黑料不打烊 has unveiled an enhanced membership program headlined by added membership benefits for all 黑料不打烊 Members and a brand new membership offering, 黑料不打烊 Performance+ membership, built to provide significant value for the sport’s most avid players and followers.

黑料不打烊 has collaborated with a number of partners within squash, including Club Locker, Dunlop, Harrow, SquashTV, and more, to develop exciting new enhancements to the 黑料不打烊 membership experience. Most notably, 黑料不打烊 Performance+ will bundle an array of added benefits鈥攊ncluding Club Locker Premium鈥攊nto one comprehensive package for maximum convenience and value. More details on 黑料不打烊 Performance+ is available below.

黑料不打烊 has also extended new member benefits for all 黑料不打烊 members. Standard 黑料不打烊 membership will continue to be offered at the same annual price, and will now include unique benefits and discounts from our 黑料不打烊 Official Supplier Program and more.

View the comprehensive list of 黑料不打烊 Membership and 黑料不打烊 Performance+ Membership benefits below. 聽All 黑料不打烊 memberships will continue to be managed seamlessly through Club Locker and members will have full control in selecting their preferred membership level.

Most importantly, we want to thank our members for being a part of the 黑料不打烊 family and for helping us raise the game, build a sustainable infrastructure and extend squash鈥檚 reach. For more information on how to join or upgrade your membership and FAQs, visit .

New York, NY 鈥� November 18, 2025聽鈥� 黑料不打烊, the national governing body for the sport of squash in the United States, today announced the sale of a majority ownership stake in聽Club Locker, its proprietary sports management software platform, to聽Artisan Ventures, a specialized operating and investment firm focused on scaling businesses with niche software, content and community offerings.

This landmark transaction represents a visionary move by a national sports governing body to incubate and successfully spin out a for-profit technology company. The partnership positions Club Locker for accelerated growth as it expands its role as the digital foundation connecting and supporting every type of racquet sport organization worldwide.

鈥満诹喜淮蜢� built Club Locker in 2014 to strengthen the foundation of squash in the U.S. and support its mission to grow participation while streamlining operations for programs, clubs and events nationwide,鈥澛爏aid Kevin Klipstein, CEO of 黑料不打烊.

鈥淏acked by Artisan鈥檚 expertise in building high-performing technology businesses and strong team cultures, Club Locker is poised to scale globally across racquet sports while preserving the mission-driven values that have guided 黑料不打烊 from the start鈥�, said Ryan Rayfield, Co-Founder of Club Locker.

Club Locker stands apart as an all-in-one platform designed to power every aspect of the racquet sports experience. From player ratings and tournament management to membership integration, facility operations, live streaming, and payment processing, Club Locker provides a connected ecosystem that supports hundreds of thousands of players, coaches, parents and administrators across the squash community.

鈥淲e鈥檙e proud to partner with 黑料不打烊 to scale a platform that鈥檚 as much about community as it is about technology,鈥� said Nick Shah, CEO at Artisan Ventures. 鈥淐lub Locker has become the connective tissue of squash by uniting players, clubs, and organizations, and we鈥檙e eager to serve this passionate core and help the business reach new audiences globally.鈥�

As part of the transaction, 黑料不打烊 will retain a minority ownership stake in Club Locker and maintain a strategic partnership with the company to continue advancing technology-enabled growth and accessibility in squash.

黑料不打烊 Club Locker
Club Locker is a digital platform for sports governing bodies, facilities, and competition-based organizations.聽 The platform allows players, coaches, clubs, teams, and administrators access to tools to help manage their programs, drive engagement, and promote community. Club Locker supports more than 300,000 players, thousands of accredited tournaments, all of college and secondary school squash programs, and hundreds of leagues across nearly 4,000 facilities. Learn more at .

黑料不打烊 黑料不打烊
黑料不打烊 is the national governing body for the sport of squash in the United States, dedicated to promoting access, excellence, and community across all levels of play. Founded in 1904, 黑料不打烊 drives the growth of the game through competition, education, and innovation. Learn more at聽.

