Squash not the Vegetable the Sport

First full disclosure, I have a bias, my wife is a Master’s squash player who has been affected by the inequities of the ranking system:

The question to be asked of Squash Ontario is two fold. First - is your ranking system discriminatory? Second - why do you have a bias against Master’s players.

A similar issue was raised with Squash Ontario a few years ago, –why did Master’s players lose ranking points when they played Junior players? The answer in essence was that the ranking system did not allow for a differentiation between Juniors, Adults (not Junior or Master’s Age) and Master’s age players. Basically all players were on the same ranking system. It would seem that in 2011 things have changed, at least somewhat.

Visit the Squash Ontario website and scroll across until the drop down ranking menu appears.

http://www.squashontario.com/index.asp#

Choose from the following pages : Junior or Junior Girls; Adult Men or Women; Doubles; Ranking Information. Selecting either Junior Boys or Girls gives further choices subdivided into General and age categories. Selecting either Adult Men or Women gives further choices subdivided into General; level (skill) and age categories.

You will see some overlapping, individuals being in an age category and a general category or in the case of the adult rankings the individual could be in an age, the general and a level category. Some Juniors are listed in both Junior and Adult rankings, there are also see some Adults ranked in the General/Level Rankings and the Masters’ rankings.

Tournament results that cause the problem. When a Junior (who has an adult ranking) plays in an adult tournament their results impact on only one set of rankings, their adult ranking. Winning they gain adult ranking points, losing they lose adult ranking points. Win or lose, their junior ranking points are unaffected.

When a Master (who has general and age ranking) plays in a non master’s tournament the results impact on both sets of rankings, adult and master’s. Winning they gain adult and master’s ranking points, losing they lose adult and master’s ranking points.

This is discrimination and if the Master’s player values their Master’s ranking (which is used for seeding purposes at Master’s tournaments) it can make them think twice about playing in non Master’s tournaments. Does a master’s player really want to risking losing points to a Junior who is somewhere between 17 and 35 years (or more!!) younger.

If it’s possible to have two ranking systems for Juniors, one which provides a ranking when they play in their age category and one when they play in the adult category , then it’s possible to have two ranking systems for Masters.

Away and Renovations

Have been away and “computerfree” for couple of weeks, and had the house in renovation and junk tossing mode, result no blog for awhile. Will comment on the experience soon, but first a concern that has been on the back burner for awhile, on Squash (the sport).