Darien Squash began as a Mixed DHS Club sport for boys and girls, started by Margie Hauer whose son and friends wanted to play squash competitively
2007
Board of Ed approved funding for official DHS Varsity Co-Ed Squash Team
2007/2008 season DHS Co-Ed Squash Team official
2008
FairWest League (the squash equivalent of FCIAC) started out with 3 teams - Darien, Rye and New Canaan and today is comprised of 15 teams from Fairfield and Westchester counties and local inner-city schools
2009
No-longer co-ed, first Varsity Girls Squash and Varsity Boys Squash Teams
2010
Darien High School recognized by US Squash as first US Public High School Team
Darien High School recognized by US Squash as First US Public High School Team at Nationals
2015/16
Varsity Boys Squash #1 public high school in the country
Varsity Boys Squash Division 2 Champions at US High School National Championships
2017
2017/18 season - first time full Varsity & JV Roster - 18 on boys team and 17 on girls team
2017
Varsity Boys and Girls Squash finished in top half of Nationals
2018
Varsity Girls Squash finished 6th in their division, best ever result
2018/19
Optional Spring Training Program added to extend DHS players season.
Darien Middle School Program
2010
Started by Simon Gill and Patrick Wind
2017/18
Season hits record highs of between 23 student athletes
Players are coached by professionals and participate in FairWest & Nationals Squash tournaments
2018/19
Season hits another record high of 45 student athletes
Darien Youth School Program
Spring 2018
Brand new Youth Squash program with 42 student athletes in grades K-5 started by Rebecca Ashcraft
Coached by squash professionals (1:5 ratio per court) and assisted by mentors from the Middle School Squash Team
Fall
2018
Youth Squash program with 36 student athletes in grades K-5.
New Bronze Tournament team added to the practice groups for players interested in competing in the US Squash tournaments.
Middle School Mentors work with youth team.
Parent Liaison role added.
Spring 2019
Youth Squash program with 48 student atheltes in grades 1-6.
Replace the Bronze Tournament team with a Travel Team of 18 players. Travel Team players are required to tryout and attend eight Friday/Saturday matches at Apawamis Club, MSquash, LBSquash, Round Hill Club, Fairfield, Westchester Squash Academy, and Bronxville Field Club. Players were coached by DHS Players.
High School and Middle School mentors work with youth team.
Squash in the U.S.
Squash Growth
Not only is squash growing in our area, but across the United States. According to U.S. Squash, the United States has the fastest-growing squash participation in the world. The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) shows 66 per cent growth overall since 2010 to 1.71 million players. The SFIA ranks squash as the 12th fastest-growing sport in the U.S. over the past three years with a 32.6 per cent increase in participation.
U.S. Sqush College Programs
According to U.S. Squash, "Since 2005, there has been a 61% increase in the number of club and varsity college programs, and can expect this number to continue to grow as the increased junior participation continues to drive more club and varsity program development at the collegiate level." See men’s and women’s college programs and rankings at https://www.ussquash.com/college/rankings/
