Saints Squash: Diversity Leads to Success
The St. Lawrence men’s squash team’s diverse culture has been a driver of success in recent years. With current stars like Mohamed El Gawarhy ’20 stepping up their game, the SLU community is excited for this year’s season, as the last five years have ended with a Liberty League title. The team is made up of international stars who play a big role on and off the court. “We all come from different styles of play and backgrounds and we admire that,” Karim Ibrahim ’20 states. Diversity also allows for the players to learn about different cultures.
“The nice thing about international students is it brings us closer together, we get to learn about other cultures, languages and traditions,” Ibrahim adds. Gawarhy is an important component of the team. He has consistently been a top player. “Mo is truly an exceptional player,” Head Coach Owen Butler said. “To be able to put the ball away in one to two shots is incredible.” Teammates give him high praise and know how talented he is. “Mo is not only one of the best players in Egypt, but around the world,” Ibrahim added.
Gawarhy has missed most of the last two seasons due to injuries. “I’m really hungry this season, I want to improve everything, like my ranking,” Garawhy said. His teammates have been eager for his return to the team. “He has been working really hard, has a positive attitude, and we are all really happy to have him back after his injuries,” Ibrahim explained.This year’s team is full of diversity starting with their leadership. Lenard Puski ’19, George Willis ’19, and Karim Ibrahim ’20 are all from different places in the world; Hungary, England, and Egypt.
“To have that unique diversity and have these guys embrace it is pretty unique,” Coach Butler mentioned. Coach added that these players have been bringing the right attitudes to practice, and making sure that everyone on the team is on the same page. The men’s squash team has found a new culture in recent years that has attracted so many of these players to come to SLU. “An American exposure experience with an international culture,” Ibrahim said about finding SLU. Garawhy explained that the team creates its own culture, one that is built by the diverse group of players on the team.
The team has big goals and expectations for this season. “Our main goal is to retain our Liberty League Championship,” Ibrahim stated. “We have won that title five times in the last five years.” All players are locked in on the same goal. “We expect everyone to give 100%, show up and give their all,” Gawarhy added.