boys Varsity Squash with Coaches, Danielle Balocca and Tariq Mohammed.

Many thanks to Annie Bailey in Residential Life and Don Kingman in Operations as well as the broader residential life team for helping to foster a sense of community. Long live, Bradfordfosoras rex. Many thanks to CA Dining for providing food and a space to share meals with colleagues and friends. Many thanks to CA parents, both past and present for their cooperation in helping to guide their children. Many thanks to CA students and alumni for teaching me to be a better person. Go Chameleons!

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Filed under Coaching, Community Development, Education, Recreation, Squash, Uncategorized, Youth Development, Youth Sport

August 9, 2015 · 3:02 pm

Kidsquash Alum On a Roll

Today, on the 118th Boston Marathon, I am proud to blog in the spirt of “Boston Strong” about Joey Raskin Lantos, a Kidsquash alum who “graduated” from the program in 2012, and has maintained his interest in the sport.  Joey showed impressive results in recent junior squash events.

Joey (kneeling on right) “graduating” at the 2012 In-House Kidsquash Tournament

Joey (kneeling on right) “graduating” at the 2012 In-House Kidsquash Tournament

As a 12 year old, playing in the boys under-15 division, he finished in 1st place at the SquashBusters Silver, (April 4-6, 2014). He then continued to win the 3.0 Massachusetts State Softball Championships at the Murr Center at Harvard (April, 10th, 2014) and traveled to play at the Junior Silver National Championships in Philadelphia, PA (April 11-13, 2014), where he finished in first place overall for the boys under-13 division.

Joey thriving at the Junior Silver National Championships in Philadelphia, April, 2014.

Joey thriving at the Junior Silver National Championships in Philadelphia, April, 2014.

He continues to work on his game weekly with Seth Packard, former Lead Coach at Kidsquash at the Z-Center MIT squash courts. Joey and his dad Steve Lantos, a long-time teacher at Brookline High School, “think back to Kidsquash fondly.”  All, I can say is this reconfirms the notion, “it takes a village” to support the positive growth and development of youth.

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Filed under Capacity Buidling, Coaching, Community Development, Education, Leisure, Recreation, Squash, Stakeholder Engagement, Youth Development, Youth Sport

August 7, 2015 · 7:15 pm

Reconnecting, Re-learning and Reimagining Through Sport Tourism

As mentioned earlier, I visited Manchester, UK during my last squash season at Concord Academy. Thanks to Roshan Abraham, my aunt, I had great pleasure in doing a Manchester United Museum and Stadium Tour. Despite the Abraham family being ardent Liverpool Football Club supporters, they were kind to allow me to re-imagine childhood football fantasies at one of the most popular football clubs in the world.

Visiting the world renowned, Manchester United Football Club – November 2013.

Visiting the world renowned, Manchester United Football Club – November 2013.

Like many, as a young boy playing soccer in the United Arab Emirates during the 1980s and attending a British primary school, one could not help but be engrossed by the English Premier League. Ideally, it would have been great to watch a match live at Old Trafford, but the schedule did not allow it. Interestingly the World Rugby Championships were being held at the Stadium during that time.

Learning about the history, tradition and operations of Manchester United was fascinating. From a coaching perspective, it was exciting to set foot in the stadium of of its longest serving Manager – Sir Alex Ferguson who recently signed a long-term teaching contract at Harvard Business School. Though Manchester United has struggled since his departure, it was well worth the visit.

In addition, while in Manchester, I also visited United’s rival club Manchester City Football Club which also has an impressive stadium. I was unaware that Manchester City had a sponsorship connection to Abu Dhabi’s Eithad Airways. Overall, visiting all these sporting sites was like going to Mecca, in terms of scale but without the religious significance. Although some Manchester United and Manchester City fans may disagree.

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Filed under Capacity Buidling, Coaching, Corporate Social Responsibility, Education, International Development, Peace Building, Professional Development, Recreation, Stakeholder Engagement

August 5, 2015 · 11:07 am

Kidsquash Finishes 9th Season with Motivated Students

During the 2013-14 season 20 students between the ages of 8 to 17 from 12 towns in the Greater Boston area participated in 21 hours of instructional squash clinics at the Murr Squash Center at Harvard University. Majority of the students were beginners who were new to the game and eager to learn a new sport.

The 9th season of Kidsquash season ran from October to March and covered various squash shots, etiquette, refereeing, marking, match play and concluded with an end of year tournament. Students made significant progress with their game, as demonstrated in the end of year tournament where they were divided into 2 round robin groups and some had long rallies – which they could not do at the start of the season. All 10 students in the tournament were able to receive prizes courtesy of Head, leaving them motivated for next season.

