On the Fly—a day in the life of Howard Harding, squash's one-man media source

Howard Harding

Howard Harding, human squash news wire, keeps the sport's world turning. Harding is employed by three major squash organizations—World Squash Federation (WSF), Professional Squash Association (PSA) and Women's International Squash Players Association (WISPA). From and for these governing bodies, Harding gathers and sends pertinent stories to the international squash community. He's researched and compiled countless reams of historical data stockpiled in folder after folder on his home and office computers, and he disperses daily news to squash publications, journalists, players—anyone on his massive email distribution list.

“About three years ago, I'd planned ages before to take a week's holiday,” recounts Harding. “It coincided with the Women's World Open in Seattle. And I said to everybody, 'Look, I'm going to be away and I'm definitely not taking my laptop, and I'm definitely not going to be doing anything because I'm going to be miles away.' And so I didn't. And that's what I did and I cut myself off.”

Upon his return, Harding was in for a shock. “Because I was on holiday there wasn't any news going out,” says Harding. “There was almost a sense that nobody had known that the World Open had taken place,” he says. “I thought, this is outrageous that my being away for a week can have this sort of effect on the sport… I sort of feel a bit, a bit—what can I say? A bit embarrassed but at the same time a bit vulnerable in a sense if that is the case.”

(To read more about Howard Harding, please pick up the November 2002 Squash Magazine.)