We hope that everyone enjoyed a fun night of squash and camaraderie at our Winter League finals last Wednesday evening. Thank you to all of all of our sponsors and volunteers for making the night and the season special.
In particular we’d like to thank the Mayfair Clubs for hosting our finals as well as T&D events and match play throughout the season. We would also like to thank Oliver Sports, North on Sixty, Unilever/Dove, Lululemon, and Chocosol for helping us stage a prize table that was the envy of other leagues. Special thanks are also due to Julie Hisey for convening an outstanding Friday Night Women’s Squash League!
We’re pleased to share the below slideshow of photographs of the event taken by sponsor Karen Galati, as well as a summary of the league and award results with you.
Division Winners
A Division: Champions ORC, Finalists Mayfair Parkway
The battle for A was the most closely fought of all of the Division finals. Mayfair Parkway had dominated all season long but arrived at the finals one player short due to injuries. This gave opponent ORC a head start with a win by default at #4. Mayfair Parkway player Vanessa Steinwall won her #3 match against Amreen Sodhi 3:0, evening the playing field. Sue Desa fought and won a tough 3:2 match against Bernie Gavadza, giving the edge to Mayfair Parkway. Up last in the #1 spots were captains, Julie Hisey and Elka Markus. Elka won the match 3:1 in overtime (17:15) giving ORC the lead by a single game! It was an exciting finish to a great season and a fantastic high level match to close out our finals night.
ORC A Team: Karlene Headley-Cooper, Amreen Sodhi, Elka Markus Carolyn Feather, Bernie Gavadza, Rita Bloem, and Jessica Omand
Mayfair Parkway A Team: Hayley Brown, Vanessa Steinwall, Julie Hisey, Lisa Robazza, and Sue Desa
B Division: Champions One Health Club, Finalists Georgetown Racquet Club
One Health Club were the favorites to win B, having led the field during the regular season. They were also the team that won the most sweeps, earning them the “Killepitsch” award (see below), and they came close to doing it again in the finals, winning 3:0 at #1, #2, and #4 against Georgetown Racquet Club. Unfortunately, one player from each team sustained an injury during game play. Both players will need to take an extended break from the game and we wish them well in their recoveries.
One Health Club B Team: Christine Horner, Cari Fraser, Jennifer Bennett, Debbie McKinnon and Michelle Marchesan
C Division: Champions RCYC 2, Finalists RCYC 1
The C Division finals was a faceoff between rival RCYC teams: RCYC1 and RCYC2! Coming into the last match of the night, RCYC 2 lead 2:1 and it was up to Wendy Campbell and Alison Talacko to determine which team would go home with the trophy. The match went back and forth and came down to the wire, neither player wanting to cede ground. In the end, the 5th game went to Alison but the trophy went to RCYC2 because of the two games won by Wendy Campbell.
RCYC2 C Team: Amanda Karahanas, Wendy Campbell, Sarah Powerll, Andrea Fernandes, Jean Normand, Yo Gooderham
D Division: Champions Badminton & Racquet Club, Finalists Pickering Squash Club
The top 2 D teams, B&R dressed (almost) all in white and Pickering Squash Club dressed all in black, stepped onto court ready for a fight to the finish. They were fortunate to have their club pros, Marci Sier and Nicole Pirko, on hand to cheer them on and coach between games. In the end, B&R prevailed, winning 3:1. Fittingly, D Division’s “Most Improved” player Caryn Rakine won for Pickering, but the toughest battle by far was between Shelly Hubbard and Meghan Cheesebrough with double digit scores across all four games, one going all the way to 18:16!
Badminton & Racquet Club D Team: Cindy Cohen, Sarah Cheesebrough, Meghan Cheesebrough, Jordyn Cohen, Jeannie Hendrie, Julie Brown, Marci Sier
Pickering Squash Club: Joanie Harper, Caryn Rankine, Shelly Hubbard, Carol Reilly
E Division: Champion Hannah Chan, Finalist Liz Isajiw, Third Silvana Barbato, Fourth Ivana Szostak
The E Division final featured our top 4 Friday Night Women’s Squash Leaguers competing for the #1, 2, 3 and 4 spots. The matches were intense and it was wonderful to see the improvement in the players’ games after a short season at E. In the end, Hannah Chan (Mayfair Parkway) earned the title of champion in a 3:1 win against finalist Liz Isajiw (Club Meadowvale). The battle for 3 vs 4 went to 5 games with Silvana Barbato edging out Ivona Szostak (Club Meadowvale) 15:9 in the 5th.
Ivona Szostak, Liz Isajiw, Silvana Barbato, Hannah Chan
Award Winners
Below is a list of award winners announced at the finals, including Best Après Squash, Most Improved, and our Inspiration Award, along with other recognitions. A complete list of the nominees, is available here.
Our prize table was overflowing
Best Après Squash: 16 clubs were nominated for providing the best ‘après squash’ experience this season.
Overall Winner: Georgetown Racquet Club
- A Division: Georgetown Racquet Club
- B Division: Georgetown Racquet Club
- C Division: Toronto Cricket Club
- D Division: Balmy Beach Club
- E Division: Mayfair Lakeshore
Most Improved Players by Division: 61 women were nominated for being the players whose game improved the most over the course of the season. The division winners are:
- A Division: Hayley Brown, Mayfair Parkway
- B Division: Jen Gilbert, Mayfair Lakeshore
- C Division: Morgan Sanchez, One Health Club
- D Division: Caryn Rankine, Pickering Squash Club
- E Division: Emma Gilmour
Inspiration Award: 40 women were nominated for inspiring others by demonstrating the vision, mission and values of the TDWSA this season.
Overall Winner: Liz McBeth, Mayfair Lakeshore
- A Division: Julie Hisey, Mayfair Parkway
- B Division: Liz McBeth, Mayfair Lakeshore
- C Division: Nancy McLean, Club Meadowvale
- D Division: Carol Reilly, Pickering Squash Club
Killepitsch Award (for the team with most 5:0 sweeps): One Health B Team – 9 sweeps! (50% of nights)
- “Killepitsches in training”: Badminton & Racquet Club D Team – 5 sweeps! (50% of nights)
- Individual Killepitsch Awards (for the players with most 3:0 sweeps): Cari Fraser and Vanessa Steinwall
Best Attendance
- A Division (all players played 19/20 nights!):
- Betsy Carson, Mayfair Lakeshore
- Ruth Fraser, GoodLife Dunfield
- Vanessa Steinwall, Mayfair Parkway
- Victoria Tonna, Executive Squash & Fitness
- E Division:
- Carol Papulkas
- Jocelyn Reyes
- Marjorie Taffe
- May Moulis
- Tina Mullai
Toronto & District Women's Squash Association 