Athlete of the Week: Chris Olsen

By Patrick McGarvey

JULIA TIERNAN/YH

It's the bottom of the ninth and the score is tied. This is the stuff No Fear T-shirts are made of.

With the Yale-Princeton squash meet tied 4-4 on Sat., Feb. 6, Chris Olsen, SM '02, fell behind two games to none during the final match of the day. But the freshman standout overcame the large deficit to win, giving Yale its first win over the Tigers since 1993. The comeback proves that this unassuming freshman has maturity and ferociousness in his play that extends beyond his years.

Saturday's nailbiter was the icing on the cake for the rookie who has worked tirelessly to improve his court presence. "It was definitely the highlight of my athletic career," Olsen said. "It was great to see the whole team come together after the match."

By defeating the Tigers, the Bulldogs placed themselves in contention for the Ivy title. The team has not won the league championship since 1990. This year's impressive record is due in large part to Olsen and fellow freshman Peter Grote, DC '02.

"Both of these players are the type of players that you build a program around," coach David Talbott said. "Chris just refuses to lose." Olsen's hardened nerves will be tested again on Thurs., Feb. 18, when the Elis travel to arch rival Harvard to play for the title.

One would expect that a talented player like Olsen had grown up in a squash hotbed like New England or India. Guess again--Olson grew up in Cincinnati, where squash is not most kids' chosen sport. Chris's father picked up the game while enrolled in Yale Medical School and continued to play after he graduated. Olsen learned the sport and played at the local athletic club. At age 12, he began to enter tournaments. So began an illustrious career.

Although Olsen's squash career started early, post-graduation opportunities remain limited. "It would be nice to play for a year or two professionally, but that would take a lot of things going my way," Olsen said. Judging by his ability to rise to the occasion, Olsen may one day realize his dream.

Olsen has earned his older teammates' respect. "Unlike the majority of freshmen, Chris began to take on a leadership role and has inspired the rest of the team," Talbott said. And when the rookie speaks of the team's success, Olsen is sure to credit his teammates. "It takes five victories to win a meeting, and I can only contribute my part," he said. "Every individual player needs to play well for the team to win."

Now Olsen is trying to concentrate on next week's big match against Harvard. A victory would be a triumph for Olsen and Yale, signifying a return to dominance. The team has already laid the groundwork for a dynasty.

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