Arturo Manzur - Minneapolis LifeTime Athletic Club
MLTAC Head Squash Professional Arturo Manzur started his coaching
career in Barcelona, Spain, where he coached several men, women and
juniors to top rankings. He achieved the highest level of coaching and
refereeing certification while being involved with the Royal Spanish
Squash Federation.
Since moving to the United
States in 1994, Arturo has coached at the college and at the national
level. He has been the Leading Coach at the Princeton University Summer
Junior Squash Camps and he is currently a member of the U.S. Coaching
Committee Board. He was an invited presenter at the 1999 World Coaches
Conference and at the 2000 and 2002 U.S. National Coaches Conference.
Arturo coached the U.S. national junior squash teams at the 2000 Pan
American Federation Championships in Mexico City, where the junior
American women's teams won a gold and a silver medal and the boys' team
won two silver medals.
You can contact Arturo at AManzur[AT]LifeTimeFitness[DOT]com - 612-752-9527
John O'Brien - Commodore Squash Club
Boasting an
impressive local squash pedigree, John O'Brien is the second generation
owner and current Teaching Pro at the Commodore Squash Club of St. Paul
Minnesota. O'Brien played squash at St. Paul Academy for five years
before heading east to Tufts University. He played varsity there and
helped Tufts earn a top ten intercollegiate ranking. He has studied the
game under Hashim Kahn, Doug McLaggen, Mark Lewis, and David Pearson.
John is a certified Professional Squash Association Level 5 Teaching
Pro, a Softball Referee and a Level 1 Coach. He and his father Tomy are
also Hardball Doubles Referees. When John is not overseeing the club
and the singles, juniors and doubles programming he runs, he is on the
court competing. Locally, he has won the Indian Summer Tournament and
has been a finalist in the state doubles tournament.
John
writes, "My approach to giving lessons is somewhat unique: I will only
sell packages of four lessons, one per week. After the four lessons,
the student may not take additional lessons for 4-6 months. I have
found this approach works wonders, as it is intensive, structured, and
permits adequate time for the lessons to bear fruit. Of particular
interest to me is conveying the importance of holding the racquet in
the fingers, rather than in the palm of the hand. Occasionally I will
invite students back for a free group review, where they can 'compare
notes'. The reviews are always great fun for everyone."
Striking a philosophical note, he believes "squash is a wonderfully
rewarding sport, both on and off the court. The fitness rewards are
unparalleled, and the critical thinking involved make for a lifetime of
delicious pondering. Those of us who have had the privilege of playing
squash for our entire lives are truly the lucky ones."
You can contact John at john[AT]commodoresquashclub[DOT]com - 651-228-0501
Bob Massey - Minneapolis Club
Bob Massey started
working for the Minneapolis Club in downtown Minneapolis in 1981 and
was certified to teach squash by the Professional Squash Association in
1984. Bob's squash tournament achievements include one state singles
championship and nine state doubles championships. He loves to teach
squash and still competes in local and national tournaments. At the
Minneapolis Club, Bob is responsible for pairing match play, daily
reservation, private lessons, tournament play year-round and group
clinics for all levels.
You can reach Bob at MASSEYBCM[AT]aol[DOT]com - 612-332-2292, ext. 438.
