New M. Squash coach has a world of experience

Craig Thorpe-Clark was hired by Penn as the new men's squash coach on Tuesday. He's originally from Australia. He played professionally and coached in England for 12 years. He coached the United States' women's squash team in the 1996 World Championships in Malaysia and in the 1995 Pan American Games in Argentina. Craig Thorpe-Clark has certainly seen the world. Now he has a chance to see the Ivy League. On Tuesday, Penn named Thorpe-Clark head coach of the men's squash team, replacing Jim Masland, who resigned in March. "The Penn Athletics department is very excited to welcome Craig to the staff," Penn Athletics Director Steve Bilsky said in a statement released Tuesday. "He brings over 18 years of collegiate, club and international coaching experience to this position and is recognized as one of the finest teachers of squash in the country." Thorpe-Clark comes to Penn from Vassar College, where he served as men's and women's squash coach for four seasons. Last year, he led the Brewers' men to a 12-11 record and guided the women to a 13-10 mark. At Vassar, Thorpe-Clark also taught beginning and intermediate squash classes for the college's physical education department. Penn's new men's squash coach is one of the finest squash teachers in the nation. He is one of only three coaches in the country to earn the highest national coaching qualification, professional level four. Thorpe-Clark has previously been head coach at Eton College in Windsor, England. He is also the National Director of Coaching Development for the United States Squash Rackets Association, where he developed the USSRA Level 1 Coaching Manual and Course. Thorpe-Clark has trained over 120 coaches in this manual. Thorpe-Clark, who is the North American representative for the World Squash Federation seeding committee, will be inheriting a Penn team that finished 4-9 under Masland last season. "I am absolutely delighted to be coming to Penn," Thorpe-Clark said in the same statement, "and I am looking forward to the challenges and the excitement of taking Penn men's squash to the top of the intercollegiate squash circuit." Thorpe-Clark is no stranger to the Philadelphia area, however. The new men's squash coach served as head squash professional at Philadelphia's Cynwyd Club from 1992 to 1995.

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