Saying Goodbye to a Coaching Legend

It was February 22, 1989, and the Harvard men's squash team had just defeated previously-undefeated Yale, 6-3, to earn a share of the Ivy League title.

During the team meeting, Harvard Coach Dave Fish displayed a lot of composure after one of the greatest wins in Harvard squash history. He communicated to his players how proud he was of them.

After the squad left the room, only Fish, Assistant Coach Jon Anz, the legendary Harvard Coach Jack Barnaby, and one enigmatic Crimson reporter were left in the room.

Fish suddenly thrust his fist up in the air and shouted, "Yeah. What a match."

He spent the next five minutes talking about the win.

So much for composure.

The victory was Fish's last match as coach of the Harvard men's squash program. He isn't exactly leaving the program out in the cold. Fish will do everything that he did before but travel with the team. Meet Harvard's new associate squash coach, Dave Fish.

"The team did an unbelievable job," Fish said after the Yale match. "I was flattered that they put all of their energy into that match. It was like, 'Let's win one for the coach.' It's an exciting time that I won't forget."

Fish has always been popular and respected by his players and opposing teams. He has a perfect image. He doesn't drink, smoke or hit a lousy backhand. He has an excellent sense of humor.

But Fish wasn't joking around when he announced in mid-January that he was stepping down as the squash team's head coach. He simply couldn't continue committing his time to both the Harvard men's squash and men's tennis programs.

"It was really difficult," Fish said. "I love both sports. I finally realized that I couldn't do both and I went back and forth [between the two] for years. I heard rumors for years that I was going to leave one or the other."

Fish won't be missed by opposing coaches, but the squash world is losing one of its greatest minds. And reporters will miss his sense of humor, his candor and his accessibility.

"I've had a lot of thrills with the squash program," Fish says. "It's not without a mixture of regret, but it's not like I'm not going to be there."

One of the main reasons for his decision to step down was the excessive traveling schedule, which kept him from his family, his wife, June, and his two kids, Alex and Ashley.

"Alex told me that he's excited that he's going to see me more," Fish admits. "But he also told me that he liked boasting to his friends that his dad was the coach of the [Harvard] men's tennis and squash teams."

Besides coaching the teams during the week, his weekends were taken by traveling with the squash team in the fall and the tennis team during the spring.

"Traveling played a big part in my decision," Fish says. "I wanted to se more of my life and my children. I love coaching and I love my family. I didn't want to lose one or the other. Your children only grow up once."

Fish's decision may have been easier since his squash teams have accomplished everything that other coaches can only dream about. His next challenge: reestablish the tennis team as an eastern powerhouse.

When he took over the squash program 13 years ago, Fish was replacing one of the greatest coaches ever in Barnaby.

"I found that taking over after Jack Barnaby, virtually every letter I got said something like, 'Good luck in filling the biggest shoes around,'" Fish told The Crimson in 1976 after taking over the program. "So I replied that I have only one place to go, and that's down. And sure enough...."

He was wrong.

Fish has an amazing record. During his 13 years as the squash coach, he has compiled a 124-9 record, suffering only one non-Ivy loss during his tenure. In 1976, the Crimson lost to Western Ontario, 5-4.

Fish's squads have won seven national championships, eight Ivy titles, seven six-man titles and three five-man championships. The seven other current Ivy League coaches have combined for five Ivy and national titles.

"Fish taught me everything I know," Harvard Co-Captain Frank Huerta said. "Last year I didn't know how to hit a three-wall. But this year, he took me aside and taught me how to hit one. Now I've been acussed of using a three-wall excessively. He's the master technician of the game."

The Early Years

His first years as coach were successful, but they weren't up to Harvard squash standards. During his first three seasons, he led his teams to a combined 24-5 record.

But the title went to Princeton each of those three seasons. It wasn't until 1980 that Fish won his first national championship.

"I loved it," Fish says, referring to his 13 years as head coach. "I think we really did get the program back to the standard that Jack Barnaby and Harry Cowles [Harvard's coach from 1922-37] established."

"Fishy always taught us about the art of the kill," Huerta said. "He told us that when we're on the court, we should act like surgeons using razors and nick our opponent to death."

"I think his plan should be updated or revised," Huerta said. "Based on my own emperical observations, you have to use a chainsaw. You should go for the big kill."

"He's done an excellent job," Harvard Co-Captain Doug Lifford said. "There's no doubt that he's the best coach in college squash."

"How can I talk about the true master of masters without falling short in one way or another," sophomore George Polsky said. "He has redefined our concept of what a true renaissance man should be. He is the Houdini/Handel man of the squash world. One time, I believe, in the early '70s, he took a team comprised of three football players, two basketball players and four dancers--all of whom have never touched a squash racquet before--all the way to a national championship. In a nutshell, Dave, 'How the heck do you do it?'"

In a nutshell...There have been many good squash coaches over the years, but only a couple of great ones. Fish is one of the great ones.