12 June, 2017

Oct 21 - Saturday - 11am ~ 1:30 - Squash SMASH Tourney

Squash
Top Gun
True story: Goose survived the crash, gave up flying, and went on to play pro-squash!

Think you have what it takes to play in Squash Top Gun, to be the best of the best? 
Are your rallies writing checks your body can't cash?

Then let your inner squash Maverick come out for a fast and fun squash SMASH tourney this Saturday morning.

Squash SMASH Tourney!
Saturday October 21
11am ~ 1:30
Lifetime Fitness Sandy Springs location.
Cash prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. If we have enough players, payouts to 4th place too. We only have room for 16 players, sign up soon to reserve your spot.
Check Squash SMASH Tourney for more details of the tourney, how it works, rules, and whatnot.

Sign up here -> Saturday 11am Oct 21 - Squash SMASH Online Registration Form

This is a high stakes tourney with a $20 entry fee (cash only). First place could go home with $160+! We will also randomly draw a $50 Sushi Nami gift card and maybe some other items....

For the full results of the June 3 tournament where Paul M. (5.5) took $160 from everyone, check RESULTS: Saturday June 3 - Squash SMASH Tourney

Use your afterburners to get there!

My shots always drop in the danger zone...
  - Bob -

05 June, 2017

RESULTS: Saturday June 3 - Squash SMASH Tourney

The Oracle said he was not the one
...but he won!
Paul M. (5.5) aka, Squash Neo

Wow! - I mean 16 players - WOW! We had a great turnout with a full tournament. AND of the 16 players, Paul M. (5.5) was the tourney's heavy... and just because he won, didn't mean it was easy or without pressure! Of Paul's 12 games, had to give weight to all his opponents and many of the matches went to the last point. Paul came out of the gate with a tough first match against the seasoned Chris M. (3.5) (some would say 4.0 or better). The match spread meant that Paul had to get 17 points before Chris made 4. It was close with Chris taking the first game 4-9, then Paul with 17-2, and finally Paul 17-3. And that was just warm up for Pauls' next big match against Justin D. (5.0), a highly skilled player, but Justin was just not able to keep up with Paul. Paul continued through the winner's bracket against other solid players like Paul D. (3.5) and Carl N. (3.0). Here's the kicker: Paul had to play Carl twice! Once in the winners bracket and then after beating Carl down in to the losers bracket, Carl fought back through the losers' bracket to play Paul in the finals!. All in all, it was exciting and a lot of great squash was played. Congratulations to Paul M. (5.5) for winning his first Squash SMASH Tourney and taking home 1st Place's prize of $160!
1. Paul M. (5.5) - $160
2. Carl N. (3.0) - $100
3. Chris M. (3.5) - $40
4. Sam F. (3.5) - $20
The final brackets

It wasn't all about Paul M. though... There were lots of great players with some spectacular matches. Here's one: Paul D. (3.5) up against the junior Joaquin F. (2.5) in the first round and Joaquin scared Paul with a closer match that he wanted by winning the first game. Paul D. came back but the final game went down to the last point. Sam F. (3.5), in from Woodstock and has played in a couple of the EvenSquash SMASH tourneys and finishing 3rd once went up against Luis P. (3.0) who has played in a lot of these tourneys (actually ranked #27 on the SMASH Winners' Circle). Luis P. pushed Sam down into the loser's bracket in the first round. Sam would play 11 more games to finally bow out to Chris M. (3.5) and take home 4th place.

The nice thing about the EvenSquash SMASH format is that anyone can play anyone and you just don't know who you'll match up with. In some cases, someone new, in some matches, you play someone you regularly play. And face-offs with familiar faces is exactly what happened to Jeff D. (3.0) vs. Alejo C. (3.5), Jim C. (3.5) vs. Jeff D. (3.0), Luis P. (3.0) vs. Chris M. (3.5), Cat G. (2.5) vs. Alejo C. (3.5), and Wayne J. (4.5) vs Chris M. (3.0). Does playing a familiar face make the match easier or harder? No telling, but one thing for sure - at the last point someone will advance closer to first place. Other players like Courtney W. (3.0), Cat G. (2.5), and Roland D. (3.0) got a good mix of new and old faces.

Speaking of new faces... this was a first time showing for Allan D. (3.0), Carl N. (3.0), Paul D. (3.0), Paul M. (5.5), Justin D. (5.0). Thanks for for coming out everyone and hope you'll be back!

All in all it was a blast! Special thanks to Andre 'Legend' Maur (∞.5) for allowing us access to the tourney beer and for reserving all the courts for us!

Below are some great pics n vids and more free commentary... free as in not worth one cent.

Check the side bar for the latest Squash SMASH Tourney's Winner's Circle and other info about the EvenSquash handicap system and tournaments.

Stay tuned - We'll probably run another squash SMASH tourney on Saturday, June 17th....

Wait... so squash is not just like racquet ball?
- Bob -
The Finals: Paul M. (5.5) vs Carl N. (3.0)
Carl, visibly exhausted, still made sure that Paul kept his focus
Alejo C. (3.5) vs Chris M. (3.5)
For those of us who play out of Sandy Springs, we've seen this match up a lot
Roland D. (3.0) vs Sam F. (3.5)
Is this MIB playing squash?
Allan D. (3.0) vs. Carl N. (3.0)
Some great squash... and almost a behind the back shot!
Justin D. (5.0) vs. Paul M. (5.5)
The two tourney heavies going at it with some really quick points
Justin D. (5.0) vs Wayne J. (4.5)
Justin just coming out of playing Paul M., took it out on Wayne J. who might have been thinking about beer...
Joaquin F. (2.5) vs Paul D. (3.5)
Junior vs Adult. The adult can't win: Either you beat a junior or you get beat by a junior
Courtney W. (3.0) and Jeff D. (3.0)
Warming up in the Airport's Smokers Lounge....