Find A Way - Arhan Chandra
Arhan Chandra is a freshman on the University of Virginia Men’s Squash Team originally from Sugarland, Texas.
Squash has always played a significant role in my life, bringing me so many good friendships and teaching me many things on and off the court. I started playing squash at 9 years old and instantly loved all aspects of the game. I enjoyed the brutal workout, the fierce competitiveness, and the people I met at tournaments and training.
I find squash to be so amazing due to how hard of a sport it is to try and perfect. I believe there is no possible way to be perfect in squash and that you can always find new ways to improve. You can do this by improving your shot quality, increasing your strength and endurance, or learning new skills. All these things keep me driven to keep training and be the best I can possibly be.
Playing competitive squash has taught me “how to find a way” when playing and in my everyday life. Because squash is so mentally and physically demanding, it has taught me how to try and win no matter the scenario or circumstance. Whether my body is so tired that day, I’m mentally not feeling it, or the referees are not good. I have to use every tactic and skill you have to try and find a way to win. I have taken this saying to everything I apply myself to in life.
Along with that, squash has brought me so much discipline over the years. Over the last 10 years I have trained for thousands of hours, competed in hundreds of tournaments, and studied the game a lot. I can not express how many times I have woken up and not wanted to go for my workout or come back from school and don't want to go do a solo session on court. Even though there have been so many times like this, I always look at the reason as to why I was going through it, which was to win my next event. Even if I didn't win the next event or did not achieve the goal I wanted, I could at least look back and say that I did everything I could to try and get there. This is also a thing I take into all aspects of my daily life. Squash has helped give me the ability to work in the times I'm not feeling it in order to try and achieve my goal.
Squash has also got me so close to so many great people from all around the world. From competing in world wide events I have got to compete against, talk to, then become friends with so many new people. Even though my friends and I compete against each other on court till the very end and will try to always beat the other person. In the end we come back together, and if anything, each time we play against each other it brings us closer together. These are friendships I definitely am glad to have and know I've made some friends for life.
Overall, squash has taught me many great mentalities which I have been able to apply to my everyday life. I don't know where I would be without squash being in my life all these years. I hope to continue to improve in college squash and climb the rankings on the professional circuit in the future.
