Recapping the 2025 High School Nationals

Open Squash Assistant Coach Adel Sammons recently accompanied the Brearley School team to the U.S. High School Team Squash Championships in Philadelphia. It's a national event held every February, and since the first event in 2005, participation has grown from 16 teams in one division for boys, to over 200 high school teams from across the country. Teams need at least seven players to compete but can bring a maximum of ten, allowing for three alternates.

US Squash, the sport's national governing body and membership organization, oversees the championships. Participants must be current US Squash members and have passed the necessary referee exam. They must also be enrolled students at the school they represent. The Justi Cup is awarded to the top boys’ division, named after start player Melinda Justi. The Patterson Cup is awarded to the top girls’ division, named after star player Bryan Patterson.

Twelve girls from Brearley made the trip, with seven stepping onto the court to play and the rest offering spirited support. The team honed their skills practicing with Adel at both Open Squash and the Harvard Club. They also worked with Canadian player Nicole Bunyan on fitness. 

“Some of the girls are really keen to push hard on their training in all areas,” Adel said. “And some of the girls, less so. The great thing about a high school squash team is there’s room for everyone.”

For the Brearley squad, a major win was their victory over Nightingale-Bamford school, a familiar opponent from their regular league matches. Spence school clinched the Division Two title, but the Brearley team still had an amazing experience. The weekend was filled with memorable moments, captured in the video blogs the girls enthusiastically created for each other along the way.

Beyond the matches, the tournament fostered a strong sense of camaraderie. The team also had some social time off the court, including bowling and playing arcade games. Another family arranged a Chinese dinner for the team.

“It’s an incredible social atmosphere for these girls,” Adel said. “They get to know each other better and support each other on and off the court. It builds their confidence to play in these tournaments and I was very proud of the team’s performance.”

The tournament also serves as an opportunity for college coaches to scout talent, evaluating players on both their squash skills and personal character. Many of New York’s private schools are now offering financial aid and scholarships in a bid to broaden participation from a wider slice of New York, and Adel is supportive of Open Squash’s efforts to make sure everyone who wants to play squash in New York can do so, too. 

“We’re already gearing up for next year’s tournament,” she said. “I can’t wait!”