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March 2013: interview with Gus Cook
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the man behind the North
American Open
and Total Squash Camps ...
Gus
Cook is event director of the North American Open, a
highly successful World Series championship on the PSA World
Tour.
The Englishman is not only focusing on event organisation,
but is also heavily involved in delivering high quality
squash camps in the United States.
SquashSite decided to catch up with the main man behind
the NAO and Total Squash Camps ... |
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It’s been a couple of
weeks since the NAO came to an end. What have you done since
then?
The 2013 Davenport NAO finished on March 2nd and breakdown/
clean- up was completed on the 4th. Since then I have been
meeting and talking with many event sponsors and partners
asking for their feedback and suggestions on how we can
improve moving forwards.
This process will continue for the next few weeks and then
we will seriously look at our options moving forwards,
looking towards 2014.
How do you look back at the event?
The NAO has been a PSA World Series level event for 6 years
and the challenge is always to raise the funds required and
get all the pieces in place to ensure a successful event for
all involved.
I am pleased with how this year went and think it was the
best ever in many ways, but that does not guarantee another
event at the same level in the future.
If it does not prove feasible, then we will look at other
smaller scale options, but always with a goal of bringing
the worlds best pro players back to Richmond in 2014.
Are you involved in any other events?
Not yet, but my partner, Dave Maraghy, and I are looking at
other options in North America where we feel there might be
sufficient interest to host more pro events. We are talking
to a lot of people who have liked what they have seen and
heard about the NAO and reached out to us over the last
week.
Pro Squash Promotions is excited by the prospect of
expanding operations beyond Richmond and hopes to help
increase awareness of this amazing sport to a larger
audience in the near future.
What will you be focusing on next?
My focus will be geared towards the junior and adult squash
camps that I have been directing for the past 7 years now at
Episcopal High School (EHS).
Prior to starting up the camps I had helped coach the 4 EHS
school teams from 2002 – 2004 and it was just a natural fit
to continue my involvement at the school.
Can you tell us a little bit more about the school and
your time there?
When I started the camps there were 5 ASB international
courts and the dormitories did not have air conditioning.
Now there are 9 ASB courts, the dorms have AC and just a
year ago a new $26M fitness facility was completed which is
next to the squash courts.
Over the years I have worked with some great local and
international coaches, along with several pro players too.
Gregory Gaultier was the featured player/coach one year, who
was at the time ranked #1 in the world.
In more recent years I have worked closely with Mike Way,
the Harvard Head coach and former coach of Jonathon Power,
Lefika Ragonste who was once a pro player and former Captain
of the record breaking Trinity team, along with experienced
locally based coaches including Mark Lewis and Brian O'Hora. |
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 Anything
else to add?
No, that’s about all I have for now other than to say that
EHS is an incredible facility with an amazing history.
It is located just a few miles away from the Capitol's major
attractions and 10 minutes from Reagan National airport.
www.totalsquashcamps.com
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