Tai would like to thank all the BRC members who contributed financially to his squash camp which he held in August in Lagos, Nigeria. A total of 27 kids all under 14 participated. Many of the kids had never played squash before. Apart from developing their squash skills a class was held on drug abuse in sport. The camp concluded with a tournament. Thanks to the generosity of club members prizes and awards were given to all the kids. Many of the photographs from the camp have been posted on the notice board by the squash courts.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Upcoming Events
Round Robin: 7/14/09. BRC Round Robin all levels. 4:15-5:45pm.
BRC Spin-A-Thon: 7/28/09. Come Spin in support of The Pan Mass Challenge and the Jimmy Fund. Members and Non-Members welcome to participate. 6am-6pm.
Round Robin: 7/29/09. BRC Round Robin all levels. 4:15-5:45pm.
Club Hours
Daily Hours:
Monday-Thursday: 5:30am-8:30pm
Friday: 5:30am-8:00pm
Saturday: 9:00-4:00 (Closed Memorial Day-Labor Day)
Starting on 9/13, the BRC will remain open until 9:00pm Mon-Thur and 8:30 on Friday.
The BRC will be closed on Saturdays from Memorial Day- Labor Day (May 23-Sept. 5th)
Friday, July 3rd: 5:30am-3:00pm
Labor Day 9/7: Club Closed
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
The Killer Bees, 50 Years Young
by Michelle Gilbert
“At fifty, we’re just trying to survive,” said Mike MacDonald, the Boston Racquet Club’s (BRC) 50+ Squash coach, better known as “Big Mac” or “El Capitan,” by his team members. However, the words “just trying to survive,” seem slightly modest for a man who, just days after knee surgery, was making plans to compete in the Pan Mass Challenge in August. Rather, it seems that MacDonald still possesses the drive he once had in college when he first learned how to play squash.
While attending Boston College, it was MacDonald’s roommate who showed him the ropes of squash. Their love for the game soon outgrew their desire to stay in class. MacDonald’s roommate would come to his classroom, knock on the door, and tell the professor that MacDonald needed to report to the Deans office. Fearing urgency the professor would let him go every time. “I would just leave,” MacDonald said. “We’d walk down to the field, play squash for a few hours, go out that night for some drinks, and then wake up in the morning to play some more.”
Beer and squash, is a seemingly hand in hand pair for MacDonald still, as his team, “The Killer Bees,” provides beer for their opponents after every home game. But one must not confuse their lax demeanor with passiveness. “We’re just about all type-A players,” cut in Whitney Boucher aka “Zip.” MacDonald agreed, “Yes, very competitive players, but very unpretentious. If you had an ego on this team you would be immediately crunched,” he said.
Instead of ego, it is the humble demeanor possessed by each player that has bonded the team together. Their strong camaraderie has made them unique from the other six teams in the league. Aside from matches and weekly round-robin practice sessions, the team genuinely enjoys just hanging out.
“Last summer,” said MacDonald, “Digger Donahue (aka “Digger”) has a 42’ Hinckley. All the guys met at the Scituate Yacht Club around seven am and boated over to my house for a day of competition. We played tennis, golf, horse shoes, and basketball. [We] just competed all day long.” They ended the night with a lobster cook out, some drinks, and cigars on the porch as the moon came up. “Cigars on the porch, that was great baby,” MacDonald said.
And at the end of every season, win or lose, the team celebrates by going out to dinner. They laugh about the good times and begin planning for next season. The group decides together, which additions to the team will fit into the chemistry they have already established. And once that lucky player is chosen, they too will be crowned with one of “El Capitan’s” signature nick names such as Digger, Zip, the Quite One, Baby Huey, Tommy Boy the Lady Killer, and more.
On Monday, March 16th, the Killer Bees competed in their fourteenth Championship game and won the title. MacDonald will be happy to add another plaque to their collection, a memorandum of their hard work and good times had. They have now won nine out of the last fourteen championships. MacDonald said, “It’s just a great game, and a sport we all love.”
“At fifty, we’re just trying to survive,” said Mike MacDonald, the Boston Racquet Club’s (BRC) 50+ Squash coach, better known as “Big Mac” or “El Capitan,” by his team members. However, the words “just trying to survive,” seem slightly modest for a man who, just days after knee surgery, was making plans to compete in the Pan Mass Challenge in August. Rather, it seems that MacDonald still possesses the drive he once had in college when he first learned how to play squash.
While attending Boston College, it was MacDonald’s roommate who showed him the ropes of squash. Their love for the game soon outgrew their desire to stay in class. MacDonald’s roommate would come to his classroom, knock on the door, and tell the professor that MacDonald needed to report to the Deans office. Fearing urgency the professor would let him go every time. “I would just leave,” MacDonald said. “We’d walk down to the field, play squash for a few hours, go out that night for some drinks, and then wake up in the morning to play some more.”Beer and squash, is a seemingly hand in hand pair for MacDonald still, as his team, “The Killer Bees,” provides beer for their opponents after every home game. But one must not confuse their lax demeanor with passiveness. “We’re just about all type-A players,” cut in Whitney Boucher aka “Zip.” MacDonald agreed, “Yes, very competitive players, but very unpretentious. If you had an ego on this team you would be immediately crunched,” he said.
Instead of ego, it is the humble demeanor possessed by each player that has bonded the team together. Their strong camaraderie has made them unique from the other six teams in the league. Aside from matches and weekly round-robin practice sessions, the team genuinely enjoys just hanging out.
“Last summer,” said MacDonald, “Digger Donahue (aka “Digger”) has a 42’ Hinckley. All the guys met at the Scituate Yacht Club around seven am and boated over to my house for a day of competition. We played tennis, golf, horse shoes, and basketball. [We] just competed all day long.” They ended the night with a lobster cook out, some drinks, and cigars on the porch as the moon came up. “Cigars on the porch, that was great baby,” MacDonald said. And at the end of every season, win or lose, the team celebrates by going out to dinner. They laugh about the good times and begin planning for next season. The group decides together, which additions to the team will fit into the chemistry they have already established. And once that lucky player is chosen, they too will be crowned with one of “El Capitan’s” signature nick names such as Digger, Zip, the Quite One, Baby Huey, Tommy Boy the Lady Killer, and more.
On Monday, March 16th, the Killer Bees competed in their fourteenth Championship game and won the title. MacDonald will be happy to add another plaque to their collection, a memorandum of their hard work and good times had. They have now won nine out of the last fourteen championships. MacDonald said, “It’s just a great game, and a sport we all love.”
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