Groton Girls Squash Standout Wins National Award

Katherine Sapinski ’21 has received the 2021 DeRoy Junior Sportsmanship Award, given by U.S. Squash to only one girl and one boy in the nation each year.

The winners are high school seniors who, according to U.S. Squash, “display exemplary on- and off-court behavior while competing at a high level of squash.”

Katherine, co-captain of Groton’s girls varsity squash team, competes at a high level indeed. She is ranked number 8 in the U.S. for U19 (and has ranked as high as 7). According to Groton squash coach Mike Tootill, Katherine spearheaded the team’s 2020 Division 3 win at the U.S. High School Team Championships.

During that entire season, Katherine lost only one match. Due to the pandemic, she unfortunately had no interscholastic competition this year, but she plans to play at Princeton University next year.

“Her determination and inner strength to be the best she can be is very admirable," said Coach Tootill. "It is not easy chasing a little ball around, in an enclosed box, getting in each other's space, and, all the while being graceful and respectful while you are pushing yourself to your limit physically and mentally. Groton squash and I are very proud of her.”

Katherine said she is honored. “Showing my opponent the utmost respect by always giving 100 percent effort in every single point has been a top priority of mine throughout my squash career,” she said. “I'm so very happy, and humbled, to be accepting the 2021 DeRoy Junior Sportsmanship Award.”

Coach Tootill said that Groton School has had one previous winner of the DeRoy Junior Sportsmanship Award, Alia Aziz ’06.