Imagine stepping onto the court of the Pan American games, knowing that you are about to face some of the top squash players in the Americas. Fighting for each point, and pushing the limit of your abilities. One of those fierce competitors is now one of the coaches of Masters Squash.
For the past two years, Marce Marqez has been head coach of Girls’ Varsity, Boys’ Varsity, and Co-ed Squash.Training some of the top players in the Squash Independent School League. Marquez has helped use her training and her experience as a competitive squash player to help her players harness their skills and learn to love the sport.
Marquez started playing squash at the age of 13, in her hometown, Aguascalientes, Mexico.
“ I first started playing squash just for fun because I would play with my friends, and we wanted to travel. Then I played my first national tournament, and I placed either third or fourth, then I started to get more into it.”
As she sharpened her skillset, she eventually started playing squash on a collegiate, competitive level at Hobart and William Smith Colleges from the 2019 season up through the 2023 season. “ I played in college for four years, and I played on national teams as well. So I’ve been pretty competitive for all of my life. Even in Mexico, I went to the Pan American Games, and represented my country there.”
Marquez is fairly new to Masters’ Community, but this year she has balanced becoming an Upper School Spanish teacher, as well as a coach.
“ One of my favorite things from coaching, and also teaching, is the community that we have here; All the support, the students, the players. It makes me feel like I belong here, and there is a lot of respect, love, and passion in the community.”
Freshman, Rio Imanishi has had Marquez as a coach for the past two years. “ I have known Marce since eighth grade. She is the type of coach and person that you want to be around. And I think that’s why I have gained so much confidence while playing this sport. I have been playing since I was in seventh grade, but I haven’t really thought about playing high school squash until she came around, and gave me the confidence to believe in myself.”
Imanishi continued, “ I think one of Marce’s most notable qualities is her kindness and the way she carries herself. She is someone that I look up to as a role model, and she teaches us to be better people on and off the court.”
Michele Dennis has been the assistant head coach of the Girls Varsity Squash Team for five years. She has seen the impact that Marquez has had on the girls when Marquez had become a coach. “And so with the girls in particular, what’s good is that she drives them hard, but also supports them well. In the past, we had outside people coming to coach, outside pros, and they were very good, but they were more individually focused. They weren’t necessarily good about building the team dynamic. So I think she’s building culture here amongst all three sports teams.” Said Dennis
Senior, Co-Captain, Anna Moscato has been playing squash throughout high school.
Well, one thing she [Marce] always says is to just start by trying to get one point. Because sometimes in squash, it can feel very daunting. The points can end very fast. So just trying to draw that rally and just focusing on one point at a time, rather than focusing on a whole game or even a whole match. So she has this saying that even if you know you’re gonna lose that, you’re gonna try and make the game as long as possible for the other person, and really challenge yourself and try and play the best. So when we face challenges like playing a team that’s a lot better than us, because there’s a lot of really good teams in your league, she makes sure to recite that.”
Marce said she hopes to use all of her squash experience, in order to help her players enjoy the sport, and possibly pursue it as well. “I see a lot of potential in the girls. If they become consistent with the sport and not just do it as a seasonal sport, I can see them play at different colleges.”
Marquez continued, “Mostly, I want them to give their best, even if we don’t get the result that we want. From my journey of travelling from Mexico to going to different international tournaments, I had to overcome a lot of challenges to become who I am right now, and also a lot of persistence. I always tell them that they need to be patient with themselves and with their game because it’s a long journey. If they want to improve their game they have to be patient. Right now, we are playing a lot of games that are hard. But they have been doing great, it is how they learn. I am proud of what they have done.”
