Alex Sawin: Making the Transition to College Squash
Alex Sawin ( 2010 Baldwin) answers questions about her first season on the Princeton University Squash Team
Alex Sawin is part of the new generation of local Philly high school squash players making the successful transition to college squash.
She just completed her first season as the number 6 player on the Princeton University Squash Team with a personal record of 16-3 and a final individual college ranking of 34. To top it all off, she was runner up for the Holleran Cup for individual players ranked 33-64 in the College Squash Association Tournament.
Alex, from Haverford, Pa, started playing squash at six years old. She was a member of the Baldwin School’s varsity squash team where she was five time MVP and captain in her senior year. Baldwin finished fourth in the country in 2010. She has countless tournament wins and was ranked number 4 in 2010 U.S. Squash girls U19s. It is easy to see why Alex was second on the list of best college prospects.
She gives credit for her early success to excellent coaching from Scott Devoy and Karen Kronemeyer, head coach at Baldwin, as well as the growing up in a family of squash players including two older brothers who both played college squash; John (Princeton '07) and Jeff (Naval Academy '08)..
Philly Squash asked Alex to share some of her college squash experience with us:
Were you nervous in your first match in college? I was nervous just as much as I am before any major squash match. But I have been playing for my school in competitive matches and fighting with a team for a common goal for seven years, so I was well prepared.
What is different about college squash/ what is the same? College squash is like high school squash but on an entirely new level. The training on court is similar to that in high school in that we do a lot of drills and play matches against our teammates. However, I have had to focus on things in college that I never had to focus on in high school, such as what I eat, how much sleep I get, how much time I spend stretching, how much rest I give my body, and how my daily training should change according to my match schedule.
What advice would you give players who would like to play in college? Give 100% every time you play squash because that is what will make you a better squash player. I have beaten girls this season who have more natural ability then I do, but I won because I was in better shape and because I wanted to win more than they did. Never give up on yourself. Sometimes you will be surprised with what you can do on court in the heat of the moment.
What are your goals for next year? I want to win all of my matches next year, no matter where I play on the ladder. It is really important to me that I come through for my teammates when they need me.
What is the off season like? The only time we have off is the spring season. I honestly don't know what I will do with all of my free time. I will definitely continue to play squash hopefully twice a week to stay sharp and go to the fitness center every day, but I want to take some time off to enjoy college.
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