End of an era, Kodak Park Squash Courts are no longer available for League Matches

A few months ago, the Kodak squash players became aware of changes, or better said- re-enforcements, in the company's policies regarding employee activities on company property with regards to company liability.  Lisa Slater and Paul Schwartz, acting as representatives for the KP squash club, met several times with management representatives to understand the issues (liability, safety and facility maintenance) that had our courts closed for periods during the spring/summer of this year.

As a result of a management meeting held to finalize decisions regarding all of the clubs and sports commonly operated under the blanket of Kodak Park Employee Services, the following policies will affect the Kodak Squash Club in this way:

1. Access to facilities (courts) and participation in (squash) activities are restricted to adult active Kodak employees, retirees, and specified on-site contractors and their immediate family members living at the same address.  

1. Employees who have involuntarily or voluntarily left the company without retiring are not eligible.

1. Anyone under the age of 18 yrs. is not eligible

1. Facility (court) access is restricted to playing participants only, no spectators are allowed. (i.e. non-playing family members or friends cannot come to watch)

1. No non-employees, as specified above, are allowed. (i.e. Squash players from the City leagues or other clubs, who are not Kodak employees, are not allowed.)

This means Kodak Park cannot be a 'hosting' or 'home' club for the City Winter Leagues.  We need to work with the RSRA Board and Winter League Coordinator to see how well the league can accommodate our teams without home courts.

Our employees and retirees still have access to the courts, though, and we consider this a victory for our Kodak players.  We'll still continue to have our club ladder leagues, practice, and club tournaments.  Plus, with some advertising support from our Employee Services group we hope to gain new members at both KP and Kodak Office.  

But, it's an unfortunate change for Kodak league and city ladder players since they have had a long history as highly competitive individual players and teams, often having winning league seasons and snagging play-off championships.  Our walls are filled with RSRA awards in proof of that and we all know that there's nothing sweeter than winning a championship on your home court.

Personally, I know there are not many RSRA members who liked to visit our KP home courts because they are rare remnants of the past- unconverted hardball courts.  But to me they are steeped in history and because of the relative rareness of squash courts in general, I've loved them even more.  I know our players will miss their 'home court' advantage where only a well-placed and perfectly lofted lob or serve stays in play and I know that our players will miss the excitement generated when teams, sometimes, 2-3 teams gathered upstairs to play their matches.

So, join me now and raise your glasses or your racquets in a toast to honor of an old friend- newly retired.  The Kodak Park Squash courts are now closed to the public.