Meet Mount Holyoke’s New Coach: Allen Fitzsimmons
By WesternMass-Squash • Published on October 6, 2008 • Articles
Mount Holyoke Coach Allen Fitzsimmons
South Hadley, MA — Mount Holyoke College recently named Allen Fitzsimmons as its varsity squash coach. Fitzsimmons, who takes over from Pam Saunders, chatted with Western Mass Squash on his first day of practice.
Prior to college, Fitzsimmons never played squash. He arrived at the University of Rochester as a tennis player. During his first year, many members of the Yellowjackets’ varsity squash team graduated. During his sophomore year, Fitzsimmons, along with a few other tennis players, joined the squash team. Squash quickly became his passion. Within a year he was at the top of the varsity ladder, a spot he would occupy for three seasons.
Fitzsimmons has many fond memories from his college squash days. One of his proudest moments came against Amherst College. During the 2001-2002 season, Amherst’s Michael Strong swept Fitzsimmons in a three-game match (9-8, 9-6, 9-2); however, the following season Fitzsimmons rebounded and beat Strong in four games (7-9, 10-8, 10-8, 9-4). Fitzsimmons attributes the victory to his training regimen.
The University of Rochester has enjoyed tremendous success over the last few seasons. Fitzsimmons helped start that movement. If he were playing today, Fitzsimmons believes he would be in the middle of the Yellowjackets’ ladder.
After leaving Rochester, Fitzsimmons taught and coached at the Westover School, an all-girls prep school in Middlebury, Connecticut, for four years. Westover’s student body is composed of approximately 200 girls in grades 9-12. At Westover, Fitzsimmons taught a variety of classes, including government and math. He coached the varsity squash team on the four courts at the Angier Squash Pavilion. The team built on its success season after season. During the 2007-2008 season, Fitzsimmons guided Westover to a 15-3 record and a trip to the Girls’ New England Interscholastic Squash Championships Class A tournament, which was held at Choate. The year before, Westover won the B tournament.
Fitzsimmons is excited about the opportunity at Mount Holyoke. He believes his experience teaching and coaching girls at Westover will ease his transition to coaching college women. He has a very experienced team. Senior Pam Anckerman, who finished last season ranked 28th in the nation, hopes to earn All American honors this year. Last season, the Lyons concluded the year ranked 11th in the nation. Vidushi Gurunada, Laura Robinson, and Laurian Lue Yen will help anchor a squad that is on the verge of entering College Squash’s top ten. Senior Menusha Hettiarachchi, last season’s number three player, is recuperating from off season knee surgery. She hopes to be back on the court in January.
New to the area, Fitzsimmons is still getting settled. Fitzsimmons and his dog are moving to the South Hadley area. He is interested in meeting local players and restarting the Leisure League. We were surprised but pleased to learn that Fitzsimmons found out about the Mount Holyoke opening from an article on Western Mass Squash.
As Western Mass Squash learned first hand today, Fitzsimmons has a powerful rail. He also is not afraid to volley. His playing style and coaching experience will only help the team build on last season’s success.
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[...] Hadley, MA — Allen Fitzsimmons, the new Mount Holyoke squash coach, is inviting area squash players to Mount Holyoke College for informal squash [...]