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To play a team sport as an individual can sometimes be a difficult task to take on. Squash is a racquet sport that is played by one or two individuals. But as senior co-captain Michael Shrubb has found during his four years at Dartmouth, being on a team, playing an individual sport can be very rewarding. "Squash is a hard sport and it can be challenging to play as an individual for a team," Shrubb said. "But it's also rewarding because you have something bigger than yourself to play for."

Shrubb has taken his job this season as a co-captain seriously as the Big Green currently has two freshmen playing consistently for Dartmouth. "I wish I could mentor some of our freshmen but they're all so experienced," Shrubb said. "It's so different playing for a team and realizing that while squash is an individual sport you're also playing for a team and you have teammates there to back you up. So if there was one piece of advice I would give as a senior captain it would be that, you're not just playing for yourself, there's something else to play and train for. There's someone else counting on you."

To talk about how important it is to be part of a team is important for a guy who has been pretty independent for the last eight years. Shrubb came to the United States from his home island of Bermuda when he was 14. He chose to go to school in Connecticut at the Taft School and then continue his schooling at Dartmouth.

"I didn't enjoy going to school in Bermuda, I never felt challenged and wasn't doing so well in classes so the opportunity came for me to travel out to go to school. I decided on Taft because of the squash, "Shrubb explained. To come to New England from such a tropical climate may strike some as odd but Shrubb said it was just what he wanted.

"Once I heard about Taft and started exploring that option I knew that New England was where I wanted to go," Shrubb said. "I've not had a problem with the weather and I've loved the atmosphere and people I've encountered living here."

Those reasons were probably a big part of why Shrubb chose to continue his collegiate career in New England and why he chose Dartmouth. "I started thinking about what I really wanted in a college and I knew I wanted to keep playing squash and I thought I wanted to stay in New England because I'd had so many good experiences here," he explained. "Dartmouth seemed like the perfect size, perfect town. The squash team was so fun when I came to visit. My official visit was in the spring - the campus was so vibrant and it just spoke to me."

Shrubb joined the Dartmouth squash team in the fall of 2006. The team went 12-8, 2-4 in the Ivy League, with Shrubb getting the same record as the team, 12-8. His sophomore year the team improved slightly with a 13-6 overall record but still 2-3 in the Ancient Eight. Last season the team's record was 11-8, 1-5 Ivy. But with the injection of new life from head coach Hansi Wiens, Shrubb feels the team has a whole lot more to play for.

"Coach [John] Power was great and the team was always energetic and proud," Shrubb said. "But since Coach Wiens took over the programme this summer there's been a breath of fresh air. "Everyone was so pumped to get back to school and experience a new way of being coached. Hansi brings an entirely new way of doing things because of his numerous experiences overseas and it's been fun as a senior to have that.

"We're training really hard and I'm enjoying playing squash and I think I'm finally playing some of the best squash I've played since I've been here at Dartmouth."

Shrubb a surprise

"Michael really surprised me this year," Wiens said. "He's a big supporter of our programme and his open-mindedness and positive thinking have been a real influence on the team. "Michael's been a great captain because he's a good listener and he's talented. Sometimes you don't find that combination in someone who's good at what they do," Wiens explained. "He's worked really hard this year and he's actually changed parts of his game. I think he was so used to playing one way and I've been able to show him that he can get better and there are things he can work on and he's done that and has gotten so much better."

Shrubb and the Big Green are currently off to a 3-1 start to the 2009-10 season as the team heads off on its training trip in San Diego over the winter break. Wiens explains how Shrubb was a big part on making sure the training trip was a success. "He fought to make sure everything was equal between the men's and women's teams. He wanted us to enjoy this trip as one big team, together."

Shrubb is used to being involved and getting things done as the senior is currently the president of his fraternity, Alpha Delta. "As the president of AD, I've had a lot on my plate this year but I've loved the frat and the greek system, I've had a lot of fun being involved with it."

Shrubb also did an internship over the summer with the Tucker Foundation. "I don't know if those experiences have made me more well-rounded, I think it just added to my Dartmouth experience you might say. I don't think you can go through school here and only do one or two things. You're going to find you enjoy all sorts of things, mixing with other students, being involved with so many things. There is so much to do here at Dartmouth and I think that's what's made me a better person."

Shrubb has learned the importance of team work, not only with the Big Green squash programme but on a much broader scale and that will make him an invaluable person to go into the world.

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