Navy Takes on Chicago

By William Eucker IV, October 31, 2005©

Chicago.

Walking amongst gothic architecture, Halloween decorations, and White Sox fanatics triumphantly broadcasting their World Series victory, the uniformed Navy Squash team attracted its own attention. In this first ever trip to Chicago, we rode subway rails, strolled through the streets, and, hosted by generous benefactors, played in the best courts in town.

The three goals of the four-day trip to the windy city were to improve our games, to practice preparing for matches in foreign courts, and, finally, to bond as a team. We achieved all of them better than we, our coach Craig Dawson, or our faculty representative Professor Mark Harper, expected.

A Squash team, by nature of the one-on-one intercollegiate competition, is a collection of individual competitors. This, combined our over-busy schedules as midshipmen, leads to few opportunities to get to know each other outside the courts. In order to bring ourselves together as a team, we spent almost the entire weekend with each other—cheering while playing/ observing matches, exploring the city, and, of course, dining. Flying in Thursday night, we commenced our squash weekend with a team dinner at Sullivan’s Steakhouse (415 North Dearborn). Twelve steaks and twelve smiles later, we could all relate much better to one another.

The next day, riding the subway train from Chicago’s Loop to Evanston, we met Ben Sussna, a former high-school roommate of navy sophomore Jeff Sawin and the number six man for Northwestern Universty squash. He showed us around his university before the big match Friday night. Sussna, a current sophomore, also happens to be an active member of Chi Psi fraternity. In an interesting link from history, Philip Spencer, the founder of the Chi Psi fraternity, was the only midshipman ever to be hanged for attempted mutiny onboard the SOMERS. Spencer’s transgression has been attributed as a principal impetus for the 1845 founding of the U.S. Naval Academy. So both Chi Psi in Evanston and the Naval Academy in Annapolis, may owe their existence to the same influential Spencer.

Acclimating to the Northwestern University courts proved to be more difficult after a full day of walking than we had predicted. After an aggressive warm-up, we went out strong to defeat the home team. We didn’t have an opportunity to have dinner before the players from Kenyon College arrived, so we treated the circumstance as an opportunity to train ourselves with physical hunger and mental patience. Driving from long-away Ohio, Kenyon fought hard, but couldn’t hold out against the Navy blue and gold. After the final match, we quickly walked to the train stop for the long ride back to our downtown hotel.
Saturday morning, the University Club of Chicago (76 East Monroe St.) graciously lined up twelve competitors to play our varsity squad in exhibition. These varied players, young and old, were skilled players who challenged every aspect of our games. Ultimately we only won two of the twelve matches, but learned countless mental and physical lessons. After showering and thanking our hosts, we strolled along Millennium Park to find lunch.

Sam Crawford, father of USNA 2001 alumnus Andrew Crawford, hosted us at the Lake Shore Club (441 N. Wabash Ave.) that afternoon. Learning from some of our mistakes that morning, and with uproarious cheering of our teammates, we set out to win most of the afternoon matches. With the last game won, Mr. Crawford sung praises of midshipmen, the Naval Academy and particularly the squash program, inviting us to feast on fresh Italian sub sandwiches and use the steam room facilities. Our coach responded in kind with an open offer for a challenging weekday match with a mid anytime a motivated player is in Annapolis. Fresh and victorious, we departed as a team to enjoy our last night before returning to Bancroft hall duties.

Fostering unfailing teammate support, a.k.a. “shipmate loyalty,” challenging our games, and expanding our comfort zones, our Chicago trip places us in a perfect position to tackle future competitors with united confidence, zeal and tenacity.

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Article by William Eucker IV, Midshipman 3/C, United States Naval Academy.