90 Seconds With Andrew Douglas

Screen Shot 2016-05-12 at 3.45.48 PM

Squash Magazine: Where does your first national squash title rank among your sporting achievements?
Andrew Douglas: Winning nationals was definitely my proudest moment in sport. It felt like the result of a lot of hard work, not just by me, but everyone around me..

SM: How did it feel to achieve Packer Collegiate’s best Boys D1 finish with a coed team?
AD:
It was huge for all of us. We all take pride that we did something nobody else had the courage to do. It’s always a great time to go and compete with your best friends, but doing well made it even better. Being the only team with girls, people don’t often take us seriously so we enjoy proving these people wrong.

SM: What did you learn from competing in two British Junior Opens?
AD:
The trip showed me how focused and disciplined you need to be if you want any shot of competing against those top guys. It also gave me a taste of Team USA squash and the sense of unity that left me wanting more.

SM: What are you looking forward to most at the World Junior Championships?
AD:
World Juniors is something I have been looking forward to for a long time. In terms of goals, I think everyone is really looking forward to the team event, I know we all are going to train hard do the best that we can possibly do.

SM: What was it like to play Julian Illingworth in the S.L. Green?
AD: I hit with Julian a bit when he was in NYC, but to play a real match with him was totally different. I have watched him for so long, but I never really realized how talented he is in the front of the court. He knows the ins and outs of the game so well that I learned a lot from that match.

SM: Who have been major influences on your squash game?
AD:
Liam Kenney and Ahmed Hamza really helped me out when I was struggling. Eric Christiansen taught me to love the game. My biggest influence has to be my current coach Laurent Elriani; I have him to thank for all the things I have achieved so far. He pushes me to my limits all the time. For example right before nationals I got really sick, couldn’t even get out of bed and the day that I got back Laurent texted me. He told me to come to the club and bring crutches to get home after our hour-plus long ghosting session.

SM: Is there a squash player you try to model your game after?
AD: I wouldn’t say that there is one specific player that I model my game after but I really look up to Mathieu Castagnet. I absolutely love his attitude and fighting spirit on court.

SM: Have you thought about playing squash professionally?
AD: I actually have thought about playing pro a lot recently. As of now playing pro is something I really want to do after college. I think that there are some great Americans on tour now to look up to and US Squash provides great support now.

SM: What’s your pump up music?
AD: “If I can’t” by 50 Cent is a must before all matches and “Till I Collapse” by Eminem is a classic.

SM: Favorite movie of all time?
AD: Shawshank Redemption