The Fairy-Tale Ending

It has been a fairy-tale ending.

When senior Jeremy Fraiberg began his Harvard squash career, a slew of injuries prevented him for two years from competing at his peak.

But the Canadian surmounted all obstacles to stake his claim as the top collegiate squash player in the nation.

He picked up the national individual title this March, after leading the team to its second straight national crown.

"After those years of frustration, I felt that I had to prove myself," Fraiberg says. "I got a lot of support from my coaches, my family and my roommates, but I finally made it."

Through all the setbacks, Fraiberg's talent has never been in doubt. He began playing at age nine, and won his first tournament when he was 11.

Continued success in the tournaments was followed by long hours practicing. Squash, quite naturally, became a central part of Fraiberg's life.

"I really enjoyed squash," Fraiberg says, "but I think you tend to do what you are good at. I did very well with squash, and got a lot of attention, so I kept working harder."

By the time Fraiberg was recruited to Harvard, he had an impressive list of credits to his name, including the Canadian and American junior national titles.

Fraiberg arrived at Harvard with high expectations, ready to continue his winning ways.

"I had huge dreams back then," Fraiberg says. "Harvard had just graduated a bunch of seniors. I thought I would just walk in and take their place, win the nationals for myself and help Harvard to the title."

But Fraiberg was denied that glory, not by an opponent, but by recurring injuries.

First, a sprained ankle. Then chicken pox. Both just as Fraiberg began his first year.

But there was more.

Torn ligaments, pulled muscles and other assorted ailments kept Fraiberg form competing well for two years.

"I was playing tournaments I had won before," Fraiberg says, "and I wasn't doing well. It was a real litmus test. The problems by then were both mental and physical.

"I came in here freshman year expecting to win it all. I'm not saying now that I would have done it, but I didn't get the chance to try. I was beginning to wonder how much I really liked squash, and if I wanted to continue with it," Fraiberg continues.

The recovery process was slow and difficult. The Winthrop-resident ended his sophomore year alternating between the top two spots of the Harvard squad, but was not fit enough to compete on the national level.

The turning point, according to Fraiberg, came in a match against Yale in the fall of his junior year.

Having recuperated from most of his injuries by that point, he had captured the number one spot on the squad and felt he was playing as close to the top of his game as he ever had.

"I was absolutely walloped in that match," Fraiberg says. "After the game, my coach sat me down and told me that I was a good player, but basically had not contributed for two years.

"He warned me that there were some up-and-coming youngsters, and that I might want to reconsider how much I wanted to do with squash," Fraiberg continues.

The philosophy concentrator chose to stay with squash, and stepped up his practice schedule. He remained injury-free for the remainder of the year, and ended the season ranked second in the nation.

"I thought about how hard I was willing to work," Fraiberg says. "But when you're good at a sport, it becomes so much a part of your identity. Quitting squash would have been like losing my arm."

Senior year was a rebuilding period. In addition to writing a philosophy thesis, the Academic All-Ivy honoree slowly but surely reaffirmed his position atop the amateur squash league.

Fraiberg's principal challenger was Harvard's own Adrian Ezra.

The sophomore and Fraiberg played each other four times in tournaments through the year, with Ezra leading the series, 3-1.

The final test came in early March, at the Intercollegiate Squash Association individual championships. In the finals, Fraiberg met Ezra, who had defeated him in straight sets for the national title the year before.

Overcoming severe cramps along the way, Fraiberg pulled out a grueling five game victory. At the end of four years at Harvard, Fraiberg had come full circle--back to the top of the squash world.

"I always knew that if I could play at my full capacity, I could win," Fraiberg says. "Injury is such a lonely time--people can sympathize, but you have to get better on your own. It was tough, but I made it through."