With an opening match against Denison University on Nov. 5, the Women’s Club Squash team is getting ready for the upcoming season with a new roster.
It is imperative to recruit new members due to the small size of the team, but this has been difficult given that squash is a lesser-known sport on campus.
This year, though, the team hasn’t had too much trouble.
“We’ve really gained a lot of new members in comparison to past years, so we are excited to have the new girls take on the sport and help it for years to come,” sophomore Maria Majid, who joined last year, said.
The team has been around since 2003, and has been part of the College Squash Association (CSA) for the past six seasons. Out of its 12 players, six are members of the CSA and play in a competitive ladder, which allows more experienced members to compete individually beyond the club level. It also gives individuals the opportunity to play at nationals in February.
Whether playing individually or practicing with the team, Women’s Club Squash is always looking to improve in every aspect of their game.
“Squash is a fairly unique sport in that you can practice alone, with one or two other people, or with the whole team and get an equally good workout and improve different parts of your game,” senior Hannah McCullough said. “Our goals and accomplishments usually have more to do with playing the best that we can and having worthwhile experiences than with winning matches.”
Being an “emerging team” on the CSA, and having played in the league for just six seasons, the team has a lot to be proud of.
Just last year, in the Dunlop Women’s College Squash Final 2015–2016 Team Rankings, UR placed above Fordham University and New York University (NYU), two state rivals.
While many teams are run by coaches, the Women’s Club Squash team is run by President and senior Thanatcha Khunket, with help from two advisors..
Part of the team members’ commitment to one another arises from its small size, in addition to the team dinners they hold before matches.
Majid makes the team cookies to help power them through their away matches.
The team makes membership feasible with practices only two times a week for two hours each. Having the practice in the Lyman Courts of the Goergen Athletic Center (GAC) also makes practices easier to attend.
According to their profile on the Campus Community Connection (CCC) website, the team “welcomes any and all women, both undergraduate and graduate, who are interested in learning about the game and participating in club activities, no experience necessary.”
Majid and McCullough encourage anyone even considering squash to give it a try. Practices are held Mondays and Wednesdays from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. in the Goergen Athletic Center Lyman Courts.
