Generally speaking, the warm-ups for a national tournament are not the ideal time to learn something new. And serving is probably the last thing squash players should learn to do just minutes before a match.
However, this was just the predicament the Virginia women's club squash team faced during warm-ups at the Winter National tournament.
After much effort this year, co-captains, freshman Mary Whelan and sophomore Pam Brown, succeeded in creating the first women's squash team in University history. Whelan and Brown, both nationally ranked squash players in high school, had to twist a few arms, but they finally assembled an eight-person team for the tournament.
Though very similar to the indoor game of racquetball, squash has a few key distinctions. The ball must be hit above a certain line on the wall, and the ball is made from a very different material that causes it to bounce not nearly as high.
Representing the only southern school at the tournament, paired against the likes of Haverford, Hamilton and other northeast squash powerhouses, the Cavaliers didn't fare well. Yet, despite their losses, the Cavaliers found a silver lining going into next season.
"After the tournament, everyone was definitely really into it," Whelan said."We all are really excited about getting uniforms and scheduling matches and practices."
Both Whelan and Brown said the exciting and different nature of the game makes squash such an alluring sport.
"It is just a really addictive game," Whelan said."You get to hit the ball as hard as you can, run all over the court, and it is really good exercise."
Brown agreed, claiming that squash is a great outlet for "getting your aggression out."
Both Whelan and Brown said squash is a social sport, which participants can play with friends years after college. Whelan even pointed out that "Finance Magazine" recently ranked it the number one sport in America.
The team has submitted its student funding forms for next year and is hopeful that they will gain approval. If the team is able to get the money it seeks, it may be able attend away matches up and down the East Coast next season.
"Next year, we will probably play George Washington, Haverford and Navy during the season," Whelan said. "If we can go up to GW and beat them 9-0, just because we have a much better team, then we can probably schedule matches against better teams."
The team certainly should be much improved next season. The Cavaliers will bring back both co-captains and benefit from the No. 5 nationally ranked player in the country, who will arrive at U. Va. in the fall. The trip to the national tournament also piqued the interest of Whelan's high school teammates, and she has received numerous e-mails expressing their interest in playing for Virginia.
Both players agreed that next season's more organized practice schedule will help the team's success. Instead of this year's informal, infrequent practices, next season, the team will reserve courts two or three times a week and work on their game as a team.
But, making sure all players know how to serve will be first on the agenda.
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