Racing to the other side of the court, junior Fredrik Schreiber-Wacnik slices his racquet through the air, connecting with the ball to get the match-winning point.
Schreiber-Wacnik started playing squash four years ago when his friend introduced him to the sport. He plays for the boys varsity squash team and Boston’s Tennis and Racquet Club. Schreiber-Wacnik moved from playing on the bottom half of the ladder on the varsity squash team during his freshman year to playing number one for the team during his junior year. He plays aggressively and passionately, appreciating the focus on individual growth within the sport.
Schreiber-Wacnik played a lot of sports growing up, including soccer, baseball and tennis; however, squash has become his favorite sport and he hopes to progress enough to play at the college level. Schreiber-Wacnik said he enjoys the sport because he can see himself developing as a player.
“It’s a one-on-one sport, so you can just really beat your opponent and keep getting better than them and also have the mental grit to beat them,” Schreiber-Wacnik said.
Junior and squash player Michael Zhu said while Schreiber-Wacnik is a good team player and cheers on his teammates, he has a competitive side against opponents.
“He brings a lot of passion and vigor to the team in terms of how competitive he is for the game,” Zhu said.
Boys varsity squash coach Steve Lantos, who has coached Schreiber-Wacnik for the past three years, said he noticed how much work Schreiber-Wacnik has put into squash, both inside and outside of designated practice time.
“He has an aggressive tact and has always wanted to better his game and will oftentimes stay after practice to just hit,” Lantos said.
According to Zhu, Schreiber-Wacnik is dedicated to the game, and even when stress around midterms is high, Schreiber-Wacnik always shows up to play squash.
“He’s still going to practice and he’s still consistently being there and present within the practices,” Zhu said. “He’s focused and just something great for the team.”
Schreiber-Wacnik’s parents attend the squash games, whether near or far away, which Lantos said helps Schreiber-Wacnik succeed during his matches.
“It really makes a difference to Fredrik, and to all of the players, when they have their family and friends behind the glass cheering them on,” Lantos said. “It just gets in their head and it gives our players an edge.”
Schreiber-Wacnik said the sport has specifically taught him that focusing on his individual playing is crucial to furthering his skills; true progress will come from his putting in his own time and effort to progress.
“Your individual progress is not going to be stunted by your team’s support,” Schreiber-Wacnik said.
According to Lantos, Schreiber-Wacnik’s game is built on a drive to play offensively; he fights to win and will stay engaged in the match until the end.
“He gets everything,” Lantos said. “You can watch his game and count on him getting everything and staying in the rally such that he’ll force an error, which is just good squash for a high level.”
