Heading into the second half of the varsity girls squash season, the team has been through some highs and lows but is working to finish the season strong. Under the guidance of Head Coach Cameron Biondi and senior Co-captains Ella Chen and Alyssa Tousignant, the team looks to gain upward traction.
Due to the team’s combination of both new players and veterans, the group has been working on their skills frequently in practice, particularly shot-making. “Sometimes, when people step on-court for an official match, they get nervous and they just go for the shot that they like the most,” Coach Biondi said, “but we’re trying to increase their variety, so they’re using all four corners of the court, and they’re really pushing their opponent to run around and come out of their comfort zone.”
One challenge this year has been related to health, as many players have gotten sick, resulting in major changes in the ladder. Coach Biondi notes how this can usually be a key factor in winning squash matches. “We’ve had a few matches where that has happened,” he said. “Even though it’s still gone well, it just makes things more challenging sometimes.” An example of this was when the Wyverns faced off against Canterbury on Wednesday, Jan. 15, during which the No. 1 player, junior Ava Marseglia, was sick. Everybody had to move up a spot, and KO still won, a testament to the team’s resilience.
Coach Biondi gave shoutouts to both Chen and Tousignant, applauding their ability to keep the rest of the team focused, as well as their work ethic, mainly as they seek to improve individual skills. “Before we come together as a team, people have time to practice solo, and Ella and Alyssa do a great job helping them dig in,” he said.
He also touched upon one of the team’s goals for the season, which is to keep focused on each player’s own personal progress. “We’re about to go into a tough stretch where we play some really, really good teams that recruit a lot of people,” Coach Biondi said. “So players can grow to step onto the court confidently, whether they’re playing someone who’s played for 15 years of their life or someone who’s rather new to the sport.”
Coach Biondi noted how everybody does a fantastic job of supporting one another. He talked about how there are some drills in practice that can only be performed in pairs of players with similar skills, but that this team isn’t afraid to mix up the pairings and encourage each other. “That has been carried over into the matches, where people are cheering for each other and they’re giving good coaching advice,” Coach Biondi said. “Because they’re watching and scoring their teammates’ games, it’s brought the team closer together.”
Most recently, the team won their match against Canterbury 5-2, after losing to Millbrook 3-4 and Loomis Chaffee 2-5. Coach Biondi noted that all of these matches have been a lot closer than they might seem. The team has a lot to look forward to, as they will end the season with the National Championships in Washington, D.C. in March. They recently played against Westminster on Jan. 18, and Choate on Jan. 22 which both ended in a loss. After this stretch, we believe they’re ready for anything and will do great!
