Buff & Blue Forever: Zoe Foo

When Anderson Good told Zoe Foo Yuk Han that she was a finalist for the Betty Richey Award, she thought her coach must be joking around. Imagine the GW squash senior's surprise then when she was revealed as the winner of her sport's highest honor during a virtual ceremony in late March.

Smiling ear-to-ear into her computer's camera back home in Malaysia, Foo took advantage of the unexpected spotlight to shout out those who've helped her so much along the way.

"I have such great teammates who are constantly supporting me, in and out of the squash courts," Foo told squash luminaries watching around the globe. "They're just my pillar of support. I could always count on them."

To those who know her best, it was no surprise that Foo devoted most of her remarks that night to talking about others.

The three-time All-American graduates as the most decorated student-athlete in program history, and she leaves behind a legacy that goes well beyond her 50 career wins and impressive collection of individual accolades.

While representing the Buff and Blue, Foo's drive for continued improvement offered a daily lift to everyone around her, and she found her voice as a leader within her program and the athletic department.

"Zoe is the full picture of why people coach," Good said. "She improved drastically as an athlete and as far as Xs and Os, but beyond all that, seeing her grow as a person and develop into a well-respected leader amongst her peers, I think those are the things that you remember and take with you well beyond our time together. She was an absolute pleasure to work with."

Foo found a home in Foggy Bottom in a program that helped re-ignite her passion for the sport.

Back in Malaysia, the squash court is a place for work. Practices are expected to be serious and hyper-focused. It was the only way Foo knew after growing up as part of her home country's national program.

Foo experienced quite the shock in her first few months practicing at the Matthew J. Grossman Squash Courts with music in the air during warmups and a steady stream of positive chatter throughout the work. She couldn't help but smile on the court more than she ever had before.

"Here, you come into the training center and everyone's just always so hyped up and so energized," Foo said. "That energy goes around and makes everyone feel the same way."

Eventually, Foo started feeling more comfortable speaking up in that high-energy environment, emerging as a captain in her junior season when she became the first First Team All-American in program history thanks to a 17-6 individual record at the top spot on the ladder.

This year, the continued COVID-19 pandemic prevented the program from being able to compete together, but the group remained connected best they could.

Each Thursday (morning in D.C. and just before bed in Southeast Asia), they would all hop on Zoom and catch up.

Foo was also able to stay active from afar with GW SAAC and as a representative to Team Forward helping to plan the final days of the varsity program and the next steps as it moves to club status.

Amid a year unlike any other, Foo found herself stepping up and speaking out to provide guidance and support for her teammates like never before.

"Before coming to the U.S., I never really had a voice," Foo said. "My voice was always kept inside. It was always just action, action, action. To be able to grow into a leader, I'm really happy."

This spring, Foo wrapped up work on her degree in Organizational Science with minors in Business and Psychology.

After spending most of the year at home, Foo was able to celebrate her graduation in the nation's capital. She'll head back home and look for a job in her field while continuing to play squash on the side.

Whenever Foo takes the court, even if it's just recreationally with her brother Clifford, she'll continue to lean on lessons learned in Foggy Bottom. She's re-discovered the feeling that originally drew her to the sport at age 7 when she gave it a try after a rhythmic gymnastics practice.

"I'm definitely happier (on the court), that's for sure." Foo said. "To be honest, I think I play even better now than I did before. Because I think if you're happy playing and you're enjoying what you're doing, you tend to do better because you're more relaxed."

Foo's continued growth was recognized by the Collegiate Squash Association coaches with the Richey Award. She became the second member of the Buff and Blue to claim the honor, joining 2017 graduate Breanne Flynn.

The win, edging out finalists from perennial powers Yale and Trinity, may have surprised Foo, but Good believed she'd be in the mix from the moment he nominated her.

"It was incredible, but it was incredibly well-deserved," Good said. "It was no accident that she put herself in a position to win an award like this. It was the result of a lot of hard work and a testament to her focus, grit and determination."

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