Squash News Fall 2014

Squash News

fall / 2014

LETTER FROM THE ASSOCIATION Dear Alumni and Friends of Yale Squash,

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s fall unfolds in New Haven, the 2014-15 Squash season is upon us! With the first official scrimmages and matches a few weeks away, the reports from the Brady Squash Center tell us that the teams are working hard in preparation. A strong core of veteran leadership is complemented by a talented group of newcomers, and hopes are high for a strong season. You can read more about that in Dave’s note included in this newsletter.

As a part of Skillman you know that our teams are a great source of pride for everyone associated with them. Through Dave, Pam and Louis’ leadership our programs have remained highly competitive and the wonderful tradition that is Yale Squash is strong. We continue to have an amazing network of support for the programs, raising over $160,000 last year. But, our work is not done. The teams rely on us to support them in their efforts to remain a top program in the world, and in doing so we are charged with raising $135,000 this year. It is imperative that we keep the momentum going to allow the coaches and players to continue to provide such a strong experience.

I write today to ask you to contribute to that cause. No gift is too small and every gift counts toward helping the program achieve its goals. As an added bonus, this year the two associations that increase their participation the most over last year will each be awarded $10,000 as part of the Drive for Elis Challenge. Your gift could be the one that earns Yale Squash these much needed funds.

There are multiple ways to show your support, outlined below: Write a check payable to Yale University and mail it to Yale Squash Association, P.O. Box 1844, New Haven, CT 06508-1844. Visit giving. yale.edu to pay by credit card and be sure to select Athletics and then Squash in the drop down menu. You can also donate stocks and securities, make a planned gift, and give through your reunion. Visit our Association page for more information. And for those in the classes of 1975, 1985, 1995, and 2005, all gifts count towards your reunion giving this fiscal year.

Thank you in advance for supporting Yale Squash. Every gift matters.

Zerline Goodman ‘84 President, Skillman Associates

SKILLMAN PRESIDENT SHARYAR AZIZ ’74 STEPS DOWN

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he history of the Skillman Association has many individuals who have contributed significantly to Yale Squash in many ways. Sharyar Aziz Sr. is clearly one of those people. Shary has stepped down after serving as President from 2007 to 2014. Previous to that, he was the treasurer and an active board member for over 20 years. Sharyar will now serve as President of the Advisory Board.

Sharyar was Yale Class of 1974. Sharyar and his wife, Laura, Yale 1976, have four children, three of whom played for Coach Talbott. Pasha, Sharyar Jr, and Alia were all members of the Yale Squash Teams.

Alia was captain in 2010 and first team All-Ivy and an All American.

Currently a managing director at UBS, Sharyar has been a wonderful resource of our students who have chosen to purse finance opportunities after graduation. He has been very active with our men and women on all fronts outside of squash.

Sharyars service and dedication to Yale Squash has been extraordinary.

He epitomizes the loyalty and willingness to give back to Yale and our student athletes. All of us involved with the program are greatly indebted to Sharyar and all he has done for the Yale Squash Program.

SQUASH / FALL, 2014

COACH’S CORNER

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he Yale Men’s and Women’s Squash Teams have been hard at work with the coaching staff since official practice started on October 15th.

Previous to that, the captains and seniors were aggressively pushing the preseason program. Yale strength coach, Mike Harris has also been working with both teams three days a week since the beginning of September.

Joey Roberts and Anna Harrison, Yale Captains, have both been very strong in leading the teams to a strong start in preparation for the season. Seniors Issey Norman-Ross and Shihui Mao are two of the strongest players on the women’s team this season, and both are helping Anna not only lead the younger players, but also play in two of the top positions on the team. Juniors Annie Ballaine, Georgia Blatchford, and Amanda Roberts are being counted on in their third year to step up and provide wins in the middle of the line-up and helped the depth.

HEAD COACH, DAVE TALBOTT

The sophomore class of Jenny Scherl, Shiyuan Mao, Madeline Tomlinson, and Jessica Lee have benefitted from a year of experience and will all have a significant role on this team. Jenny and Shiyuan are being counted on to play in the top part of the line-up, with Maddie and Jess helping add to the depth of the Yale team.

The trio of freshmen are an experienced group with a lot for tournament experience as juniors. Jen Davis, Jocelyn Lehman, and Selena Maity are all going to have an impact their first year. They will need to adjust quickly to college squash as all of them will be filling spots in the top ten.

After graduating five very strong seniors, including Yale’s top two

players Millie Tomlinson and Kim Hay along with captain Lilly Fast, Gwen Tilghman, and Coco Seibert, the women will be facing some senior laden opponents this season. After finishing third in the country last season, this year’s team has a big challenge in front of them. The returning players need to move up in the lineup, and the freshmen will have to get up to speed quickly. Overall, the women are trying to rebuild quickly and be competitive against some more experienced opponents.

