Squash’s Wendy Lawrence Announces Retirement
4/23/2019 5:22:00 PM | Men's Squash, Women's Squash
Lawrence hangs up reigns after 12 years at GW
After 12 years at the helm, GW men's and women's squash head coach Wendy Lawrence has announced her plans for retirement at the conclusion of the 2018-19 academic year.
Lawrence, who took over the men's varsity program in 2007 and the women's team in 2010, has elevated both programs to new heights and put GW Squash on the map as a top program in the College Squash Association.
When I talked to Wendy about her successful career at GW, she was humble, as always.
"I honestly just really enjoyed it," Lawrence said. "I found that we were building something that I never thought would be as successful as it has been."
Successful is an understatement. I have witnessed her extraordinary impact directly as my brother, Brett Feldman ('12), was her first recruit in 2008. Eleven years later, I played my final match for Wendy as her senior captain.
"I have always been honored to be Wendy's first recruit," Brett said. "When I came to GW, I quickly realized how dedicated she was to recruiting and improving the GW collegiate squash ranking."
GW squash alumni, from my brother's teammates to my own, can agree that she has always been the glue that has kept our teams so united. She was the mother that we all needed, a lot of us being so far from home.
Jose Luis Calderon, who graduated with my brother in 2012, reminisced about his first encounter with Wendy.
"She was as candid as she ever was and said she was looking for her first recruiting class at GW," Calderon said. "Since that moment we established a strong bond. She was more than a coach to me at GW. She was a mentor, 'adoptive mother' as my mom likes to put it, looking after all of us."
Senior Moudy Abdel-Maksoud, from Cairo, Egypt, established a similar bond with Wendy.
"Going to school halfway around the world is not something easy," said Abdel – Maksoud. "I was incredibly lucky to have Wendy in my corner as someone I can always count on to support me and make sure I produced my best."
Wendy's relationship with her players extends far beyond their time at GW. Alumni feel that their relationship with their former coach has grown even stronger since they have graduated.
"She was my coach, but more importantly a motherly figure and a lifelong friend," my brother said. "To this day, she remains one of my favorite and one of the most important people in my life."
Anna Gabriela Porras ('16), one of the program's most decorated players finishing 13th in the nation, has also maintained a strong relationship with Lawrence after graduation. This past year, Wendy attended her wedding and provided unconditional support as Porras underwent major knee surgery just before her big day.
"She always made me feel special and supported since I was a freshman and this relationship has continued even as an alumna," said Porras. "She really is a mother to us in college, but after as well."
Lawrence has constantly supported us in becoming the best versions of ourselves, both on and off the court.
During Lawrence's last season, two players, Abdel-Maksoud and Zoe Foo Yuk Han, reached the highest individual rankings in program history. Both feel Lawrence played a major role in their success.
"Wendy held me accountable to certain standards and accepted nothing less," Abdel-Maksoud said. "She encouraged this winning mentality and giving 100 percent, while always being respectful. I will carry these lessons with me for the rest of my life."
For Foo Yuk Han, Lawrence has provided the confidence she needed to excel in her first two seasons at GW.
"Wendy has always supported me from the beginning and continues to do so every day," Foo Yuk Han said. "She was one of the first people to believe in me and give me the confidence to believe in myself and be mentally strong on the court."
It is an understatement to say that our coach has touched our lives in many ways. The same can be said about the impact she has had on her colleagues.
"The biggest thing that Wendy brings to the table is the way she treats everybody associated with the squash program as a family member," said Andre Julien, senior associate athletics director and sport administrator for squash. "She has a genuine care and concern for everyone, not just for her athletes, but also the assistant coaches and the administrators."
Anderson Good, her assistant coach of four years, considers himself lucky when reflecting on his special relationship with Lawrence.
"I always felt Wendy had my back and that was the best feeling," Good said. "That has been a consistent aspect to our relationship that I noticed and always appreciated."
When we take a step back from our everyday interactions with Wendy and think about her impact on the squash community, we realize how incredibly fortunate we were to have been mentored and coached by her.
After being introduced to squash as a student at Vassar, she became a pioneer for the sport in every sense of the word.
She was the first female coach at the Uptown Racquet Club in New York City in the 1980s. It was then she realized coaching was her calling.
"I coached and decided I really enjoyed it," Lawrence said. "I was also playing professionally and got ranked as high as 12 in the United States. I ditched the idea I had of going to law school."
Now, we celebrate her for all Wendy has done to shape the GW squash program into what it is today, in addition to her tremendous leadership growing the collegiate game nationally.
Over the past 12 years, she has made a name for the GW Squash program and recruited top players from around the world. This year, 11 countries were represented across both teams.
"Every year, we moved up in the rankings and I really saw what it took to be a top-10 program" Lawrence said.
While juggling daily on-court practice, traveling logistics and recruiting, Lawrence has managed to lead championship-winning teams while supporting each of her players individually.
This past year, the men became back-to-back champions in their division, while the women finished 15th in the nation, despite suffering injuries.
Lawrence, who took over the men's varsity program in 2007 and the women's team in 2010, has elevated both programs to new heights and put GW Squash on the map as a top program in the College Squash Association.
