Although squash matches are played individually, each result affects the team’s score. Boys Squash Co-Captain Will Weissman ’25’s continued involvement in squash stems from his appreciation for this team aspect and the relationships he has fostered.
Weissman started playing squash at eight, participating in Under-11 tournaments at the Brooks School. Since then, Weissman ha participated in countless squash clinics, met many inspirational coaches and new faces, and found meaning in playing for a team.
Weissman said, “What really kept me going was the team dynamic, because when I was younger, I would do a lot of tournaments, and they got a little boring after a while [since] I was playing individually, but actually playing for your teammates and a group of guys that you got to know is more motivating.”
Weissman continued, “I’ve also had a lot of great coaches. I used to know a coach named Doug Burbank, and he just found ways to make drills really interesting. There used to be a lot of clinics where I got to meet a lot of new people. And then obviously with [Head] Coach JR [John Roberts] at Andover, I’ve gotten able to build a really good relationship with him. It’s always fun going back to the courts, and getting a good hit in.”
Along with Co-Captain Avery Lin ’25, Weissman creates a positive, friendly team setting, bringing together players of all experience levels. Beyond his easy-going nature, Weissman also leads by example on and off the court.
“We try to create an environment where everyone feels welcome. I think it’s important that everyone gets a chance to play with one another, even if you’re on different sides of the ladder. So even if someone’s really high up on the ladder, playing number one or three or two, they should still play with some of the kids who are eight or nine so we can all come together as a community. I think what makes our team unique is that we’re all really friendly. We love hanging out outside the court [and] saying ‘Hi’ to each other, so there’s creating a really good team bond. Then for me specifically, I try my best to lead by example. I think that’s important,” said Weissman.
According to Weissman, working with Lin and Roberts has become natural after spending four years with them. They are always in constant communication; brainstorming methods to boost team performance and morale.
“We talk a lot… Texting each other after a match or before practice, or we like to get to the courts pretty early before practice, talk about how we think the season’s going, what we need to work on as a team moving forward and what we can do to make the most of the coming practice. We just like to talk. We’ve gotten to know each other really well for the last four years so we have an open relationship where we can express ourselves and really talk about what we want to do to improve,” said Weissman.
Pragun Seth ’25 commented on Weissman’s leadership style. One of Seth’s most memorable experiences was when Weissman stepped up and gave an inspiring speech after a challenging game.
“One time we were all as a team sitting together on [the] court after a tough match. He took initiative and supported us to talk about what we could have done better and how we could grow as a team and that really inspired me,” said Seth.
In a sport where every match matters, Alexander Yang ’26 appreciates Weissman’s skill on the court. Yang believes that Weissman holds the team accountable through his hard work.
Yang said, “He’s very consistent. You can expect him to win the matches that he’s supposed to win. You can always count on him to perform well. If he’s playing someone that’s relatively not as good as him, you can always expect him to win. I think that’s really important because, in squash, it’s seven matches against other schools. We always try our best to get at least four of those matches on our side. Will is definitely someone we can always count on to be one of those.”
While Weissman doesn’t plan to continue playing squash at a competitive level in college, he wants to stay connected to the sport. He enjoys the exercise and hopes to keep forming new relationships through the sport.
Weissman said, “I don’t plan on playing in college but I want to continue to stay involved in squash. Even if I’m not playing at a competitive level, hopefully I’ll play some club squash in college and then continue to play as much as I can even into adulthood. It’s a really fun sport and I think it’s a good way to stay fit, a good way to stay healthy and always meeting new people at different events or tournaments.”
