Contributor, Jesminder Vega

The Varsity Squash team headed to Philadelphia and competed in 2025 U.S. High School Squash Nationals! The  team put on an incredible performance, and Coach Geovanny Mejia couldn’t be more proud of their effort. He described the team’s performance as “extraordinary,” emphasizing their energy and focus. “Since the first game until the last one, the energy the team brought to all of the games was felt, and it was amazing,” Coach Mejia said.

One of the standout moments came when Penelope, who was down 2-0 in her match, made an incredible comeback. She won three games in a row, and Coach Mejia was particularly impressed with her mindset. “her mentality helped her overcome these challenges, and this led her to win,” he shared. “Penelope’s mindset is a great example of how the team was mentally prepared to go into the nationals, to be competitive, have fun, and fight to the end, giving your all”

Coach Mejia also highlighted how well the team handled the pressure of competing at such a high level. Despite the intensity of Nationals, the team stayed focused and supported each other throughout each game. When asked about the team’s mindset heading into Nationals and what lessons he hoped they got from it, Coach Mejia said, “I just hope for the team to not be so hard on themselves when they make a mistake or when being defeated. To be in the moment. Enjoying the game and giving their all is what matters the most.”

Finally, Coach took a moment to speak about the captains and seniors. “I just want to express how grateful I am to get to know them and for them to teach me about this game and its rules,” he said. “Their personalities were a great experience to get to know, and thanks to them, I really like this game. I wish them the best in this new chapter, and congratulations on this significant achievement.”

The Varsity Squash team’s accomplishments at Nationals reflected their dedication and teamwork. As the season ends, the Avenues community looks forward to seeing what comes next for this talented group of athletes!

Contributor Khairat Tchakala

Senior Night for the Avenues Varsity Squash team was an evening filled with gratitude, reflection, and appreciation for the hard work and dedication of the graduating seniors. As they near the end of their athletic journey at Avenues, these seniors shared how their experiences on the court have shaped them as leaders, teammates, and individuals.

The Impact of Avenues Athletics

For Penelope, being part of Avenues Athletics, especially as a senior, was one of the most defining aspects of her year.

"My participation in Avenues athletics as a senior has truly shaped my year. Being a senior on both the Girls Varsity Tennis and Varsity Squash teams has allowed me to connect with younger students and grow into a position of leadership. Both teams have also been amazing communities and have been one of my favorite parts of my Avenues experience."

Similarly, Elia embraced his role as a mentor throughout both his Varsity Soccer and Squash seasons.

"As a senior, I felt I had to take a mentoring role with my younger teammates."

Their leadership and commitment not only contributed to the team’s success but also created a lasting impact on the younger athletes who will carry on their legacy.

The Meaning of Senior Night

Senior Night was a powerful moment for the graduating players, recognizing their years of commitment and the bonds they built with their teammates.

For Penelope, it was a reminder of how far she and her fellow seniors have come.

"Being celebrated on Senior Night was truly a full-circle moment. It was representative of the work that my fellow seniors and I have put into the team, as well as the community and family we have built."

For Elia, the recognition was deeply meaningful after years of unwavering dedication to his sports.

"I felt very honored to be celebrated, as throughout my Avenues athletics career I have always been very dedicated to each sport with little to no absences, always playing to my best ability in practice. I take these sports very seriously, and I was very thankful to see my younger teammates and coaches commending me and the other seniors for our years of dedication."

An Evening of Reflection

Senior Night provided a chance to look back on their journeys—on and off the court—and appreciate the impact of their time as student-athletes.

"Senior Night allowed me to reflect on my past years on the team and be proud of how I have grown as a squash player and teammate," Penelope shared. "Most importantly though, I reflected on the strength of our team and the tightness between us. I'll definitely miss the team next year, as it has been an amazing experience."

For Elia, the heartfelt speeches from coaches and teammates were a highlight of the evening.

"It was a very sincere ceremony, and the speeches from the coaches and our teammates felt from the heart. I could tell they meant what they said and truly appreciated our contributions to the programs."

Looking Ahead

While Senior Night marked the end of a chapter, the lessons learned, friendships formed, and memories made will stay with these athletes long after they leave Avenues. Their dedication, leadership, and passion have left a lasting impact on the Varsity Squash program, inspiring the next generation of players to follow in their footsteps.

Congratulations to our seniors—your contributions to Avenues Athletics will always be remembered!

Team Spotlight Varsity Squash

Contributor Jesminder Vega

This month, we’re highlighting the Avenues Squash team, a group that’s been making impressive progress both on and off the court. Coach Sat Seshadri shared some thoughts on the team’s progress, emphasizing their hard work and strong bond.

“The team is relatively new compared to other school programs,” Coach Sat said, “but in the past three years, they’ve significantly improved their rankings.” That kind of progress doesn’t happen by accident, it’s a testament to their dedication and commitment.

But it’s not just about rankings. More than anything, this team has built a real sense of community. “They’re a very close-knit group,” Coach Sat said. “They organize team meetings and dinners regularly,” which helps strengthen their connection beyond just playing together.