The Yale Men are coming off a strong season last year, going 16-3 with a young team and finishing 2nd in the Ivy League and 3rd Nationally. Seniors Sam Shleifer and Huw Robinson are working with Joey Roberts to lead a team that returns most of their key players. Juniors Sam Fenwick and Zac Leman played two of the top three spots last season, and they are joined by Yale’s two other juniors, Pehlaaj Bajwa, who played many matches in the top nine, and Peter Dewire, who is competing for playing time.

The three sophomores, TJ Dembinski, Liam McClintock, and Kah Wah Cheong all had outstanding seasons, losing only one regular season match between the three of them. They will be a major force on the team and all three should be playing in the top five. The freshmen class is a very deep group who will fill multiple spots in the top nine. Pierson Broadwater, Edward Columbia, Thomas Kingshott, and Max Martin were all top ranked American juniors who have a lot of tournament experience. Arjun Kochhar from Mumbai was a member of Indian Junior World Team. They are also joined by Tripp Kaelin and Nadar Rastegar.

The men have an opportunity to compete for both an Ivy League Title and a National Championship. The strength of the team is in its depth and experience of the returning players. The College Squash Association (CSA) has numerous quality teams this season and staying healthy will be a key as well for the Bulldogs.

Go Bulldogs, Dave Talbott

ZERLINE GOODMAN ’84 NEW SKILLMAN ASSOCIATES PRESIDENT

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he Skillman Associates are very happy to announce that Zerline Goodman, Yale Class of 1984, has become the new President of the Skillman Association. Becoming the first female president of Skillman, everyone associated with the Yale Squash Program are excited to have Zerline step up from her position as Vice-President to follow Sharyar Aziz Sr. into the top position.

Zerline was a three time All-Ivy and All-American at Yale under Coach Dale Walker. One of the top players in college squash, Zerline has continued to play since graduation both in singles and doubles as a member of the Heights Casino in Brooklyn where she lives with her three children.

Zerline is the managing partner of a firm she founded in 1993 after attending Albany Law School. She is a highly respected attorney who deals in many areas of real estate and related matters.

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Having experience squash at all levels and being involved at The Heights Casino, Zerline has stayed in touch with Yale Squash ever since her graduation. She has served on the board of Skillman for over 20 years and is knowledgeable about all facets of the program as well as Yale Athletics. Zerline is the perfect person to step in to the role of President, and all involved are also excited to see the first women at the top of the organization.

SQUASH / FALL, 2014

CAPTAIN’S PROFILE: JOSEPH ROBERTS What have your four years of Yale Squash been like?

My four years of Yale squash have been absolutely incredible. I have been very fortunate to have been given the opportunity to not only study at one of the best universities in the world, but also be a part of one of the best squash programs in the nation. Arriving as a freshman with very little knowledge of college squash, I quickly realized the immense history of Yale Squash and what it means to be a part of the program.

The culture and atmosphere among every team I have had the pleasure of playing on during the four years have been fantastic. Every year, the team continues to strive to improve as a unit while continuing to push each other to limits that hadn't been reached before. The guidance and help offered by the coaches, both on and off court, has been imperative to the success of the team during my four years of Yale Squash.

What does it mean to be a senior leader and captain of this year's team?

To be elected captain by your teammates is a huge honor. The fact that you are chosen by your teammates to be captain for the forthcoming year highlights the level of trust and faith they put into you to lead the team for the season. I have been given the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of three great captains. I will hope to emulate their dedication, work ethic and energy that they brought to the team throughout their time here. In addition to this, I am extremely fortunate to have the pleasure of working closely with both the senior and junior classes who possess a tremendous amount of experience and influence within the team.

The team as a whole has really stepped up and having a common goal of winning the Ivy League and National Championships, makes my job easy as everyone is motivated and determined on both an individual and team level. This year has the potential to be the most exciting year in college squash with so many strong teams all competing for the titles.

2014ͳ15 SCHEDULE Sat. 11/08-9/2014 Sat. 12/06/2014 Wed. 01/05/2015 Sat. 01/10/2015 Sun. 01/11/2015 Sat. 01/17/2015 Sat. 01/17/2015 Sat. 01/17/2015 Sun. 01/18/2015 Wed. 01/21/2015 Sun. 01/25/2015

Ivy Scrimmages Franklin & Marshall Williams at Columbia * at Cornell * Rochester Middlebury (W) Stranford (W) St. Lawrence at Trinity (Conn.) at George Washington at Navy Sat. 01/31/2015 Penn * Sun. 02/01/2015 Princeton * Wed. 02/04/2015 Brown * Fri. 02/06/2015 at Harvard * Sun. 02/08/2015 Dartmouth * 02/13-15/2015 Howe Cup (Boston) 02/20-22/2015 Men’s Teams (Hartford) 02/28 - 03/02 CSA Ind. (Princeton)

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What are a couple of your favorite memories of being part of Yale Squash?