When I talked to Wendy about her successful career at GW, she was humble, as always.
"I honestly just really enjoyed it," Lawrence said. "I found that we were building something that I never thought would be as successful as it has been."
Successful is an understatement. I have witnessed her extraordinary impact directly as my brother, Brett Feldman ('12), was her first recruit in 2008. Eleven years later, I played my final match for Wendy as her senior captain.
"I have always been honored to be Wendy's first recruit," Brett said. "When I came to GW, I quickly realized how dedicated she was to recruiting and improving the GW collegiate squash ranking."
GW squash alumni, from my brother's teammates to my own, can agree that she has always been the glue that has kept our teams so united. She was the mother that we all needed, a lot of us being so far from home.
Jose Luis Calderon, who graduated with my brother in 2012, reminisced about his first encounter with Wendy.
"She was as candid as she ever was and said she was looking for her first recruiting class at GW," Calderon said. "Since that moment we established a strong bond. She was more than a coach to me at GW. She was a mentor, 'adoptive mother' as my mom likes to put it, looking after all of us."
Senior Moudy Abdel-Maksoud, from Cairo, Egypt, established a similar bond with Wendy.
"Going to school halfway around the world is not something easy," said Abdel – Maksoud. "I was incredibly lucky to have Wendy in my corner as someone I can always count on to support me and make sure I produced my best."
Wendy's relationship with her players extends far beyond their time at GW. Alumni feel that their relationship with their former coach has grown even stronger since they have graduated.
"She was my coach, but more importantly a motherly figure and a lifelong friend," my brother said. "To this day, she remains one of my favorite and one of the most important people in my life."
Anna Gabriela Porras ('16), one of the program's most decorated players finishing 13th in the nation, has also maintained a strong relationship with Lawrence after graduation. This past year, Wendy attended her wedding and provided unconditional support as Porras underwent major knee surgery just before her big day.
"She always made me feel special and supported since I was a freshman and this relationship has continued even as an alumna," said Porras. "She really is a mother to us in college, but after as well."
Lawrence has constantly supported us in becoming the best versions of ourselves, both on and off the court.
During Lawrence's last season, two players, Abdel-Maksoud and Zoe Foo Yuk Han, reached the highest individual rankings in program history. Both feel Lawrence played a major role in their success.
"Wendy held me accountable to certain standards and accepted nothing less," Abdel-Maksoud said. "She encouraged this winning mentality and giving 100 percent, while always being respectful. I will carry these lessons with me for the rest of my life."
For Foo Yuk Han, Lawrence has provided the confidence she needed to excel in her first two seasons at GW.
"Wendy has always supported me from the beginning and continues to do so every day," Foo Yuk Han said. "She was one of the first people to believe in me and give me the confidence to believe in myself and be mentally strong on the court."
It is an understatement to say that our coach has touched our lives in many ways. The same can be said about the impact she has had on her colleagues.
"The biggest thing that Wendy brings to the table is the way she treats everybody associated with the squash program as a family member," said Andre Julien, senior associate athletics director and sport administrator for squash. "She has a genuine care and concern for everyone, not just for her athletes, but also the assistant coaches and the administrators."
Anderson Good, her assistant coach of four years, considers himself lucky when reflecting on his special relationship with Lawrence.
"I always felt Wendy had my back and that was the best feeling," Good said. "That has been a consistent aspect to our relationship that I noticed and always appreciated."
When we take a step back from our everyday interactions with Wendy and think about her impact on the squash community, we realize how incredibly fortunate we were to have been mentored and coached by her.
After being introduced to squash as a student at Vassar, she became a pioneer for the sport in every sense of the word.
She was the first female coach at the Uptown Racquet Club in New York City in the 1980s. It was then she realized coaching was her calling.
"I coached and decided I really enjoyed it," Lawrence said. "I was also playing professionally and got ranked as high as 12 in the United States. I ditched the idea I had of going to law school."
Now, we celebrate her for all Wendy has done to shape the GW squash program into what it is today, in addition to her tremendous leadership growing the collegiate game nationally.
Over the past 12 years, she has made a name for the GW Squash program and recruited top players from around the world. This year, 11 countries were represented across both teams.
"Every year, we moved up in the rankings and I really saw what it took to be a top-10 program" Lawrence said.
While juggling daily on-court practice, traveling logistics and recruiting, Lawrence has managed to lead championship-winning teams while supporting each of her players individually.
This past year, the men became back-to-back champions in their division, while the women finished 15th in the nation, despite suffering injuries.
Wendy is the backbone behind our success, not only because of her global recruiting or winning mentality, but more importantly because of her unconditional emotional support and her unique character that have made playing for her unforgettable.
As her time as our coach comes to an end, it is our turn to celebrate her career and her impact on so many lives.
"She has celebrated us and all of our victories," Porras said. "It is our turn to look back on her career and be on the other side for once to celebrate all that she has done."
Gallery: (4/23/2019) Celebrating Wendy Lawrence
As her time as our coach comes to an end, it is our turn to celebrate her career and her impact on so many lives.
"She has celebrated us and all of our victories," Porras said. "It is our turn to look back on her career and be on the other side for once to celebrate all that she has done."
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Squash
/ Women's Squash
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