Dimantha Andrahennady ’14, Richie Palazzese ’14: Sydney Francis ’13, a member of the girls varsity squash team, hopes to add to the legacy she has already built for herself as she finishes her last season at Epscopal. However, Francis’s athletic career will not end at the culmination of this season. Francis will play squash at Cornell next year.
When asked about her future squash career, she stated, “The future will definitely hold lots more squash…it is an essential part of my life. Not only is it a great workout, but I also find it a great de-stressor. I know I will try to play as much as possible in the future.”
While Francis picked up a racquet as a child, she began playing squash at relatively late age compared to her counterparts.
She recalled, “I would do the occasional holiday clinic at the Merion Cricket Club-where I currently do most of my training-when I was about eight or ten, but never anything serious.”
She continued, “While I played on the Middle School team throughout 6th grade, I didn’t start tournaments until midway through my 7th grade year. I also started at the bottom of the tournament tier, at the Bronze and Silver levels, and have thus worked my way up to the more select and competitive Gold and JCT level.”
Francis explained, “I think the reason why I stuck with competitive play, and still do, is that I find the idea that you are out there, on the court, by yourself, with no else to tell you what to do, as rather empowering.”
“While it is sometimes terrifying, being matched up against a strong opponent, with no one to help defend you, it makes me remember that only I have the power to determine the outcome of the match,” she stated. “Coaches will always have a few tips, which are frequently helpful, but in the end it is completely up to you as a player.”
In her fourth year on the high school team she has seen the team progress exceptionally. With the season coming to a close, we asked her what her favorite squash memory has been over the past four years.
She replied, “Definitely beating Baldwin my freshman year…I remember that day so clearly and I think I always will. It was one of those rare times when I could just feel that something good was going to happen the minute I stepped on court. Both teams had great rosters, but our team character, sportsmanship, and grit really shined through. Looking to Nationals, I hope we can make it happen again. “
With Nationals just around the corner, Francis has set lofty goals for herself and the team. She revealed that her main goal was “ to play smart. All of our opponents at Nationals will be equally fit, warmed-up, and looking for a win.”
However, she believes the girls team can come out victorious if they keep their heads in the game.
She explained, “While we always expect everyone to play hard, I’m really trying to stress that point that a victory will come out of a thinking game. Coaches are constantly telling us that squash is 80% mental and 20% physical. All of us have reached, and frankly excelled beyond, the necessary fitness level. Now, it is just about syncing the mind and body.”
Francis elaborated, “Our toughest competition will be Greenwich Academy [who have won the championship for five consecutive years], Deerfield Academy, and Baldwin.”
For years Francis has been an exceptional player on and off of the squash courts. We asked her how she wanted to leave her mark on the girls’ squash program.
She replied, “I would love to be remembered as the player who believed in both her teammates and herself. Every match, I tell the girls and myself that if we set out minds to it, we can achieve victory.”
Francis also hopes to have taught the girls the importance of sportsmanship. She stated, “Additionally, as many of my teammates know, I focus heavily on sportsmanship. I believe it is the difference between a good player and a great player. Thus, I hope to leave everyone with notions of hard work, mental toughness, sportsmanship, and a positive outlook.”
Girls’ squash will have a hard time replacing a player who has been crucial to the team’s success over the last few years. Similarly, Francis will greatly miss the teammates and coaches who have taught her so much over the years; however, she will take these lessons with her as she moves on to the next chapter of her squash career.
Francis stated, “To me, it is all worth the satisfaction that I feel after winning a long, hard fought match, knowing that I truly did it. Having the sole responsibility of winning a match is hard to find in many other sports.”

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