Palmer man fifth at U.S. Masters national squash championships

PALMER — Even though Mark Alger’s no longer competing in squash tournaments every weekend, the Palmer man recently proved he’s still among the best.

Alger, who founded the Moosewood Squash Centre in Palmer, finished fifth in his age bracket during the U.S. Masters Squash Championships in Middleton, RI, last month.

“I think my fifth place is pretty close to how I should have finished,” Alger said. “I was happy with the finish, wasn’t happy with the start.”

Alger, a four-time finalist and two-time champion at the U.S. Masters Squash Championships, finished 4-1 overall, but entered the tournament unseeded and had to play the top-seed and eventual champion, Dominic Hughes, in the second round.

“It wasn’t a good draw,” Alger said.

Alger said players are seeded by a computer ranking.

“I just haven’t had the opportunity to play in tournaments,” Alger said. “The more tournaments you play in, the more exposure you get.”

Alger defeated Andrew Tappe of Weston, Mass., 3-1 (11-6, 7-11, 11-6, 11-7) in the first round. Hughes of Berwynn, Pa., edged Alger 3-0 (11-9, 11-9, 11-8) in the second round.

“He has a real good finesse game,” Alger said of his second-round opponent. “I think I could beat him if I get in better shape.”

Alger rebounded on the consolation side of the bracket, posting three consecutive sweeps to secure fifth place among the 22 competitors in his division. Alger beat Jay Prince of Mercer Island, Wash., 3-0 (11-5, 11-7, 11-1) and Glenn Britton of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 3-0 (16-14, 11-5, 13-11). Alger swept Peter Doucette of Simsbury, Conn., 3-0 (11-5, 11-9, 11-9) to take fifth.

The U.S. Masters Squash Championships is considered an open event, so anyone can enter, but Alger said the tournament certainly produces tough competition. A big factor for Alger, he said, is rarely competing in tournaments in recent years. Alger said he may average a tournament a year, while many of the players in this event compete every weekend. Alger did win the all-ages division of the Sun and Surf Tournament at Jericho Tennis Club in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, last summer.

Alger estimates he’s competed in the U.S. Masters Championships about eight times. He won his age division in 1990 and 1991, and advanced to the bracket final in two other years. Alger, who turns 50 in May, said he wanted one last crack at the 45-49 age division.

“Next year I’ll go up to the 50s, so I’ll see what I can do,” Alger said.

Alger has been active in squash — a racquet sport played in a small, four-walled court with a small rubber ball — for about 38 years. As a young boy growing up in Tacoma, Wash., Alger started playing tennis. His family joined a tennis club, but there were no indoor tennis courts. On the days it rained, Alger and his peers would head inside to the club’s squash court.

“We’d bash the squad ball around,” Alger said. “I really liked it.”

Alger was soon hooked, started playing in tournaments and was a club champion by the time he was 15. He’s remained active in squash throughout his life, introduced his wife and three children to the sport and built a regulation-sized squash court on his Palmer property in 2003.

“I love it, I just love to play,” Alger said. “I’m still learning. It’s one of those games you can’t really master. It’s the world’s greatest game for staying in shape.”

Alger’s Moosewood Squash Centre has become a haven for local squash enthusiasts. Alger also set up a league, with a season that runs from the fall through December, which included about 35 regular players last year.

For more information about the Moosewood Squash Centre, see www.moosewoodsquash.org.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.