Bob Hanscom, LAAC Squash Professional Reports


June 08, 2008

Sunday, June 8th, 2008 was a special day for Southern California squash. Nicol David, the #1 female squash player in the world from Malaysia, appeared at The Los Angeles Athletic Club in a demonstration and exhibition match with Feather-sponsored player, former Canadian Junior National Champion and squash professional at the Pacific Athletic Club in San Diego, Dr. Sally Norgate.

The event, underwritten by Feather Sports (www.FeatherSports.com), USA, drew a sold out gallery of children and adults representing the greater Los Angeles area from Santa Barbara to San Diego, began with a demonstration of training drills and routines, a question and answer session, an exhibition match and another general question and answer session.

Following the exhibition, photo-ops, autograph signing and an hour and a half of socializing took place, where LAAC President & General Manager Steve Hathaway offered Nicol an honorary membership to the club with world-wide reciprocal privileges, Nicol and Sally proceeded down to The LAAC's third floor main dining room for a great buffet dinner, where they met up with long time friend and former Harvard University great and U.S. women’s squash team member, Carlin Wing.

Carlin invited Nicol over to a special "arts" presentation, where part of it involved hitting balls against an outdoor cement wall in a parking lot with a number of visitors. There she was, the #1 player in the world - still promoting our great game to those who previously viewed squash as being nothing more than a vegetable.

Then...on the way to the airport for her flight to Mexico and a promotional tour, by request, Nicol was taken on a quick tour through the "hills" of Beverly Hills - concluding at the corner of the famous Wilshire Boulevard and Rodeo Drive, perhaps the most affluent shopping area in the world, where she had a quick tour, took some photos of the famous area - and it was off to the airport for her 1 a.m. flight to Mexico for a three-stop promotional tour of that nation – before returning to her Netherlands home training ground to get ready for the remaining season and World Open Championships.

Thanks to all those who participated in this outstanding event – and especially to Dr. M.H. Moustafa, President & CEO of Feather Sports (www.FeatherSports.com), for making this event possible.