黑料不打烊 Artisan Ventures
Artisan Ventures is an investment firm that acquires niche software, content, and community-driven products and transforms them into scaled, profitable, category-leading companies. Beyond capital, Artisan applies its unique systems, processes and culture to unlock potential in businesses and teams. Learn more at .

黑料不打烊 Contact:
Kevin Klipstein
CEO
黑料不打烊
kevin.klipstein@ussquash.org | 917-821-9408

Club Locker Contact:
Kayley Leonard
COO
kayley.leonard@clublocker.com | 914-715-4438

Artisan Ventures Contact:
David Jacobson
COO
david@artisan.vc | 212-287-7722

]]> /2020/09/us-squash-to-release-enhancements-to-ratings-algorithm/ Fri, 04 Sep 2020 15:57:31 +0000 /?p=51070 黑料不打烊 has announced that it will incorporate enhancements into its player rating algorithm this month. Already among the leading rating algorithms in any sport worldwide, the changes will further improve the accuracy of player ratings, and better balance the relative ratings between constituent groups. Ratings will also become more balanced between countries including those […]]]>

黑料不打烊 has announced that it will incorporate enhancements into its player rating algorithm this month. Already among the leading rating algorithms in any sport worldwide, the changes will further improve the accuracy of player ratings, and better balance the relative ratings between constituent groups. Ratings will also become more balanced between countries including those outside of the U.S. who also use the rating algorithm through Club Locker. The process of evaluating potential enhancements was triggered by analysis of imbalances in the ratings of players between different groups and in large amounts of new match information entering the system as facilities and countries continue to adopt Club Locker to meet their technology needs.

Player ratings, implemented on the Club Locker platform, take into account matches played by all players and include tournament play, accredited team and box leagues, ladders, and club matches entered on player profiles. Player ratings are designed to be a long-term measure of playing ability. The scale operates from 1.0 for a player just learning the sport to above 7.0 for the top playing professionals. The importance of an accurate, global rating system is heightened in the current time as the U.S. and other countries rely on ratings while only local and regional competition is possible due to the ongoing pandemic.

The algorithm changes will be implemented on September 10, 2020 and viewable on Club Locker profiles. The primary adjustment has to do with how results over time are factored into a player鈥檚 rating: results from the previous 15 months are weighted on a square root function curve with the most recent matches having a weight of 鈥�1鈥� while those 15 months prior weighted at 鈥�0.1鈥�. Results from 15 months to 45 months then decline in weight linearly from 0.1 to 0, respectively. Put simply, a player鈥檚 recent results are most impactful to their rating, resulting in the algorithm being more responsive to a player鈥檚 current level of performance.

Most players in the U.S. will experience a relatively minor adjustment to their rating when the changes are implemented. Furthermore, groups which already have a high amount of cross-competition 鈥� for instance, district team leagues or accredited junior tournament participants 鈥� will see the relative ratings of players within those groups remain in similar relation to one another.

More substantial adjustments will be seen when comparing different constituent groups. Ratings between groups from which there is limited crossover will be normalized to more accurately reflect levels of play. The enhancements will increase the value that ratings deliver to the squash community, allowing players to measure their own improvement and find opponents at their ability level regardless of age, gender, or where they play 鈥� from local to international competition. With the ratings of players from other countries normalized, U.S. players who compete against players from abroad are also protected from disruption of their rating as a result of international competition.

鈥淭he changes we are implementing are part of our ongoing commitment to create world-leading technologies that provide direct value to members of the squash community and lower the barriers for new players to engage with the sport,鈥� said Ryan Rayfield, VP of Technology of 黑料不打烊. 鈥淲e are enthusiastic to take this next step in making our rating algorithm even more accurate and relevant to players in the U.S. and around the world.鈥�

The current 黑料不打烊 algorithm was initially released in 2014 with the generous backing of a major donor and support from third party experts. Since release, periodic improvements and adjustments have been made to the algorithm based on regular rigorous analysis. The algorithm runs an iterative calculation on results from the prior 45 months, looking at both a player鈥檚 own results and also those of their opponents. Increased weight is placed on matches played most recently. The calculation assigns an accuracy weight based on the number of matches a player has over the time period.; e.g., if one player has 50 matches in the calculation and their opponent has 3 matches, there is greater 鈥渃onfidence鈥� in the relative rating accuracy of the player with more matches. Whether a result is 3-0, 3-1, or 3-2 is taken into account 鈥� a three game win is considered stronger than a four or five game win.

