KO boys varsity squash has had a solid season so far, with a record of 3-4; however, the team is looking forward to improving their game as the season continues.
At the beginning of the season, their objectives were to have fun playing squash, work hard, and improve their performance in games. “I think we’ve seen a lot of improvement this season, not exactly through how many games we have won, but how we play in our matches,” sophomore Jack Krieble said. Sophomore Mohan Palanki agreed with Krieble. “I feel like individually and as a team, we are learning and improving on our skills and gameplay,” he said.
Improvement in games is due to the team working hard on their technique and skills in practice. “During practice, we mostly work on playing points, with drills to work on our swing and conditioning as well,” senior Captain Will Jacobs said. Krieble also spoke about the practice routine. “Throughout practice, we try to focus on the consistency of our shot and movement around the court using drills and conditioning games,” he said.
Specifically, the team is working hard to improve fitness and stamina to maintain a high level of play throughout the match. Additionally off the court, working on and providing constructive criticism is beneficial.
While the team has aspects they are improving on, the team is also doing quite well in certain areas. “Something that stands out is our mindset before and during the match,” Krieble said. “Our team not only has good chemistry but we also have a positive attitude toward any match no matter what the outcome may be.”
The matches against the Williston Northampton School and Suffield Academy highlighted the teams strength. In the Williston-Northampton match, KO players were precise with their shots and maintained a positive mindset throughout the game. Ultimately giving KO the win 5-2. During the Suffield game, players continued to have great shots and good movement on the court earning them a win 7-0.
Team chemistry is definitely important as it helps create a positive environment for the team to thrive. “The team chemistry is very high,” Jacobs said. “Everyone on the team is good friends and works well together, which I think is important as it creates a stronger team.”
Throughout the season, there have been some memorable and fun moments. “My favorite moment was against Kent,” Jacobs said. “Kent is one of the top schools in the country for squash. It was a really hard match. But still, everyone played their best and even though we lost it was both a good learning experience and good to see everyone enjoy playing.” Krieble and Palanki’s favorite moments have been having fun with the team and playing challenging matches against each other.
The team is also looking forward to the New England Championship tournament and the USA squash High School National Championships. We wish the boys varsity squash team the best of luck for the rest of their season.
