Salubrious. Merriam-Webster defines the word as favorable to or promoting health and well-being. An apt description of the mission of SquashBusters, it was also the perfect team name for the ultimate champion of 19th annual SquashBusters Derby. Originally founded by Jeannie and John Blasberg, Salubrious is now inspiringly led by Jack Winston and his mom Simone.
When the dust settled it was perennial powerhouse Racqueteers to face off against a young, scrappy Salubrious team. The Lightning Round pitted the eight singles players and the pros against each. CEO and Derby Host Rodney Galvao added another wrinkle; the pros would play twice…first with “age appropriate” racquets. Rodney then presented legends Chris Walker and David Palmer with gut strung, 1960’s bamboo racquets. The switch-up barely phased them! Chris gave Salubrious a strong three-point start, and the race was on. In the end, winner’s trophies were handed to Sir Chris, Captain Jack, Brandon McLaughlin, Leighton Calhoun, Griffin Calhoun, Nieve Monderer, Marco Barrozo, Deven Kanwal, Kevin Jernigan, Jay Bride, and Marty Freed.Though shoulder surgery sidelined him from the competition for the second time in a decade, Jamie Fagan put his good shoulder to the wheel on the fundraising front and earned the Secretariat Award as the event’s top fundraiser.
And while the squash was great fun, the highlight of the event was hearing from speaker Kymora James. A senior at the JD O’Bryant School of Math and Science, James will enroll at Boston University in the fall with plans to pursue a career in health sciences.
Like the actual Kentucky Derby, after which the annual SquashBusters fundraiser is modeled, the stars did indeed turn out for the 19th running of this Derby. Joining former 2-time World Champion Palmer and former World No. 4 Chris Walker were Derby favorites Gary Waite, Martin Heath, John White, Clinton Leeuw, Suzie Pierrepont, Wael El Hindi, Adrian Grant, Rodney Durbach, Alister Walker, Hameed Ahmed, Justin Singh, Adithya Raghavan and newcomer Vikram Malhotra.
The Derby relies on its generous and dedicated captains. In addition to Jack and Simone Winston and Scott DeSantis, those leaders this year were Jeff Harper and Sam Kaplan for Churchill Downey, Cam Rahbar and John Nimick for T-Wrecks, Rick Mayfield for Eijk’s Knights, Tucker Hamlin for True Blue, Greg Crane and Greg Jannetta for Lucky Strike, and the ever-pink Hope Prockop and Mary McKee for Unbridled
Major corporate support for the 2025 Derby came once again from lead Platinum sponsor MFS Foundation, Diamond sponsors Civic Financial, Foxfield, Intex, JP Morgan, Meehan Boyle, and Westfield Capital Management; Gold sponsors Brown Brothers Harriman, Intercontinental Real Estate, Loomis Sayles, William O’Neil + Co.; and Sliver sponsors New Balance Foundation, New England Development, Newmark, Squash Engine, and Sun Life; and Bronze sponsors Anchor Line, Compass/Biega, Day Pitney, Howland Capital, Patriots Foundation, and State Street.
With the help of more than 80 amateurs players and countless donors and sponsors we were able to meet our goal, raising $1.51 million, with hopefully a little more to come.
Greg Zaff’s (final) retirement party capped off the 2025 Derby festivities on Saturday night as over 250 people gathered at Mighty Squirrel Brewery next to Fenway Park to celebrate the SquashBusters founder and 29-year leader. With John Nimick once again handling MC duties, a slate of moving tributes came from Board Chair and former Williams teammate Don Mykrantz, lifelong friend Gary Waite, Greg’s wife Sonja Cantu, program graduates Guillermo Moronta, Vicky Flamenco and Rodney Galvao, before Greg took the microphone to speak, as ever, from the heart and about love. It was a weekend that was full of just that – heart and love – and we hope everyone had as much fun participating as we did putting it on.
Mark your calendar for May 2, 2026 when the SquashBusters Derby will turn 20!
Links to the weekend’s photos
Friday, May 2 – Password: srwf67
Singles – No password necessary
Greg’s Party – No password necessary