Women's Squash Opponent's Unexpected Edge

Penn’s women’s squash team will have it’s handful against Trinity, but not for the reasons you’d think.

The Bantams are currently third in the nation by the College Squash Association’s latest rankings, and stand as one of the perennial powers in Women’s Squash. Individually, Trinity boasts the 2^nd best player in the nation, Pamela Hathway, at the top of their ladder. She is followed by the 8^th, 14^th, 22^nd and the 33^rd ranked players to round out the Bantams’ top 5.

While the talent that Trinity showcases is a clear indicator of how difficult the match will be, the Bantams have a distinct advantage over the Quakers in regards to emotional control.

As I was reading up on the Bantams, I stumbled upon (literally, not with the help of the website) a video (see below) posted by Trinity’s assistant coach Dr. Randy Lee. Last year, Lee taught the team a relaxation technique called Transcendental Meditation.

The method allows for the Bantams to stay calm in key situations. In the video, one player says, “I used to get really angry on court and after doing Transcendental Meditation, the anger went away.”

This uncommon relaxation technique is just another aspect of Trinity’s game that will make the Quakers’ match against the Bantams (12pm, Saturday at Ringe Courts) a tough one.

In spite of their beneficial off-court practices, the Bantams go into Saturday fresh off a lost to Yale on Wednesday night. Conversely, the Quakers have played well of late, as they ride a three game winning streak into Saturday.