|
Volume CXXXIII, Number 12 |
 |
Team looks to captains for unity
HEATHER MACNEIL
STAFF WRITER
Team camaraderie is not lacking for the Bowdoin Women's Squash Team thanks to the leadership of senior co-captains Eileen Schneider and Katie Irving.
As I sat down to interview them, their love for their teammates, dedication to the sport, and loyalty to each other quickly became apparent.
Coming off a national championship last year, Schneider and Irving have a lot to live up to, but they are not letting that pressure detract from their goals this season. "This is a building year," Schneider explained, "but our team is really deep. We have a lot of talent and a lot of fun. One of the best things about playing on our team is that we are in a very dynamic section of college squash where the rankings are highly contested and every match can go either way."
Irving thinks it is a positive factor that the team is being challenged each game. "We never go into a match knowing we will win, but that constant competition really helps us grow both individually and as a team. We are always challenged and never comfortable, and that really keeps us on top of our game. We never relax," she said
Both women were introduced to squash in middle school, but it was not until high school that Irving and Schneider began to hone their skills and develop a love for the game. For Schneider, it took a summer at chemistry camp to become reconnected with squash.
"I was not playing at my high school because I was busy with both varsity softball and basketball," she said. "When I went to chemistry camp the summer after my sophomore year I had to chose an afternoon activity, and lucky for me, they offered squash." Luckily for Bowdoin, Schneider was not forced to hover over test tubes in the lab all day long, and she used her squash-filled afternoons at chemistry camp as a launching point for her now impressive career.
Unlike Schneider, Irving played for her high school's squash team. At first she was apprehensive about her desire to continue playing, but after a dramatic season during which one of her teammates was ranked number two in the world and her team was ranked number three in its division, Irving realized she could not resist the competition. "Having that experience really opened my eyes not only to my potential as a squash player," she said, "but also to how fun the game itself is."
Once at Bowdoin, Irving and Schneider had parallel experiences concerning their ranking on the team. Both improved their ranking by eight spots between their first and second years. "The dramatic difference between playing number ten then playing number two renewed my commitment to the game," said Irving.
Schneider agreed, saying, "Winning games at the number five ranking was exciting, and kept me working hard."
Although they have now settled into their impressive team rankings, Irving at number two and Schneider at three, the two Polar Bears are still challenged by their leadership role.
"We have fun, new obstacles to tackle now that we are the veterans on the team," said Irving.
Scheider explained, "We have to give a speech at the National Championships this year, since we won our division last year. It's not prepared yet, and we are definitely taking suggestions. You can find us at the Lubin Squash center smacking around balls if you have any ideas."
Above all, Irving and Schneider focus on making their team a happy, cohesive unit. From organizing team activities outside of practice to implementing new in-practice policies, the captains are keeping the women on top of their games. "For example, we started stretching our groins for five minutes at the beginning of every practice," explained Schneider, "and we can definitely see and feel a positive change. The girls are now impressively limber."
Be sure not to miss Irving, Schneider, and the rest of the Polar Bears strut their stuff in their next match, this weekend at the Lubin Squash center: Saturday at 10:00 a.m. against Dartmouth, and Sunday at 1:00 p.m. against Colby.
For information on sending a letter to the editor, please click here.
|
FastCounter by bCentral |