The 黑料不打烊 rating algorithm is part of the Club Locker software platform. Club Locker was initially developed by 黑料不打烊 and offers a range of integrated functions including all aspects of tournament and league management as well as a globally relevant rating and ranking system, membership and database management capabilities and facility reservation and program management modules. The investment to create Club Locker was initially funded by private donations and program resources with the goal of creating a sustainable system that provides the infrastructure to support programs and 黑料不打烊鈥檚 core goals of access, community, excellence and sportsmanship.

Construction on the Arlen Specter 黑料不打烊 Center remains on track for completion in December of 2020. The Specter Center, located on the campus of Drexel University in the heart of Philadelphia鈥檚 University City, will be the first permanent home for 黑料不打烊 and will bring together the entire squash community鈥攆rom Team USA athletes to current amateur players, participants in U.S. national championships, and to the thousands of members of the surrounding community who will be introduced to and welcomed into the sport. Development of the Specter Center project has been carried out in close partnership with Drexel University, including their outstanding Division I Athletic Department.

The construction site, located in the Amory building directly across 33^rdSt from the Drexel Daskalakis Athletic Center (where the U.S. Open Squash Championships have been held since 2011), was shut in March and April due to the pandemic, but reopened in May with enhanced safety protocols for all contractors and workers. All partners on the project are prioritizing the maintenance of a safe worksite throughout the remainder of the project.

The Specter Center will feature eighteen singles courts鈥攊ncluding two all-glass exhibition courts鈥攁nd two doubles courts, serve as 黑料不打烊鈥檚 national headquarters, house the U.S. Squash Hall of Fame and a Learning & Innovation Center, and offer athletes state-of-the-art high-performance development resources including a Coaching Excellence Center.

Once open, the Specter Center will be the flagship for 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Community Affiliate Program. Community Affiliates increase access by integrating junior, adult, scholastic, and squash and education initiatives in an innovative and sustainable way. The Specter Center will embrace this concept fully and places 黑料不打烊 within a neighborhood where the entire community of all races, religions, backgrounds can come together under one roof to learn from each other.

Community accessibility will manifest in many different ways, including an expansion of the Drexel partnership to leverage its Office of University & Community Partnerships. Proactive outreach will offer free programming for residents of the surrounding neighborhoods and local civic groups, and scholastic programs for local elementary, middle and high schools will take place with introductory programs, clubs and team play. SquashSmarts, the award-winning Philadelphia-based squash and education program, will be a key partner of the Specter Center through expansion of their core programming into the Learning & Innovation Center and workforce development initiatives to train a generation of young people for careers in youth development, education and squash.

鈥淚鈥檓 energized by seeing the progress being made on site at the Specter Center鈥�, said Ned Edwards, Specter Center Executive Director. 鈥淎fter years of planning, the last few months have finally brought the project into focus as we see walls going up and materials for the courts arriving on site. We can鈥檛 wait to open the doors and show the community what a special and inclusive space we鈥檝e built for the sport.鈥�

A time-lapse video of the construction site since its resumption in July .

Club Locker鈥檚 digital club management tools are helping to prepare facilities for a return to play in squash and other sports as they consider plans for phased reopening over the coming months.

Club Locker contains a range of integrated functions serving individuals, clubs, organizations and federations. As courts begin to reopen, facilities are evaluating the best methods to maximize player and staff safety and limit person-to-person contact. Club Locker鈥檚 mobile-first platform assists these efforts in multiple ways, including through digital reservations, flexible control over booking policies, mobile payment processing, and robust reporting capabilities about player activity. For players who aren鈥檛 able to play as wide a group of individuals compared to their normal activity, Club Locker鈥檚 accurate universal ratings helps to find a well-matched playing partner.

