Yesterday the Pioneer Cup posted on the front page of the Pioneer Cup information that they would now be running a companion event alongside the Main events.
To the players and coaches knowledge until yesterday, it was thought that all players would play in the main event.
When you look at the lists you will be suprised who did and didn't get into the draws.
For the ESF not to qualify the best players in all countries, based on their level of play is a disgrace to every player and Country that have entered.
It's not rocket science!
For this association and these two tournaments to expect anyone to travel to one of there ESF sanctioned events in the future, is now a dream!
With the Boy's Junior World championships around the corner, one year from now, and with players not getting ESF ranking points, playing in their Challenge Cups, Countries will only suffer once the seedings are done for the Jr. worlds, if their athletes do not get a ranking. Of course the Junior worlds would take ESF rankings into account!
The WSF should take a good look at all this nonsense!
We have dedicated our lives to squash and have been training very hard so we can perform at a high level of squash when we go over to these two tournaments. I'm am very upset to know that I will not be playing in either main draw. I have neaten a few players who are seeded top in these tournaments and I don't see myself coming if I can never play in the main draw. We signed up for a high class tournament but now all we are getting is a companion event. I might be going to the worlds next year and 2 years after that so I would like to play and watch other squash players to see where I stand in world squash. We were allowed in only the pioneer main draw and now that is taken away from mostly all of us. This is upsetting to me and of course the other members of squash ontario coming to play in the tournaments. ESF can't do this to people, we are all good players and this is not going to look good on squash in the future.
I also agree with Nick. Where I can't say I have played top European players, the whole point of my going to these tournaments was in hope to play the top players. Now I find myself in a draw where over half the players are from the USA. This is dissapointing considering I can play these players in a tournament where we would be in the MAIN DRAW and ACCOMODATE ALL of them. I would also not be PAYING $3000 dollars for it. I came to play new kids, and I haven't been given that chance. To sum it all up I am playing in hope of winning the draw of the left over kids, and I can say for a fact that some of these kids have earned their spot in the mains.
Its ridiculous of you to think that by putting so many entries into a european competition that you would all get in!
There were over 30 US/Cnadian entries to the BU17 at the dutch and its only a 64 draw. Errm how daft are you to try to crash so many in, whilst other players that have played the ESF circuit for years and earnt their ranking should be pushed out for you or come over and you expect to get in, maybe if your assoc had just chosen 5 then it would have been different.
If they're not ranked high enough, then they're not....its simple. Its a bad system because to get higher it cost a fortune to tour and if your not rich, theres no money, but I guess thats like all sports....
you're soooooo wrong. and i'm not even american. what's wrong with holding qualifying or having a bigger draw with byes? these clubs have like 20 courts!
You gotta be kidding! If there is a limitation on draw sizes one of two things have to happen. Either you have qualifying rounds as in the past, which would put the best kids in the draw or you qualify all players by level of play which is impossible.
I would suggest you come up with a method or you will once again struggle with entries as you did a few years back when you made the other silly decision to qualify in two events before you can enter the Pioneer. That one failed also!
This decision to shut some of the best players in the WORLD is one of a kind.
Just to qualify the statement," there are kids in the main draws that couldn't get a point off of players in the B draws"
The best should play the best in an open tournament.
Rather than argue with your ridiculous comment, I can tell you that as a parent of one of the members of Canadian team, I am absolutely disgusted with the way that we have been treated at the Pioneer Open. The Under 15 and 17 Boys have been at the Kautz location where the boys are offered only lunch, unlike the all day buffet at the main venue. Furthermore, the B tournament is one day shorter than the main tournament.
As I said in my previous message, you won't have to worry about the Canadians entering too many players in future Pioneer Opens. For that matter, I will be discouraging my son, Andrew, to enter into any future ESF sanctioned tournaments.
It's very unfortunate that the squash organizers of the Pioneer Open would treat people in their own sport this way.