2014 Kidsquash Tournament Players and Coaches

2014 Kidsquash Tournament Players and Coaches

Making Kidsquash happen is a team effort so, many thanks to Coach Bajwa, Founder of Kidsquash – though not visible at clinics his guidance and presence was much appreciated; Coaches – Hameed, Luke and Liam – thanks for your teaching and coaching throughout the season; Parents – many thanks for your generosity and bringing your children to the Murr Squash Center almost every week and Sponors – US Squash, Mass Squash, Harvard University, Head and Whole Foods Market.

For transparency and sustainability purposes here are some important figures to consider from the 2013-14 season. For the 21 hours of instruction provided to 20 students, Kidsquash raised $3,144.  At approximately $150 per Kidsquash student, parents received $2100 of coaching value (had they received private, commercial instruction the average hourly rate would be $100 from qualified coaches). Hopefully, the value created through the Kidsquash program, will be sustained in the future by sponsors, donors and friends.

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Filed under Coaching, Community Development, Corporate Social Responsibility, Education, Leisure, Peace Building, Philanthropy, Private Public Partnerships, Recreation, Squash, Volunteering, Youth Development, Youth Sport

August 3, 2015 · 2:56 pm

Genderless Squash: Threat or Opportunity?

Having worked with elementary, middle school, high school and college athletes in diverse settings over the last decade, I am often asked how does one teach, mentor and coach across genders? Do you groom boys and girls differently? Are you conditioning them to overcome life’s challenges?

Masculinity and femininity vary across culture, time and space so my approach over the last decade as a single, male, childless adult has been towards a notion of genderless squash. My intention is not to discriminate between genders but to strive for equality. (I am not sure whether my students would agree, but I hope so.) Upon reflection, this may be a threat and/or opportunity for student-centered growth, depending on level of maturity.

Former co-ed intramural squash class at Concord Academy.

Former co-ed intramural squash class at Concord Academy.

Genderless squash may have negative consequences of producing social outcasts and maladjusted individuals who are incapable of taking responsibility for their actions or may have positive consequences of producing champions of growth-mindsets who excel in the classroom and on the court. This is not a personal attack on any single student but rather an attempt at critical reflection of my evolution as a coach.

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Filed under Coaching, Community Development, Education, Gender, Leisure, Psycho-Social Support, Recreation, Squash, Youth Development, Youth Sport

July 29, 2015 · 9:47 am

Learning through Coach Observation at England Squash & Racketball

Coaches often find themselves teaching the way they were taught. This can have positive and negative consequences for athletes. Continual professional development is necessary for finding new approaches, methodologies and techniques of teaching a sport.

National Squash Center in the United Kingdom.

National Squash Center in the United Kingdom.

I reached out to Chris Lengthorn, Head Coach of the Manchester Squash Academy at the National Squash Center in the UK, to learn more about their junior development program by being both a participant and observer. As a participant, I assisted Chris in facilitating 7 junior beginners who were working on volleys, drops, drives and footwork.  Chris was very thorough in his introduction, demonstration and explanation. However as an observer, I noticed that the beginning students were more driven to play the 7 advanced players to see how far they could go against the best players in the Academy.

It was also enlightening to observe how Chris switched gears to teach advanced players on the concept of playing the ball in front of them. After a group discussion on the pros and cons of adjusting one’s body and racquet position to play the ball in front, Chris was able to highlight a nuance that allows for greater offensive play and efficiency of movement. Overall, I am thankful for Chris and the Manchester Squash Academy for the opportunity to learn more about squash in its country of birth.

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Filed under Coaching, Education, Gender, Leisure, Networking, Professional Development, Recreation, Stakeholder Engagement, Youth Development, Youth Sport

July 28, 2015 · 10:12 am

Kidsquash on World Squash Day

This weekend I was pleased to celebrate World Squash Day by starting Kidsquash’s 9th season at the Murr Center at Harvard University. Seven juniors who are all beginners set forth on their introduction to the game. Opening remarks by Luke Hammond, Lead Coach for Kidsquash were followed by basic ball control exercises, grip and swing mechanics.

Luke Hammond, Lead Coach at Kidsquash on World Squash Day.

Luke Hammond, Lead Coach at Kidsquash on World Squash Day.

Given the small group, Kidsquash students had sufficient feedback from the coaches as well as opportunities to test out their skills in a non-competitive environment. Luke’s well planned clinic had students working in pairs, figuring out the skills on their own with guidance from coaches as and when needed as well as practicing a variety of drills. Luke’s progression of drills, were such that by the end of the clinic, the beginners were able to have basic rallies.