The industry-leading reservation software provides the necessary capabilities for facilities to seamlessly implement and enforce new booking policies. The system works for reservations across multiple sports and activities, and staff can customize booking times and blackout windows to cycle users through activities with differing entry/exit timelines to aid in social distancing, and to provide appropriate allowances for sanitation. Reservations can also be set for specific numbers of players, including allowing for only solo practice if required by club policy. To aid in the potential need for contact tracing, administrators can easily access reports tracking individuals鈥� usage information and overlap.

鈥淐lub Locker gives us the flexibility we need as we move towards opening the club,鈥� said Rob Whitehouse, Director of Athletics at the Racquet Club of Philadelphia. 鈥淥ur members can maintain their engagement while clearly understanding our updated policies, and we can easily make adjustments as the situation changes over time.鈥�

Facilities can learn more at , or can schedule a walk through and information session by emailing info@clublocker.com.

The original roll-out of Club Locker technology occurred in 2014 and since then, Club Locker has expanded to contain a range of integrated functions serving individuals, clubs, organizations and federations. More than 300 clubs utilize the reservation, league, and club management capabilities nationwide. The software encompasses all aspects of tournament and league management, a flexible rating and ranking system, membership and database management capabilities, facility reservation and program management modules, and dynamic on-site scoreboards and venue displays through Club Locker Venue. Individuals can interact with the app and profiles to follow live scores and their favorite players, find matches, book courts and register for competitions, clinics or lessons.

黑料不打烊 President & CEO Kevin Klipstein sits down with 黑料不打烊 Vice President of Technology Ryan Rayfield to discuss how 黑料不打烊 is leveraging the Club Locker platform to advance squash in the U.S. and internationally.

Club Locker is a technology platform representing a major step forward for the squash community. Its flexible, mobile-first services were first developed to fulfill 黑料不打烊鈥檚 varied internal technology needs in service of its members, clubs, and partners.

The investment to create Club Locker was initially funded by private donations and program resources with the goal of creating a sustainable system that provides the infrastructure to support programs and 黑料不打烊鈥檚 core goals of access, community, excellence and sportsmanship.

What Club Locker Does

The original roll-out of Club Locker technology occurred in 2014 and since then, Club Locker has expanded to contain a range of integrated functions serving individuals, clubs, organizations and federations. The software encompasses all aspects of tournament and league management, a flexible rating and ranking system, membership and database management capabilities, facility reservation and program management modules, and dynamic scoreboards and venue displays. Individuals can interact with the app and profiles to follow live scores and their favorite players, find matches, book courts and register for competitions, clinics or lessons.

Global Use and Opportunity

As Club Locker evolved, the opportunity arose to strengthen and support the development of squash beyond the U.S. Club Locker was spun off as its own software firm named聽,聽which licenses it as a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) product to 黑料不打烊 and other entities with the opportunity to provide value and connectivity across every aspect of the sport. The World Squash Federation (WSF) as well as the national federations of countries including England, Canada and Finland now use aspects of Club Locker, and the commitment to a common platform allows ongoing collaborative investment aligned with shared mission-based goals.

Different countries and organizations are in varied stages of Club Locker adoption with timelines that phase in use determined by internal country-specific needs. New organizations are supported by Club Locker staff throughout the onboarding process, including requirements collection, training and customization of feature sets.

Each country determines how it will use the system, and the financial models for its own programs. In 黑料不打烊鈥檚 example, it uses all aspects of Club Locker鈥檚 live capabilities such as tournament and league scoring and display, while nearly 200 clubs utilize the reservation, league, and club management capabilities nationwide. All 黑料不打烊 accredited play is run on Club Locker鈥檚 background infrastructure, and the remaining adoption of full customer-facing league and tournament software along with revamped player profiles will be rolled out upon conclusion of the 2018-2019 season.

With the investment made over the past five years, the cost to adopt the system is zero, and the ongoing expense is funded by any charges made through the system. This easy on-boarding and lack of financial risk allows squash organizations and individuals to easily leverage the system to achieve their goals in the sport. To learn more, visit or email info@clublocker.com.

