I sat down with Chris Hanson '13 and Nick Sisodia '12 the top two Dartmouth men's squash players to discuss controversy and the upcoming individual tournament.
Squash has gotten some press lately for Trinity College player Baset Chaudhry's outburst at Nationals. As players who have matched up with these guys on court, what's your take on the situation?
NS: Squash is just two guys hitting a little black ball in a small white box. It's close quarters and can get pretty heated. Trinity did not want to lose their 12-year streak to a strong Yale team, and emotions were running high. Obviously, Baset lost his composure, but it was an unfortunate end for his college career. He's a great guy.
CH: I think that in the moment, both [Kenneth] Chan and Baset might have gone overboard, but I don't think they should have pulled out of the individual tournament. The situation was made a lot more serious than it needed to be.
Do you agree with Baset's decision to withdraw from nationals? How about Yale's to sit Kenneth Chan?
CH: I'm not sure that Baset should have withdrew himself because it made the whole situation more serious than I think it should have been. But after he withdrew, I think it would have looked bad for Yale if they didn't also withdraw Kenny.
NS: Initially, I was surprised to hear about Yale withdrawing Kenny, but after some new clips that have been revealed showing Kenny displaying some poor sportsmanship earlier in the match, it was necessary.
Obviously there's a premium placed on sportsmanship in squash because players referee their teammate's matches, but can it be easy to lose your cool like that in a tight match?
CH: It happens a lot because it is just an intense and personal sport. Although you play on a team, when you actually play the game, it's just you against the other player.
NS: I've never seen someone flip out like that on their opponent at the end of a match, especially because Baset won convincingly. Everyone has outbursts now and then, but that was over the top.
Is any press good press for squash?
CH: Yes, because not many people are familiar with the sport. Any mentioning of squash might make people want to learn more about the game.
NS: I think so. Outside of the East Coast squash doesn't have a big presence in the States, so constant clips on the ESPN highlight reel don't hurt the visibility.
What would you say to encourage more people to watch squash? Can it be a fun fan sport?
CH: I think squash can be a lot of fun because fans can be extremely close to the players and the game.
NS: It's tough because for anyone who's a beginner, they'll probably tell you how tough it is to keep that ball going and how fun it is. The problem is the pros make it look so easy and boring for a newcomer to see. Once more people get introduced to playing the game, I think they'll be much more inclined to watch it.
How does fan support affect the way you play in a big match?
NS: There's nothing better than hearing your boys help push you through a tight match. Likewise, it sucks when there's a rowdy mob cheering every time you make an error, so it goes both ways.
CH: Personally, fan support always makes me play better. It gets me more energized to not only win but to entertain people as well.
Both of you guys are set to compete in individual nationals at Trinity next weekend. What kind of opportunity do you see it as?
CH: Performance at individuals plays a big role in deciding the All-American team.
NS: We're both just trying to stay alive and stay in the bracket as long as possible. If either of us makes it to Sunday, that would be awesome. Chris has had a phenomenal year, and I think he's going to make a big push for All-American.
Even though Trinity won again this year, there's been a bit more parity in college squash this year. Yale improved drastically, and other teams are finishing higher than they ever have before. Do you foresee a possible end of the Trinity dynasty in the near future?
CH: Although Yale has gotten a lot stronger, I think it will be Princeton who will bring an end to Trinity's winning streak. They had a lot of injuries this year but their final match against Rochester showed that they are an extremely strong team.
NS: I think Rochester and Yale are making a serious push to take the crown, and I would love to see it be done before I graduate.
