Squash player Colleen Fehm is an all-around athlete

Look up ‘versatile’ in the dictionary and you will find a picture of Colleen Fehm.

For the sophomore, squash is only one of her many talents.

In high school, Fehm balanced squash and pole vaulting, but had to choose between them when she got to college. While this might seem like a tough decision for a well-accomplished squash player and state-champion pole vaulter, Fehm’s mind was set.

In fact, Fehm didn’t even let her father’s legacy as a track and field team member at Princeton influence her decision.

“We actually did the same events,” she said. “[The] high jump, triple jump, pole vault and javelin — and technically I did just as good as he did. I’m just much more passionate about squash.”

Though more than happy with her decision, Fehm does miss her days of pole vaulting every now and then.

“I remember last year as it was becoming spring and we were still training for squash — that smell of spring I associate with getting out the mats and practicing pole vault again,” Fehm said.

Unfortunately for Fehm, spring is still a while away.

Nonetheless, the Philadelphia native and her teammates seem to be enjoying the wintertime as they participate in festive seasonal activities.

“We had a secret Santa dinner, back around Christmas,” Fehm said.

Since squash teams are typically small, it is not surprising that the girls have really gotten to know one another.

“There are only 16 of us, which is kind of big for a squash team,” Fehm said. “But we always hang out, we have team dinners the night before matches [and] we all of course know each other really well.”

Judging from Fehm’s endless smile while speaking about her teammates, it’s clear how close-knit this team is.

“We think of ourselves as a little family,” she said. “I love it. I actually don’t think I know what I would do with myself if I didn’t play squash.”

Fehm claims she would be lost without squash, which is rather hard to believe since she currently is a Biology major on the pre-med path.

“People always ask me how pre-med is going, and I say it’s going, I’m trying,” she said.

Even more impressively, she also plays squash in an adult league at the Germantown Country Club.

“I play in a league that usually consists of older men between the ages of 40 and 70,” Fehm said. “There are some women that play as well, but it is probably about 75 percent men.”

The league is called The Czar League, but previously went by the title of the Century League — the joke being that each pair of players’ ages typically adds up to 100.

Don’t be misled by the name, though. Fehm explained that professionals from different clubs also often compete in the league.

“You can actually get a lot out of it, you really do learn a lot, and I love doubles,” Fehm said. “In doubles it’s much more carefree. There is something different about it, you can laugh on the court, it’s much more social.”

Playing with these professionals is a great opportunity for Fehm, who thinks that the learning and improvement process is what makes squash unique.

“I think [that] what I like about squash is that you have to work at it,” Fehm said. “In some of the field events you can just come on to the event and do pretty well, but squash you have to train for years and years and years.”

Luckily for Fehm, being just a sophomore means she still has more than two years ahead of her. But she is not looking too far ahead just yet.

For now, Fehm is focused on her team’s upcoming match with Princeton on Wednesday.

“We are definitely all in that mindset that we can win,” Fehm said. “With the hard training we have been doing and with our coach definitely in that mindset, we are looking forward to it.”

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