On the heels of Finland鈥檚 announcement last week, Squash Canada announced today that it has named Club Locker as its software system for tournament management, Canadian rankings, membership management and an array of other information management functions. The mobile-first, web-based app will connect players, coaches, clubs and leagues across the country.

Squash Canada will begin using Club Locker for all of its nine national championships and international events, beginning with the 2018 Canadian Junior Open.聽 Rankings and other operations will be moved to the system over time.聽 Provincial/territorial squash associations have also begun to transition to Club Locker and the goal of one, unified and integrated Canadian system.聽 Squash Alberta was first to operationalize Club Locker for its membership management, going live in July.聽 Squash Ontario, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Yukon, Quebec, Nova Scotia, PEI and Newfoundland & Labrador have also begun the transition to Club Locker.

With the national body and provincial/territorial affiliates beginning its onboarding, Squash Canada will soon be opening Club Locker to Canadian clubs and leagues.聽 The association will be calling for expressions of interest from local squash organizations who wish to take advantage of the made-for-squash software.聽 Club Locker鈥檚 tournament, league, find a match and court scheduling modules are well suited for local groups.

The Club Locker technology platform was initially developed for use in the United States by 黑料不打烊.聽 It has now been licensed to a Collaborative, formed at present by 黑料不打烊, England Squash and Squash Canada, for global use that will serve players and administrators at all levels.聽 The World Squash Federation has also selected Club Locker for use with its events and operations.

鈥淪quash Canada recognizes the significant value that technology can provide to every facet of organized squash鈥�, said Dan Wolfenden, Squash Canada Executive Director.聽 鈥淯sing an integrated system that provides value to members and partners allows us to efficiently support the growth of the sport.鈥�

黑料不打烊 President and CEO Kevin Klipstein welcomed the collaborative relationship. He said: 鈥淭hrough technology, national federations now have the opportunity to provide genuine value and connectivity across every aspect of the sport, including finding and matching players, tracking performance and rankings, managing organized competitive play and supporting facilities鈥�.

Klipstein added that since 黑料不打烊 has invested in Club Locker over the last four years, the cost-barrier to using the best-in-class service has essentially been eliminated, allowing the sport to take advantage of the fact that all squash federations share the same mission-based focus.

The Club Locker technology platform was initially developed for use in the United States by 黑料不打烊 and has since been spun off as its own software firm named聽聽which licenses it as a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) product to 黑料不打烊 and other entities in support of the broader mission of growing squash participation and lifelong engagement in the sport.

Following the World Squash Federation鈥檚 (WSF) announcement earlier this year, Finland Squash has recently named as the software system to operate its national federation. The comprehensive system supports the development of squash through a range of integrated functions including all aspects of tournament and league management from registration and scheduling to scoring and on-site support, as well as a globally relevant rating and ranking system, membership and database management capabilities and facility reservation and program management modules.

The mobile-first, web-based app allows players, coaches, teaching pros and clubs to connect seamlessly, enhances the ability to share information and communicate, while saves time and improves the player experience.聽 Other national federations are in the process of on-boarding to Club Locker and additional announcements are expected in the coming weeks and months.

This spring, the WSF accepted Club Locker as the exclusive World Championship Event Software and SPIN Database Management Provider, in addition to serving as a certified Event Software, allowing results to be imported into Club Locker from other nationally accredited tournaments and leagues around the world.

The Club Locker technology platform was initially developed for use in the United States by 黑料不打烊 and has since been spun off as its own software firm named which licenses it as a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) product to 黑料不打烊 and other entities in support of the broader mission of growing squash participation and lifelong engagement in the sport.

黑料不打烊 President and CEO Kevin Klipstein welcomed the collaborative relationship with Finland by noting, 鈥淭hrough technology, national federations now have the opportunity to provide genuine value and connectivity across every aspect of the sport, including finding and matching players, tracking performance and rankings, organizing and managing competitions of all kinds, and supporting facilities.鈥�

Klipstein also noted that since the cost to adopt and use the best-in-class software has essentially been eliminated by 黑料不打烊鈥檚 early investment and current use, the sport finds itself in a unique and enviable position as a sport to take advantage of the fact that all squash federations share the same mission-based focus, leveraging technology to work together, share best practices and build value for the global squash community, while remaining fully independent and able to innovate at the country level.