Throughout my time at Yale Squash, there have been a lot of great memories but there are two that really stand out. First, the night Yale beat Trinity 5-4 to end their 252 match winning streak which was the longest in college sports. The atmosphere during the match was absolutely incredible with a huge number of Yale students and Yale Squash alumni coming to support the team. The match was tied at 4-4 and it came down to my brother, John Roberts, to clinch the 5th match. Second, was to beat Harvard with a number of our starting lineup injured and unable to compete. Despite these injuries, the team really showed its determination and grit to pull out a 5-4 victory.

What do you think you will take away from the program and into your life after Yale?

These four years at Yale have been unbelievable. The opportunity to train and compete at a top level while studying at Yale has been a great experience. The program has enabled me to improve myself both on and off court. Being able to balance academic and sporting commitments is something that I am sure will be helpful throughout my life.

However, I feel that the most important aspect that I will take away will be the unique friendships and bonds I have made through Yale Squash.

To be part of a number of great teams where we have pushed each other to our limits and competed together has cemented these bonds that I will cherish for the rest of my life. The support of the coaches has been fantastic during my time here. I have managed to form a great relationship with each coach and it’s been a fantastic experience working closely with them.

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CAPTAIN’S PROFILE: ANNA HARRISON What have your four years of Yale Squash been like?

My four years here have been unbelievable. Squash gave me the opportunity to go to Yale and has also given my time here meaning and direction. I’ve made my best friends on the team and with Pam and Dave, I've basically had a second family. Dave has been so much more than a coach to all of us, he’s been there to provide insight and advice for things that far surpass the world of squash and I could not have asked for a better coach or friend to spend four years with. There’s definitely been a lot of ups and downs, but this experience is something I wouldn’t trade for anything. Squash has taught me so many life skills that transfer into anything I want to pursue down the road.

What does it mean to be a senior leader and captain of this year’s team?

Being captain is such an honor; knowing that my teammates have faith in me to lead the team is really gratifying. That being said, having such a strong and cohesive senior class is equally as important. Mao and Issey are two of the strongest players on the team and having them as role models for me and the other girls is very valuable.

What are a couple of your favorite memories of being part of Yale Squash?

One of my favorite memories on the Yale Squash team is last year when we played Princeton in the Howe Cup. We were down right from the start and

YALE ATHLETICS COMPLIANCE CORNER As a supporter of Yale athle cs, you may employ current Yale student-athletes provided: • The student-athlete is paid the going rate for similar experience; • The student-athlete is compensated for work actually performed; and • The student-athlete does not receive any preferen al treatment due to his/her status as a Yale student-athlete.

Please contact the Yale Compliance Office (203.436.8309) if you have any ques ons or concerns.

Can I pick up a student-athlete and bring him/her to work each day?

You may give a student-athlete a ride to or from work only if you provide the same ride to every employee in the same posi on. It is not permissible to provide special treatment to a student-athlete.

The student-athlete I employ played a great game this week, can I take him/ her out to lunch to celebrate?

No. You may not provide a complimentary meal to a student-athlete because of his/her status as a student-athlete. Unless the same benefit is extended to all employees under similar circumstances, you cannot take the student-athlete out for lunch.

it didn’t look like we were going to win the match. Somehow, the score was tied 4-4 and the last match on was senior captain, Lilly Fast. She was playing Alex Sawin, her lifelong rival since juniors and the two always had five game battles. Lilly went down 2-0, and came off the court, not discouraged at all.

She took a couple breaths, talked to Dave and went back on to win the match 3-2. Watching her persevere in Jadwin with a sea of orange behind her was so inspiring; likewise seeing our whole team so invested in her match really made me appreciate the value of a team.

What do you think you will take away from the program and into your life after Yale?

The Yale program has taught me the importance of teamwork. Even though squash is an individual sport, we spend anywhere from ten to twenty hours a week with the same fifteen people, and it’s important to have a solid team dynamic. Learning how to work together and rely on one other is an important value that I’ll apply to whatever I do. Also the relationships I've made throughout my time on the Yale Squash team have been priceless. Having amazing teammates and coaches is something that I haven’t taken for granted, and those friendships will be for life.

The student-athlete’s team is doing really well this year and ge ng a lot of posi ve publicity. I have a big promo on coming up to sell one of my products. Can I create an adver sement, in print and/or on the radio, emphasizing that Yale student-athletes use and recommend my product? Can I use their names, pictures, or likenesses?

It is not permissible for student-athletes to par cipate in any promo onal ac vi es on behalf of a commercial en ty. You cannot use a student-athlete’s picture to promote a commercial product. Therefore, student-athletes may not be used to promote your product because of their status or success.

I am sponsoring a fundraiser at my restaurant for cancer research. When someone purchases a meal, all of the proceeds go toward cancer research.

On the day of the event, can the student-athlete that works for me wear his/ her Yale uniform and invite teammates to work as part of the fes vi es?

They are very recognizable and I want as many people to donate me and money to this cause as possible.

No. Student-Athletes may not par cipate in any promo onal ac vi es for a commercial enterprise, even if it is for charitable purposes. The employee’s status as an Yale student-athlete cannot be used to promote this event, even though it is for a charitable cause.