But what does Coach Sat love most about coaching them? “The wide variety of ages that make up this team and their motivation to get better each week,” he shared. The mix of experience and fresh energy makes for a positive team dynamic.

Most importantly, they embody true sportsmanship. Coach Sat pointed out their “great leadership and resilience this year,” noting how they always cheer each other on during matches. Even when things don’t go their way, they rally together and keep pushing forward.

Most importantly, they embody true sportsmanship. Coach Sat pointed out their “great leadership and resilience this year,” noting how they always cheer each other on during matches. Even when things don’t go their way, they rally together and keep pushing forward.

The Avenues Squash team is proof of what happens when dedication and teamwork come together. We’re excited to see what they do next!

Varsity Squash program continues to Grow

Our varsity squash team has grown in leaps and bounds. Not only in numbers but continued in spirit, teamwork and collaboration.  This year we were also excited to be able to offer an all girls team since our program has been growing. During the 2023-2024 season we brought up 8th grade athlete Andrew Reitler, who was an experienced squash player, so it was no surprise to repeat that for this year inviting 8th grade, Brady Cooper, brother of a senior on the team, to join our roster.

For this edition's spotlight, we highlighted Brady Yang on his experience. Click here to read the interview!

Interview by: Wavey Cole, AAC Student Body Liason

Q: What was your initial reaction when you found out you made the high school varsity team as an 8th grader?

A: A large reason I joined the team was because both the coach and many seniors on the team asked me to join. Furthermore, I've played the game for a while.

Q: How does being on the varsity team compare to your previous sports experience? What are some challenges you’ve faced so far?

A; On my previous 7/8 team there was no team spirit. Unfortunately I didn't make any lasting connections with anyone on the team and during practice there was very little conversation or speech at all. On the varsity team, every practice felt like a family reunion; all the players were set on working with their peers to improve, and during games, there were pep talks, coaching from peers, and other supportive acts that made the team feel welcome. Furthermore, many of the players approached me outside practice to talk and just be friends. Performance-wise, although it's a varsity team, squash is more a sport of endurance rather than strength, so practices aren't any more challenging to an 8th grader than they would be to a junior.

Q: How do you balance being an 8th grader with older teammates on the varsity team? Do you ever feel out of place, or do you feel like part of the team?
A: The team quickly welcomed me as their own and most times I didn't even notice that I was much younger than the rest of the team. However, it may have been easier to connect with the team for me rather than the average 8th grader, as I have older siblings and therefore am more used to talking with older people casually.

Q; What’s the atmosphere like at practice and during competitions? Do you feel the pressure of competing with older athletes?
A: I am confident with my skills in the sport and am used to playing against bigger and stronger opponents. In fact, 4/5 of the people I've played so far have been tall seniors who only know how to hit the ball hard, to which I beat almost all of them (I have a 4-1 win rate right now). In addition, I understand that as an 8th grader, I'm likely the underdog in most matches, so there's no shame in losing when I'm practically half their height.

Q: How do your high school teammates support you? Have they helped you adjust to the demands of being on a varsity team?
A: The high schoolers give the team pep talks and coach each other on what more could be done. This did help me understand the stakes of the competition, but because my older siblings have played on varsity teams, I was already well acquainted with what being a varsity athlete entails.

Q: How did you first get into squash, and what do you love most about the sport?
A: I first got into squash when my dad took me to his college club and enrolled me in lessons. At first, it was a chore to go up to Bryant Park on Mondays and fail to get the ball even halfway across the court. But eventually, I got better and learned to love the strategy of the game.

Q: Can you describe a memorable match or tournament you've competed in? What were the key moments or takeaways from that experience?
A: There was one tournament where I was going against someone completely better than me, they were about a rating point higher than me (which means a lot in squash rating) and were the favorite to win the tournament. Knowing I was the underdog, I stayed confident and made sure not to give up. With that mentality, I ended up earning large amounts of points each game and even taking a game off him (which is very impressive for how much higher his rating was compared to mine). Overall, demonstrating how being confident will make you better in every scenario.

Q: What are some of your personal accomplishments or accolades in squash so far? Are there any wins or achievements that stand out to you?
A: I’ve reached a rating of 3.4, which is a mid-intermediate level. Although I don’t have any particularly impressive achievements.

Q: What skills or strategies do you think are most important in squash, and how have you been working on improving them?
A: Likely the most important quality in squash is spatial awareness, as throughout the game you need to know where your opponent is, so you can hit the ball in the corner that will stump them the most. Furthermore, you can get points if the opponent is in the way of your shot or swing, which is another important application of spatial awareness. I’ve been improving this skill by reminding myself to keep an eye on the opponent and practicing hitting in all 4 corners of the court.

Q: How do you stay motivated and continue improving in squash, especially with the level of competition you face on the varsity team?
A: The level of competition is actually what motivates me to keep improving, as next year, I'm likely going to be the 3^rd seed on the team, so if I fail to improve, the team will likely fail with me. Furthermore, once you get older the opponents only get better, so in order to call yourself good at the sport, you need to either match or exceed the talent of your opponents.