PHILADELPHIA, PA 鈥� 黑料不打烊 and Drexel University announced their agreement to enter into a long-term sublease allowing 黑料不打烊 to invest $27 million to transform the 32^nd Street Armory into a national center to serve the U.S. squash community.

Funding for this historic project has been made possible through the vision and generosity of supporters from around the country, spearheaded by a leadership gift from Tracey and Shanin Specter. The facility will be named the Arlen Specter 黑料不打烊 Center in honor of Shanin鈥檚 late father Arlen, the longest-serving US Senator from the State of Pennsylvania who was called the 鈥渕ost dedicated squash player on Capitol Hill” due to his devotion to the game. Specter reflected: “My father knew the great value of squash and would be thrilled that his association with the sport will endure forever.”

黑料不打烊 President & CEO Kevin Klipstein affirmed the historic role of the new center in saying, 鈥漷he Specter Center will have the most significant and enduring impact on the sport of any initiative in 黑料不打烊鈥檚 114-year history. The center will serve as the anchor and home for our core programs directly in support of our mission, and will also allow us to innovate for the 21st century as we pilot initiatives to dramatically expand access to squash locally, regionally and nationally.鈥�

Located just two blocks from Philadelphia鈥檚 30^th Street Station, the Specter Center will feature eighteen singles courts鈥攊ncluding two all-glass exhibition courts鈥攁nd two doubles courts, serve as 黑料不打烊鈥檚 national headquarters, the U.S. Squash Hall of Fame, house a Learning & Innovation Center and offer elite athletes state-of-the-art development resources including a Coaching Excellence Center and coordination with Drexel University鈥檚 robust capabilities as a major Division I athletic program. The Specter Center鈥檚 final design phase is underway and plans call for the Specter Center to open with the hosting of the U.S. Open Squash Championships in October 2020.

鈥淣early a decade ago the 黑料不打烊 Board recognized the broad impact a national center could have for the game in the U.S.鈥� notes 黑料不打烊 Board Chair Marshall Pagon, 鈥淭he Specter Center will turn this vision into reality, and once completed will substantially enhance our capacity to develop meaningful programs and deliver world-class experiences for the squash community. We are deeply grateful to the donors who have shown such generous support thus far, especially the leadership and vision of Tracey and Shanin Specter, as well as our long-time organizational partner Drexel University.鈥�

鈥淲e are thrilled to extend our longstanding partnership with 黑料不打烊 to help bring a national squash center to a city where the sport鈥檚 roots run deep,鈥� said John Fry, Drexel President. 鈥淭his world-class facility will be a treasure for the city, a boon to its economy and a place for all Philadelphians to pick up a racket and play a lifetime sport that is one of the fastest-growing in the country.鈥�

The Specter Center will serve as a model for community engagement and access for urban youth and public school programming. The Learning & Innovation Center will be run in partnership with SquashSmarts, the local squash and education program, and will broaden access and exposure to squash impacting thousands of school-age children across the Philadelphia community.

The facility will also act as the primary host for a significant number of U.S. Championships, elevating the tournament experience for players and fans. Within a 3-block radius are also seven courts at Drexel鈥檚 Kline & Specter Squash Center and an additional twelve new courts currently under renovation at the University of Pennsylvania.

Specter Center Executive Director Ned Edwards reflected on the impact of the new facility, 鈥淭he Specter Center will be the most innovative squash facility in the world. It will drive every piece of 黑料不打烊鈥檚 programming does to new heights, including grassroots and community programming, education and enforcement on standards of sportsmanship and fair play, education of coaches and officials, hosting of world-class events, and elite training for Team USA. The center will advance 黑料不打烊鈥檚 pursuit of excellence by providing the organization a home, and a place to create a winning culture and love for the game, and will serve as the most inclusive, community-oriented squash space in the world.鈥