By Kevin D. Klipstein, President & Chief Executive Officer
It’s been quite a year already in sports so far starting with the Sochi Winter Olympics serving up rigged Russian figure skating results, World Cup soccer offering a Suarez biting, accusations of cheating all around, and the recent fumbles by the NFL have tarnished their $10 billion shield. Perhaps power and money corrupt. A lack of principled leadership seems self-evident. Also seemingly missing at these organizations is taking seriously the positive role sports play in most people’s lives every day, and the opportunity these organizations have to shape our global society.
In this issue, we have profiled people we believe are the reason why squash is growing faster in this country than in any other in the world. These are individuals who make the most of their talents and opportunities to benefit the squash community. We are pleased to honor and thank them for their passion, their commitment and their sustained efforts. While fifty is the number we decided on for the magazine, we recognize there are hundreds of others in the U.S. who are making daily contributions to enrich the community.
Evidence of how far the U.S. has come on an international level will be on display this month as Drexel University once again plays host to the Delaware Investments U.S. Open Squash Championships. In addition to our second year of full parity in prize money, and a commitment to increase the purse for the next three years, we will also host the World Squash Federation Conference and Annual General Meeting in conjunction with the Open. With more than thirty countries sending delegates, the conference should provide an excellent opportunity to lead the world squash community in discussions to extend the reach of squash and ensure the sport remains a positive influence on people’s lives.
