It's almost winter?

This year, Mercersburg Academy has taken a bold step by extending some of its traditional winter sports—basketball, squash, and wrestling—into the fall term. This allows athletes to begin training before their regular season starts, giving them a competitive edge. 

The school’s commitment to athletic success and student development drove the decision. Head of School Quentin McDowell explained, “Continuing to recruit at such a high level but also preparing kids for the college process and getting exposure, fall seemed like a natural place to add a season of training.” 

He added that this move aligns with the school’s philosophy of fostering well-rounded students. “I don’t want athletes here who go to school; I want students who also participate in athletics,” McDowell said.

Athletic Director Lauren Jacobs elaborated on the broader context of high school sports. “With high school athletics right now, we’re almost chasing specialization. We’re trying to chase and also maintain the landscape of athletics.” She emphasized that the decision was collaborative, adding, “I… had a big part in it, but I didn’t do it alone.” 

For Mercersburg's squash team, the fall training offers a chance to build early team chemistry. Dom Benacquista, the varsity head coach, described the impact of this additional preparation time. “From a team standpoint, it helps build chemistry between players,” Benacquista explained. He also detailed the team's goals for the fall: "Currently, in this training phase, the team is working on their attacking selection at the front of the court. The first phase of our training was getting control of the middle and back of the court, so now we are trying to fit all the pieces of the puzzle together." 

Players have appreciated the variety of benefits of off-season training. Ana Botello Gaytan ’25 stated, "Off-season training helps me rest and recover but also trains specific things that I lacked during the season.” Colin Jin ’25 added, "It is more individualized tournaments, which are good opportunities to practice in games before you play for Mercersburg in the winter." 

However, balancing academics with sports has posed challenges for some. Gaytan stated, “One of the biggest challenges is probably just keeping up with homework and tests because I have to miss classes for tournaments.”

On the basketball court, fall training has also been slightly different. Boys varsity head coach Sean Crocker said, “Practice is much more individually-oriented [with] a lot more focus on the individual athlete getting in better condition.” He also described one of the team's goals. “We are trying to get better and compete both against each other and against ourselves, trying to be better tomorrow than we were today.” 

Varsity player Josiah Wright ’25 explained how the fall practices are preparing him and his teammates for the winter season. “We’re pushing ourselves to a higher limit, so when it comes to games, we’ll be more prepared,” Wright said. He also mentioned the mental challenges of training without games. “A challenge I’ve found is patience and the mental side of it and waiting to play all together and get real games started,” he added.

For the wrestling team, the fall term has allowed for a greater focus on technique rather than conditioning. Amon Yamamoto ’26 shared how the extra training has benefited him. “Since the season is for people who are dedicated to this sport, we are able to develop our skills, style, and techniques. It is a lot more personal,” Yamamoto said, “Off-season has been a great time for me to develop my skills and bring my confidence back.”

Teammate Ethan Shirk ’27 agreed, stating, “There is no competition; it's more individual practice and work on us. It is all about honing our skills and preparing for the season.” Both wrestlers noted  the intensity of the training, with Yamamoto stating, “The intensity of the training has been challenging but rewarding. When you train harder, you get the most out of it."