What advice would you give to other No. 9 players across the country regarding their position on their college teams?
Matthew Mackin—Trinity, senior
Having played in the No. 9 position for the majority of my college squash career, the most important piece of advice I can give is to never underestimate your opponent. The college circuit is becoming more competitive and teams are getting stronger players from top to bottom.
Carolyn Gillette—Stanford, sophomore
One of the most important things to re- member is that no matter where you are on the ladder, your match counts just as much as anyone’s on the team. You can be slated as the No.1 or the No.9, but a win is a win, and a loss is a loss.
Duncan Maxwell—St. Lawrence, junior
First and foremost, remember to enjoy the experience and keep a positive attitude. Secondly, you are part of a team and winning a match at nine is just as important as winning at the No. 1 spot—at the end of the day a win is a win, and that is what counts. Finally, do not shy away from challenge matches.
Liza Bayless—Wesleyan, sophomore
In a sport that has a ladder, it’s easy to get pulled into looking at numbers, but it takes five wins for a team victory regard- less of where they come from. The last position has just as much of a responsibility to work hard during practice and give it everything in a match as anyone else.
Michael LeBlanc—Princeton, sophomore
Squash is unique in that the No. 9 player counts just as much as the No. 1, which gives matches a really exciting format. In truth, no other sport has an atmosphere like this, and it makes for a great team to be part of.
Samantha Matos—Bates, senior
Don’t think that just because you are the No. 9 you don’t matter, your teammates are counting on you to help them win. Some- times a win against a team comes from the bottom half of the ladder, so never give up.
Emily Simonton—Bowdoin, junior
Think about each match as a challenge that gives you the opportunity to prove your hard work, determination, character, and will to win. If you have a positive attitude and strong work ethic, you will be rewarded.
