Yusuf Khan Memorial Service
Please join the Khan family on Saturday, November 3rd from 3 PM to 6 PM to celebrate the life and legacy of Yusuf Khan.
Saturday, November 3rd, 2018
3 PM - 6 PM
Overlake Golf & Country Club
8000 NE 16th St,
Medina, WA 98039
--------------------
Yusuf Khan of Seattle was laid to rest on Saturday, October 13, 2018. He leaves behind a large loving family and an immense footprint in the US squash community, particularly in the Pacific Northwest. His contribution to squash in the USA was ground-breaking, deep rooted, and massive.
From humble origins in India, Yusuf was always a visionary - a barefoot ball boy who became a ten consecutive year East India Champion in both squash and tennis (1958-1968). His athletic accomplishments are too many to list and include a #3 world ranking in squash and the prestigious tennis degree of British Certified LTA Coach. In 1968, Yusuf's skills drew attention from the then-Seattle Tennis Club coach, who offered him a position, and he moved his family to Seattle with hopes of a better education for the children.
Yusuf's children were coached by him and eventually taught with him, expanding his impact to younger generations and to a growing number of women players. Two daughters reigned as US champions for years, and Yusuf catapulted women's squash into the limelight by hosting the first Women's World Championships on US soil in 1999. Nearly a decade and a half later, he encouraged his family, spearheaded by daughter Shabana, to carry the torch by bringing the Men's World Championships to Bellevue in 2015.
An avid promoter of his sport, Yusuf ensured that the Northwest squash community enjoyed a staple of tournaments and exhibitions previously reserved for East Coast audiences - notably, the US Open, SL Green US Nationals, US Junior Open, Women's World Squash Championships, Howe Cup, among others. His venues, The Seattle Tennis Club, Tennis World, Seattle Racquets Club, Central Park, SAC, Bellevue Club, and The Pro Sports Club were all beneficiaries of the magical influence of Yusuf.
Thank you, Yusuf, for your pioneering contribution. Squash would scarcely exist in the Northwest without you. The important moments - tournaments and big matches - will never be the same without your watchful presence.
Yusuf was a devoted family man and maintained many close friendships around the world. He will be greatly missed.
Published in The Seattle Times on Oct. 21, 2018