“Squash has always been a constant source of enjoyment for me… having a game with a friend is often a highlight of my day.”
On Friday 16 January, Eton Squash was delighted to host McCallie School from Chattanooga, Tennessee as part of their first-ever tour outside the United States. Like Eton, McCallie is an all-boys school with a formidable sporting tradition and they arrived in Windsor midway through a whistle-stop tour of England’s strongest squash programmes.
The McCallie side brought with them an exceptionally high standard of squash. Coached by Dan Sharplin, formerly a professional on the PSA World Tour and a National Coach of the Luxembourg Squash Federation, their team displayed a level of intensity and athleticism that set the tone from the outset. The ability in their squad was immediately apparent, with their number one seed currently ranked inside the top 40 U19 players in the United States.
Earlier in the tour they played against Wycliffe and Epsom, two of the strongest school squash sides in the country. For Eton, the fixture carried particular resonance. Having toured the United States ourselves during the 2024–25 season (playing in Philadelphia, New York and Washington) we were already well aware of the exceptionally high standard produced by American school squash.
That tour proved to be a fantastic experience for the 1st V, who had the opportunity to compete on some of the premier squash courts in the country, including the New York Racquet & Tennis Club and Washington’s Squash on Fire. It was therefore a particular pleasure to host an outstanding American side and to give them a taste of Eton life.
The afternoon’s play began with Eton’s ninth seed, who started confidently and showed early promise. However, the relentlessness of the McCallie attack soon asserted itself, with the American player taking the match in three straight games. As the ladder progressed, each encounter followed a similar pattern: long, physically demanding rallies, moments of real grit from the Etonians, and clinical finishing from a McCallie side that rarely let standards drop. Despite determined performances across the order, Eton were ultimately unable to avert a convincing defeat.
On a personal note, fixtures such as this encapsulate much of what my squash journey at Eton has represented. Having progressed through the programme and now serving as Keeper of Squash, it has been a privilege to be involved in a sport that consistently places us in competition with opponents of exceptional quality. I have enjoyed enormously the competitive fixtures, being part of a great team and the challenge of training and improving within such a supportive environment.
Much of this enjoyment can be traced directly to the enthusiasm and support of our coaching team, led by the indomitable Miss Knowles alongside Head Coach Matt Davies. Between them, their boundless energy, encouragement and good humour have kept standards high and spirits higher, ensuring that even the toughest training sessions and most demanding matches remain a pleasure.
With a new generation of younger players now stepping into the squad, brimming with promise, the future of Eton Squash looks especially bright. This momentum will be further strengthened by our move into the new Sports Hall next Lent. Furthermore, we have a number of exciting upcoming fixtures: following on from the 1st V reaching the finals of the National School’s competition last year, the Junior and Senior teams have already progressed to the second round of this season’s competition. Further highlights lie ahead, including a much anticipated 1st V fixture against the OE side, the Teddybears.
Beyond competition, squash has always been a constant source of enjoyment for me. Having a game with a friend is often a highlight of my day and it’s always fun to have a knock around with a Beak! Squash is a game for life and I look forward to playing at Princeton University and beyond.
