When I first started playing squash as a freshman in high school, I had absolutely no idea I would eventually fall in love with the sport and go on to join a top five nationally ranked program. Joining the St. Lawrence University men’s squash team might have been one of my best athletic achievements, but becoming part of the SLU squash team family has been my honour.
Being part of the squash team here means more than just playing a sport for your school team, it means that you’re now a part of a family. Our family is an extremely diverse mix, with 17 players from eight different countries, each bringing something different to the team. Our family is brought together through sharing the joy of victory, but hardened by the pain of loss.
The fighting spirit that this family possesses is something we talk about often, it is our belief that when you go on court, you leave everything there, you either win or die trying. Though our family might be somewhat dysfunctional at times, what family isn’t? Of course, we have our petty arguments, our disagreements, but when push comes to shove, we know we can always count on a family member to have your back.
Most of the time, it works pretty well, as evidenced by our 15-4 win-loss record and Liberty League title from this year’s regular season. Other times, it’s not quite enough, like when we finished forth at the national championships. To us, a loss is devastating, to have put so much into the family and not have the results be in our favour feels like we let the family down. But as athletes, we understand on a fundamental level that losing is ok, that it’s part of the game. So when we do take a loss, we take them as reminders and motivation to keep pushing ourselves to be faster, stronger, and better players.
The drive of the team as a collective whole is a sight to see, and I think can only be attributed to our unwavering belief that no matter what you do as an individual, the rest of your family will be there to back you up. The confidence that comes from such a strong bond with so many is unparalleled, it gives us the strength to push harder during workouts, driving us to keep going even when we think we can’t. All because we know that at the end of the day, no matter how tired you are, no matter how much pain you’re in, you can never stop pushing. Because you know your family is behind you 100 percent, and as such to stop is to let the family down, and that to us, is not acceptable.
This team accepted me from day one, and the bond between my teammates and I have only grown stronger since. I’m honoured to be part of this family, and I can’t wait to see what this team can achieve in the future.