Registration is still open to those who would like to sign up. Massachusetts Squash has kindly included our schedule on their master calendar for easy reference. Overall, it was a promising start to the season for these newcomers to the sport.

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Filed under Capacity Buidling, Coaching, Community Development, Education, Leisure, Philanthropy, Private Public Partnerships, Recreation, Squash, Volunteering, Youth Development, Youth Sport

July 27, 2015 · 1:36 pm

Appreciating My Khelshala Service Trip Experience

I recently completed my 2+ months service trip in Chandigarh at Khelshala. While I have tried to keep you updated of the highlights along the way, I find myself a bit emotional after being so welcomed by the Khelshala family – Founders, Board members, staff, children, volunteers and well wishers.

Satinder Bajwa, Founder & Trustee of Khelshala presenting a “thank you” gift to Khelshala Secretary.

Satinder Bajwa, Founder & Trustee of Khelshala presenting a “thank you” gift to Khelshala Secretary.

It was truly an honor and privilege to help advance the mission of Khelshala while interacting with various stakeholders in India and abroad. My heartfelt thanks to Satinder Bajwa for encouraging me to make the journey and many thanks to my family and friends for donating to help fund this trip. I thought about each of you along the way.  This made me appreciate the experience even more.

We are not done though. We have set Khelshala on a higher path and so there is a lot more to do take the organization where it deserves to be. I will continue to stay connected to the Khelshala mission, but encourage others who read this to get involved as I hope you will find as much joy and satisfaction as I have experienced. Be strong!

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Filed under Capacity Buidling, Coaching, Community Development, Corporate Social Responsibility, Education, International Development, Leadership, Private Public Partnerships, Professional Development, Recreation, Squash, Stakeholder Engagement, Volunteering, Youth Development, Youth Sport

May 21, 2015 · 2:07 pm

Khelshala Finding Strength at AISEC Event in Rock Garden, Chandigarh

Today I had the pleasure of chaperoning 22 underprivileged children from Khelshala to attend the 2013 Balakaladkaar, an event organized by AISEC’s Chandigarh chapter for 975 underprivileged children from various local non-governmental organizations.

Today I had the pleasure of chaperoning 22 underprivileged children from Khelshala to attend the 2013 Balakaladkaar, an event organized by AISEC’s Chandigarh chapter for 975 underprivileged children from various local non-governmental organizations.

Khelshala Children at AISEC’s 2013 Balakaladkaar at the Rock Garden in Chandigarh

Khelshala Children at AISEC’s 2013 Balakaladkaar at the Rock Garden in Chandigarh

Khelshala competed in dance and art competitions facilitated by the AISEC organizing committee. Moreover, the event was held at the Rock Garden in Chandigarh where children were provided transportation and lunch. There were prizes given out for the best dance performance and artwork. Though Khelshala did not receive any prizes, the children applauded the winners and demonstrated good sportsmanship off the court.

Overall, it was an educational opportunity for the Khelshala children to interact with peer groups, test their skills, develop cross-cultural understanding by interacting with AISECers from 15 countries and have fun in a safe environment! Many thanks to the AISEC Chandigarh Organizing Committee and sponsors.

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Filed under Capacity Buidling, Coaching, Community Development, Corporate Social Responsibility, Education, Gender, Leisure, Networking, Philanthropy, Psycho-Social Support, Recreation, Stakeholder Engagement, Youth Development

January 21, 2015 · 8:49 pm

Kidsquash Completes 8th Season with Smiles

Since the 2004 pilot of Kidsquash, we marked the completion of the 8th Kidsquash season with ten students from the Greater Boston community. They played in a friendly round robin under the supervision of Laura Gemmell, a Harvard senior and 4-time All-American on the women’s varsity squash team, Octavio Chiesa, a volunteer peer coach and myself.

Beginner junior squash players make progress at Kidsquash.

Beginner junior squash players make progress at Kidsquash.

From October 2012 to March 2013, Kidsquash students gathered for Saturday morning recreational squash clinics. Thanks to donations from the Harvard Athletics Department, we were able to recognize 4 students who are newcomers to the sport with Harvard squash apparel. These students were – Megan Yoh (Best Female Player), Seamus Buckley (Most Improved Player), Will Gladstone (Most Valuable Player) and Samuel Esquivel (Sportsmanship Award).

Many thanks to Luke Hammond, Lead Coach for Kidsquash , Mike Way, Head Squash Coach at Harvard and Coach Bajwa, Founder of Kidsquash for their guidance and support of the program. Also, thank you to Kidsquash parents and sponsors for making it a great season!

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Filed under Coaching, Community Development, Education, Gender, Leadership, Recreation, Squash, Volunteering, Youth Development, Youth Sport