When I scroll down the list of past and present athletes inducted into the Harvard Varsity Club Hall of Fame, I am both proud and humbled by the fact that I get to join the ranks of those whose names have become synonymous with Harvard Athletics. Thank you to the Harvard Varsity Club and the Selection Committee for this special honor, and congratulations to my fellow inductees with whom I get to share this privilege!

I started playing squash at the age of 6, for no other reason than to spend more time with my older brother who was my idol. At that time I had no sense for where the sport could take me, but as I played follow the leader it led to me following my older brother to this grand institution. How lucky I am now to get my name put alongside his, Adrian Ezra (Harvard ’94), and represent Harvard Squash in the Harvard Varsity Club Hall of Fame.

For most student-athletes our teams quickly become our adoptive families, and that is exactly what the Men’s and Women’s teams became for me. Above all however there was our coach and mentor Bill Doyle, whose guidance and support throughout my time at school was invaluable. To this day I remember fondly first meeting him during freshman week when Bill sat me down with my teammates (and now lifelong friends) Jeffrey Blumberg and Rishaad Bilimoria outside Au Bon Pain where he began to prepare us for what was to come, laying out clearly his expectations of his players. From then on Bill was ever present, and as I look back upon my time at school, I cannot think of a person I turned to more when I needed advice and guidance in matters of squash and life in general.

My time playing for Harvard Squash is filled with wonderful memories, and I would like to express my deepest thanks to all my teammates with whom I forged many wonderful moments. I was lucky enough to be part of a special team that remained undefeated in NCAA tournament play, wining the team title all 4 years. I was also lucky enough to win an individual title and got to cheer on my teammate, friend, and fellow inductee, Ivy Pochoda as she won hers. Squash is an individual sport, but anyone that plays for Harvard Squash will tell you that you win and lose as a team. You may win your match but, without a team victory, your win is virtually meaningless. These cherished lessons and memories are what I hope to pass along to my son Leo, who has already proven to be a tougher challenge than any competitor I ever faced on a squash court!

As athletes, all of us here can trace back to the moment that inspired us to take our game to the next level, but none of us could have gotten to that level without the love and support of our family. My mother and father pushed me, sometimes kicking and screaming, to become the best squash player I could be. This involved great personal sacrifice on their part. My father spent weekday evenings on court with me, while my mother drove me around England for junior squash tournaments on weekends. They shared in my joy and heartbreak, feeling every moment and every rally as if they were the ones on court. They taught me the value of hard work, and I only hope that when the time comes I may be as important to my children’s development as my parents have been to mine. A special thank you also goes out to my sister Tammy, who as a competitive swimmer and water polo player, still found time to come to my tournaments, and many times play the big sister when I needed an arm around my shoulder.

On a final note, I would like to acknowledge my beautiful wife Lizzie (Harvard Law ’99), whom I met my senior year. Her strength, courage and fortitude brought her and our son back from the brink of oblivion last year. She is the engine that keeps our family running and is an inspiration to us all. Thank you for being my biggest cheerleader and the source of so much joy in my life.

In signing off I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Mike Way, the current Harvard Squash coach, on an outstanding season. We look forward to next season and to see you take this wonderful program to the next level. Once again, congratulations to my fellow inductees, and a final thank you to the Harvard Varsity Club and the Selection Committee for making this an evening to remember for us all!