Kate Brendler named 2024 IAAM Squash Coach of the Year

By Nelson Coffin
nelson@iaamsports.com

Three for three.

Under Kate Brendler, Bryn Mawr has confirmed its reputation as the premier high school squash program in the Baltimore area by claiming the league’s first three championships.

She was amply rewarded by her coaching peers, who elected her as the 2024 IAAM Squash Coach of the Year, for maintaining that exalted position.

And while its true that the Mawrtians benefit from having experienced and talented players, someone — and in this case it’s Brendler — has to master all that goes into fostering a positive team culture that presents a unified front to opposing squads intent on knocking the champs off their pedestal.

So far, so good, especially this season when Bryn Mawr hit the ground running and never missed a step on the road to a 5-2 triumph over fierce rival Roland Park Country School in the league final to secure a three-peat.

Brendler’s squad put another feather in its cap nearly two weeks later when the third seeds topped Lower Merion (Pa.) by the same score in the Division III finals of the 2024 U.S. High School Championships in Philadelphia. The Mawrtians were runners-up last year in the finals.

Roland Park Country School secured the D-IV title in what the ussquash.org website  called a 5-2 “upset” triumph over Green Farms Academy (Conn.), prompting Brendler to say “our little league is doing great things in squash.”

While sharing Varsity Sports Network Tennis Coach of the Decade (four A Conference crowns from 2010-2019) honors with Bryn Mawr colleague Tilly Taborda-Almaguer, Brendler has learned well when — and how hard — to push her players towards their goals.

“Maximum effort is always expected in practice,” Brendler said. “But the drills and workouts can vary a lot. There are days when the tasks are more challenging and require more focus and determination than usual. There are other practices that have more fun built in, but are still good for practicing the physical and mental game.”

She added that to get the most out of her players, she always requires their full attention.

“With only one hour a day for practice, it is imperative that we don’t waste any time.”

This winter, Brendler made sure that there was no better time than now to secure Bryn Mawr’s squash reign for another year.