In Memoriam: Michael Rothenberg

By Corey Modeste

February 28, 2012 - 1:00am

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New York Squash was deeply saddened at the passing of Michael Rothenberg at age 47, on February 23, 2012. Michael was most recently the executive director of New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, a non profit that partners with lawyers to further social change, but many in the squash community best know him for his work with the Metropolitan Squash Racquets Association (MSRA), now known as New York Squash.

Michael served as the president of the organization’s volunteer Board of Governors from 1994-2001 -- the longest leadership tenure since the group’s inception in 1925 -- and instituted new initiatives, best practices and innovative ideas that positioned the organization to realize the growth it is now experiencing.

The organization was in dire shape at the start of the 1990’s. Membership and league participation were down or at all-time lows, and member clubs were reluctant to donate court time and club resources to MSRA events. Even more fundamentally, there was confusion on whether the future of the singles game lay in international softball or American hardball.

Michael Rothenberg’s leadership turned the organization around. Says former MSRA president Zoe Gleadhall Brunson, “He brought the MSRA, and squash in New York, back to life.” Michael launched the Grand Open squash tournament in 1994, and had the vision to forge a relationship with the professional Tournament of Champions. The Tournament of Champions was not yet the institution that it is today, but over the next decade, it (and the Grand Open) would grow to be focal points of the global squash calendar. Reassured by Michael’s business acumen, management ability and problem-solving skills, Dr. Quentin Hyder entrusted the management of the Hyder Trophy pro and amateur tournament to the MSRA.

Deeply committed to gender equity in sports, Michael pushed for equal payouts for male and female pro players, and withdrew support for events held at men’s-only clubs. Though he was known as someone who was always able to build bridges and find points of commonality, some things were black and white: women were important for the game, and the MSRA would always support that.

Michael put forth the nearly heretical idea that the organization needed a paid employee. Though no other regional squash association (even today) had a paid employee, he recognized that bold investments were needed to position the MSRA for long-term growth. With the volume of day-to-day activities off-loaded to an employee, volunteer board members were able to focus on their mission of helping the squash community.

He was committed to increasing the reach of the game to new and different players, and played a critical role in the development of urban squash in the New York area. Michael created a Brooklyn-based program that became the precursor to StreetSquash, was the brainchild of the Squashkids program in Poughkeepsie, and also provided invaluable council to Tim Wyant during the founding of CitySquash.

Although Michael stepped down from the MSRA more than a decade ago, he continued to share his ideas and time with members of the current New York Squash board. During meetings with Michael, the board was continually impressed by his ability to see things from varied perspectives, whether as a manager, a worker, an out-of-the-box thinker, a player or simply as a friend.

In 2004, Michael received the MSRA’s Board of Governor's Award, a lifetime achievement award for outstanding contributions to the MSRA and to the game of squash in the New York area. Will Carlin wrote about the award for SQUASH Magazine and a single line captured Michael’s achievements: “There has never been a finer man in New York squash than Michael Rothenberg”