Riley Named Director of Officials
August 20, 2010
*Natick, MA — * The US based Pro Squash Tour (PST) announced today that Michael F. Riley has been named the Director of Officials. Riley will assume this post immediately and serve as a key leader on the PST management team.
“Mike is widely respected by players and peer referees for his knowledge of the game,” said Pro squash Tour Commissioner Joseph McManus. “The game needs more people like Mike. I need him. The tour needs him. And the improvements to the game that we are making will help grow the fan base of squash.”
Mike is a native of Manchester, England. He began playing squash at the age of 18 and has been the Head Squash Pro at Rhode Island Country Club for the past 22 years. He has been one of the top ranked players in his age group for 22 years and also holds the credential of World Squash Federation World Referee.
In this newly created position, Mike will be on site officiating at most tournaments. Additionally, he will be tasked with training new referees and elevating the professionalism of the officials.
“We need to professionalize the position of squash referee. And I look forward to helping this process move forward,” said Riley.
As part of the US based Pro Squash Tour’s commitment to improving the standard of refereeing in squash, all matches will be videotaped and official’s calls will be reviewed. The tour will announce if mistakes were made and provide video clips to help train its officials.
More than 150 years old and played by more than 20 million people in 175 countries, squash has shown sustained growth in the US. in recent years. The US based Pro Squash Tour was founded in 2009 and coordinates a tour with stops across the United States. The season begins in September and runs through April.