Kevin Kilpstein: The Long Play for Squash

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This year, Kevin Klipstein will celebrate 20 years at the helm of US Squash, the national governing body for the racquet sport that has been steadily growing in participation and membership over that time. While the NGB has seen remarkable success through projects such as a national training center in Philadelphia, and exposure in new markets, the sport itself for years has been seeking a holy grail of sorts. That effort, of course, is a place on the Olympic program. That effort began with a campaign to get into the 2012 Games in London, and in each subsequent Games after that. But for one reason or another — and there were different reasons each time — the sport could never quite clear the hurdle. But when it came time to pitch for the 2028 Games in Los Angeles, everything finally lined up perfectly. Squash was one of several sports approved for the program, which of course presents a whole new world of opportunity for leaders like Klipstein, who spend their entire days thinking about ways to expose the sport they love to even more people.

And as you’ll hear, one of the beauties of squash at that highest level is that its glass showcase courts can be stationed just about anywhere. In fact, international events have been staged outside the pyramids in Egypt and on building rooftops, to name a few. Where exactly it will be staged in Los Angeles remains to be seen — as will its potential place in the 2032 Games in Australia and beyond. But as you’ll hear in this conversation, the sport has plans to grow regardless of its upcoming presence on sport’s largest stage.

Among the topics in this episode:

• What the moment was like when the sport was added to the 2028 Olympic Games (3:57)
• What put the sport over the edge for Olympic inclusion (4:59)
• What aspects of the sport make it a good fit for the Games (7:29)
• The help of having benefactors in Los Angeles (8:22)
• The market for the sport in Southern California (9:16)
• The unique locations where squash can played (10:41)
• The range of possibilities for venue selection in Los Angeles 12:25)
• How the sport will navigate inclusion in the 2032 Games in Brisbane (13:28)
• How the NGB will use the Olympic platform to grow the sport (15:58)
• The effort to build a national training center in Philadelphia (18:21)
• Trends in squash court development (21:00)
• Trends in participation for squash and other racquet sports (23:16)
• Trends in membership for US Squash (25:11)
• Klipstein’s entry into the sports as a player and executive (27:30)

This episode is sponsored by: