Smith College Welcomes International Squash Student-Athletes!

Smith College is one of the best U.S. Colleges to attend for international female students – the campus is one of the most beautiful and safe amongst the 30 squash-playing U.S. colleges.  The violent crime rate at Smith College and in the town of Northampton has been close to zero per cent since the founding of the College in 1875.

Here are the four most common questions international squash-playing students ask about going to university or college in the United States:

Can I Get an Athletic Scholarship?

The answer is “No!” you cannot.  Most squash colleges are NCAA Division III schools and scholarships based on athletic ability are not allowed.  Division III has other rules to protect the student-athlete so they have sufficient time to do a great job with their studies.  It is a serious NCAA and ethical violation (cheating) for a college to give extra financial aid based on your squash playing ability. Scholarships are allowed in NCAA Division I and II schools – however the Division I schools (called the Ivy league) where squash is played (Princeton, Harvard, Yale, etc.) have their own rules forbidding athletic scholarships.  Right now there is only one squash University with a limited amount of athletic scholarship money:  George Washington University.

How Good a Squash Player do I have to be to get into a U.S. College?

If you want to use your squash ability to help get accepted into one of the top five colleges (like the Ivy’s) you have to be a very good player – at least a “B” county or national standard player – and most probably an “A” player, someone who has played on her country’s Junior National Team.

At some of the best academic institutions, like Smith College, who are not highly ranked in the squash rankings, simply being a good “C” or “B” player can help get you into one of these elite academic institutions. These colleges have thousands of applicants, all with very good grades, so sometimes being a passionate squash player can make the difference in getting in or not.

Click here to translate this page into your language!

How Good do my Grades Have to be to Get into a Squash College?

The answer is:  your grades have to be very good - amongst the top at your high school!  Many of the top squash playing schools do have 1-2 places set aside for students who do not have good grades.  The squash coach can use his or her influence with admissions to fast track these students into the college.  That is really only about 10-20 places total with many spots going to Americans (since packaging financial aid is easier).  So only really 4-5 spots for international students without good grades.

How Much Money do I Need to Study at a U.S. Squash Playing College?

If you are a top student like the Smith College Squash team’s captain Alice Reznickova (from the Czech Republic) you may not need to pay a cent (she has a perfect 4.0 GPA and is a chemistry major).  However, the pool of financial aid is very small for international students (different for Americans), so unfortunately you and your family will have to pay most of the costs unless you are absolutely brilliant!  Remember however that going to one of these colleges is a life-transforming experience and a chance to join the elite of the world (Hillary Clinton went to a women’s college just like Smith).  Most graduates of Smith College start their first job making a lot more money than their peers at lower-ranked colleges – and can quickly pay back the student loans needed to finance their education.  The only way to find out how much it will cost is to actually apply!

Remember however that going to one of these colleges is a life-transforming experience and a chance to join the elite of the world (Hillary Clinton went to a women’s college just like Smith:).

Smith College Squash Coach’s Blog Ranked Google #1

If you Google the terms “squash coaching” or “squash science” Smith College’s Tim Bacon’s Science of Coaching Squash Blog comes up first in the search results.  With more than 30,000 hits since its inception a little more than a year ago, the blog is the internet’s number one resource for information on squash coaching and sport science related to squash.

Unique amongst U.S. College coaches, Bacon is a full member of Faculty at Smith College and teaches several academic courses in addition to his squash coaching responsibilities.  Psychology of Sport, Introduction to Coaching, and Introduction to Exercise & Sport Studies are all 4-credit academic courses taught under the auspices of the Department of Exercise & Sport Studies.  Former Chair of Squash Canada’s Sport Medicine & Science Committee, Bacon has written coaching education materials for many national racquet sport associations including:  U.S. Squash, Squash Canada, Tennis canada, Racquetball Canada, and the Coaching Association of Canada.

Before moving to the U.S. to coach the Smith College Squash team in 1994, Bacon coach the Canadian Jr. National Team at the 1990 world Championships (a squash that included future World #1 Jonathon Power and #13 Graham Ryding), the powerhouse University of Western Ontario during his graduate studies at that University (historically on of the top three men’s teams in the U.S. squash rankings), the McGill Men’s & Women’s Teams (the men moving from 6th to 3rd in Canada during his tenure); and the #1 Quebec ranked female, Diane Poitras.  More recently, he coached his racketlon mixed doubles partner to two consecutive years of undefeated play in U.S. Squash skill level and U34 National Championships (she beat 3 U.S. National Team members along the way.).

Uncommon amongst U.S. squash coaches, Bacon holds a Level 4 Coaching Certification in addition to both Bachelor and Master’s degrees in Physical Education – as well as 10 years study of sport psychology in French at the doctoral level at L’Universite de Montreal.  During this time he acted as mental training consultant to several world champion athletes and teams in tennis, squash and racquetball – including acting as the consultant to the men’s Jr. and Sr., and women’s Jr. national squash teams from about 1987 to 1994.

Bacon’s interest in coaching women started as a young pro at Toronto’s Sherbourne Club.  Only having played 3-4 years himself,  he regularly trained with and played against successive Canadian Women’s Champions in the early 1980’s:  Anne Smith (also former Scottish #1), Elaine Hinnegan, and Gail Pimm.  He also had the chance to play an exhibition against the famous Heather McKay who worked for the same squash management group (he lost).  Despite significant hip arthritis (replaced in 2008), Bacon was ranked in the U.S.’ top 10 in 45+ competition from 2003-2007, won several Massachusett’s 45+ State Championships (against Squash Talk’s Ron Beck), as well as the State’s Open Softball Champioships with his mixed doubles partner (i.e., the beat men’s teams).  He has also won several USTA mixed doubles tennis tournaments and was ranked #23 in the world in Racketlon Mixed Doubles just prior to his hip replacement.

You can follow Bacon’s activities on Twitter (squashscience) or catch him on his Squash Science YouTube Channel – seen her playing world #1 Karm Darwish at British Racketball:

International Student? Why Choose an American Squash College?

Reason #1

Most of the Colleges and Universities where squash is played in the U.S. are elite academic institutions – there are only about 30 with women’s varsity squash programs.  Attending one of these colleges is a life transforming experience:  you get the best education alongside some of the brightest people in the world – this opportunity along with the large salary you can receive after graduating makes the $50,000 a year worthwhile (versus a regular university back home or a state college).

That is the single most important reason to play squash at a college – aside from your love for squash.  If you are a female, attending a women’s college, like Smith College,  means that all of the institution’s considerable resources are directed towards making your education better (Smith College has an endowment that has flirted with 900 million dollars) .

It is a very special thing to attend a college in the U.S. where squash is played – and even more special at a Women’s College – here is the opening ceremony for Smith College – America’s largest women’s college (more than a thousand courses to choose from, if you include the Five Colleges):

College Squash Goes Electronic!

It started a few years ago – gradually easier access for the average person to use the web and internet to communicate with others.

Smith Coach Tim Bacon’s transforming exposure occurred at a Smith College Faculty workshop (Tim is the only U.S. College Coach to teach academic classes) on Web 2.0 a few years ago.  What is Web 2.0?  The assembly of easy to use tools like YouTube, blog software, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, etc. (Web 1.0 was traditional tools like e-mail and HTML editing required web pages).  Even the new College Squash Association site is now uses WordPress (Smith Squash Alum Anne Bello runs the site with her husband Western Mass squash player Mike Bello).

This site is the #2 rated site if you enter the terms “College Squash”, and Smith Coach Tim Bacon’s Science of Coaching Squash blog is #1 if you search “squash coaching”!  Lots of valuable information for U.S. and International high school students looking to improve their squash.

The Smith College Team has its own blog (this site) its own YouTube Channel, and its own Twitter account, so that prospective recruits, current students, parents and fans can stay in touch with the team’s progress.  This season watch for webcasting of some home matches using SKYPE!

Under Tim’s influence, even the Smith College Athletics Department is starting to wilt under the pressure to go electronic.  For the first time, the squash team brochure is available to download as a .pdf – click here to download a copy: Smith College Squash 2009.10 Brochure.  Drop Tim (tbacon@smith.edu) a line if you want to know more about College Squash in the U.S. or need help with your own Web 2.0 tools!

Smith College Squash 2009.10 Brochure

Smith College Squash 2009.10 Brochure

Why Play Squash at a U.S. Women’s College?

Smith College Campus

Smith College is one of the oldest and most respected academic institutions in the United States.  At a time when women were not allowed into colleges to study alongside men, one woman stepped forward – Sophia Smith, Smith College’s founder and a forward-thinking legend, was born on August 27, 1796, in nearby Hatfield, Massachusetts. With her last will and testament of March 8, 1870, she willed a portion of her fortune to endow a women’s college. Smith College opened five years later, in 1875. It was her birthday yesterday!

Sophia Smith founder of Smith College

Although the situation has clearly improved for women attending a U.S. College, sexist attitudes, practices and allocation of resources continue to favor men at coeducational institutions – even in amongst the squash fraternity.   Most of the “favoritism” is very subtle, meaning that neither the perpertrater nor affected realize what is happening – you need a degree in Cultural Studies in order to be able to analyze these situations:)

How will this affect a female student in a co-ed school?  Simply put the boys will speak up first in class, her voice may be drowned out during informal mixed gender friend gatherings, boys may be picked first for leadership positions in and out of class – never mind the little “harmless” comments that fly around the campus.

What is clear however is that in terms of education and leadership, the coeducational institutions are unable to match the quality of a women’s college (did you know there were several hundred in the U.S.?) – read about it here.

If you are an America or International student and you want to play varsity squash at a women’s college, you are presented with a very simple choice!  There are only three women’s colleges – all of them top academic institutions.  If you are an international student and have only heard about Princeton, Harvard or Yale (I wonder why that is?), then you need to know that a degree from one of these colleges puts you on the same fast-track carer path after graduation as an Ivy league school.  When you show up at a job interview every interviewer will have heard of Smith, Mount Holyoke or Wellesley College.

Academics aside, what is life as an athlete like at a women’s college?  Luckily our sister college Mount Holyoke (many Smith grads in their Athletic Department:) has put together a very nice video which shows in a very practical way the advantages for playing for a top academic institution like Smith College.  Here is the link to the video:  example of athletics at a women’s college.  When you are done watching, you may want to check out the Smith College Athletics video (put together by some of our Smith Students) and listen to what some of our Smith Coaches have to say here:

South Hadley Winter Scene

What about campus life at a women’s College?  I lived in the town of Wellesley for a few years, and commuted frequently to see friends in South Hadley where MHC is, so know both towns quite well.  If you are looking for a quiet place, where the nearest town action is a good 45-minute bus ride away (infrequent service) both of these towns will suit you.  Wellesley is a “dry” town (i.e., no bars or pubs) although it is close to the highway to Boston if you have a car (30+ minutes).  There are two pubs within walking distance of MHC is you enjoy socializing with the 50+ crowd.

If you want to be 100 yards from a vibrant town with 25+ bars, 50 + restaurants, two theatres capable of hosting top music, dance and drama acts, a movie theatre, and two  rock venues, then there is no better place than America’s #1 Small Arts Town;  Northampton, Massachusetts.  How close is Smith College to town – watch the Smith Squash team jog the 400 yards from the gym to town to try and chat with Mel Gibson on his movie set last year:

Click here or e-mail Head Coach of Squash Tim Bacon for a visit! : tbacon@smith.edu.

ps.  If you want to socialize with boys once you have had your quality class time and obtained your leadership position, there are actually about 10,000 boys studying at College and University within a few miles – some of the quiet ones even take classes at Smith – Joe was a great guy and super student from UMASS who took my Introduction to Coaching class last year:

What do College Squash Coaches Do in the Summer?

Well – they play of course! In this video Smith College squash coach Tim Bacon is playing world #1 male squash player Karim Darwish in British Racketball - unfortunately Tim had a bad back and ended up losing (but at least did not wimp out!).  Smith is a  top academic college located in the great town of Northampton in Western Massachusetts (an hour and a half from Boston).

College squash coaches also work – and work hard on their professional development and fitness (while administrators are sitting around doing nothing and playing golf:)!  Smith Coach Tim Bacon was hired by Squash Design to organize and direct the summer squash camp (above courts were at the Mercersburg Academy in PA) around the unique talents of world # 1 Karim Darwish.  Tim has adapted the newest approach to sport pedagogy, called the Games Approach to squash, and has been using it with the Smith College Squash team for the last few seasons.  Tim trained Karim, his wife Engy (#20 WISPA ranking) and Miguel Rodriguez (PSA #20) in the Games Approach methodology – it was really well received by both the adult and junior campers.

In addition to working with the World’s #1 player, Tim coached alongside England’s Mike Johnson (now working in Tim’s native land of Canada) at the Princeton Squash Camps for two weeks.  Mike has coached several of the world’s top players including former world champions Sarah Fitzgerald, Rodney Matin and Rodney Eyles.  Tim used the opportunity to co-present with Mike in a lecture to the campers on the Psychology of Squash.  Tim filmed the lecture and edited a video to help others learn about the mental side of squash.

If you are a talented high school student and play racquetball or tennis and would like to try squash at college drop Tim a line (tbacon@smith.edu) – he has lots of experience successfully converting players to squash.

So that is what College Squash Coaches do in the summer!

Smith Squash Early Summer Update!

Squash Olympic bid presentation was yesterday – here is a great new video to promote that cause! 

• Alice, Jasmine and Meg are on the beautiful Smith Campus this summer – Jasmine is off to New Zealand’s University of Canterbury for her semester abroad program – she has already lined up squash courts at the university.
• Smith College offers a new degree!  A Bachelor of Arts in Engineering.  This new degree maintains Smith’s position as the number 1 Liberal Arts College for women in North America!  Squash and Engineering are natural partners – as any Engineering professor will tell you:)
• Alice will be trying to lower her 5k time from a 9 minute a mile pace down to 7 minutes a mile.  The test run will be at the 2009  Smith Fall Fit 5K on Saturday, September 27th.  The entire Smith College Squash Team will be runing in the event as they did last year.
• Head Coach Tim Bacon will be coaching and doing strength and mental training at both the Princeton Squash Camps and the Premier Performance Squash Camps featuring men’s World #1 Karim Darwish and other top Egyptian players.  There are still a couple of spaces remaining if you want to find out why the Egyptians are at the top in both Men’s and Women’s squash!  E-mail Tim for more info:  tbacon@smith.edu.

Smith College Squash and “Squash 2016″

Here is what some of the Smith Squash Team are doing/saying about what they will be doing on Squash 2016 Day:

Joanne Poon: “I’ll be playing squash in Washington, DC!” **Update at 15:32 EST: “I played for like two hours! Maybe ill play more later today. BACKWALL!!!”

Alice Reznickova: (I paraphrase since we communicate in Alice’s native Czech language) “Can you ask her for a a poster of her signed? I think she would be complimentary to the poster of Nathalie Grainger that Meg stole for our summer house as an inspiration :]”

Jessica Kaplan:  (Having just hit on Vermont’s outdoor squash court – Jessica is a Smith College first-year who picked up squash for the first time at the end of the semester and is coming out for the team in the fall – she has some talent) “We just hit on it with our tennis rackets, any word on the squash  racket order or should I just buy them local?”

Jessica Kaplan @ Vermont's Outdoor Squash Court

Old & New Meet At Smith Squash Alum Round Robin

Now completing her Ph.D. at Princeton University, Kanta Murali ‘99 returns to Smith to visit her classmates on the occasion of Smith College’s 131st Graduation.  Kanta, winner of the Collge Squash Association’s Ann Wetzel Award (goes to best player who started at college) had the chance to hit and chat with senior Jessica MacLeod, herself a nominee for the award this year.  Jess will be in the Teach for America program in New York City following her graduation tomorrow.

This video clip also features the father and son of the MacLeod clan playing some British Racketball and squash respectively, against Sophomore Jasmine Wallas and sister (respectively:).  Also in the clip, Coach Tim Bacon has a message for alums who have not been playing squash:)

Smith College Squash Alum Round Robin This Saturday

On the occasion of Smith College’s 131st Graduation Ceremony, the Smith College Squash team will be hosting its 15th annual Alumnae Round Robin – for those Alums who are back on campus – and for any other members of the Smith College Community:  this Saturday, May 16th from 3-5 pm at the Squash Courts in Ainsworth Gym.

Both Squash and British Racketball (less adept friends and family members) will be featured.  Informal, drop-in format – come and stay as long as you like!  This might be your best chance of beating Coach Tim Bacon on his new six-month old hip (but he doubts very much you will be able to;).

**Ainsworth Gym may be officially CLOSED at this time, so we will leave the BACK DOOR (by the parking lot) to the courts open for you access – call Tim’s cell if you have a problem:  413-330-8222.

Here is the link to the Ainsworth Gym schedule for this week.

Here is a clip from our 2007 “very exciting” alum round robin!  Hope to see you there!