A New Chapter for Wakefield Squash

By Zachary Mahevich '29

Published in: Country Zest & Style - Spring 2026, p. 21

Zack Mahevich is a freshman at Wakefield and a member of the varsity squash team.

 Wakefield School, a JK–12 independent school in The Plains, Virginia, began the 2026 squash season with a new partnership with Bee Squash, a high-performance training program based at The St. James School in Springfield. This collaboration allows Wakefield students to continue receiving professional coaching, with Henry Beach stepping in as head coach. 

Beach has been playing squash since childhood, reaching a top ranking of No. 7 in the junior division. Following his own successful junior squash career, he took an unconventional break from the sport to play bass guitar for the indie rock band Larkins.

He eventually returned to squash, rediscovering his passion for the game and developing a strong desire to help other young players succeed at the sport. Most recently, he competed in his first PSA Pro Match at the Bee Squash Expression Open.

Former Wakefield head coach Mark Broekman accepted a position as Assistant Coach at the University of Virginia after leading his 2025 team through a successful season and victory at the 2025 Division 6 National Finals in Philadelphia.

Following that championship run, the majority of the 2025 team graduated the following spring. Only two players, both sophomores, remained for the 2026 season, the new roster composed almost entirely of underclassmen. This year’s team advanced to the national tournament again, playing in Division 8 (two levels lower) and finished fifth.

Building a competitive squash team from a relatively inexperienced group was a major challenge, and Beach’s coaching and enthusiasm quickly earned the respect of all the players and drastically elevated each athlete’s level of play.

The two veteran sophomore players, Wyatt Wood and Nathan Torres, moved from being the youngest players near the bottom of the roster the prior year to this year’s No. 1 and No. 2 positions. Both took on roles as co-captains, demonstrating strong leadership and a deep interest in the improvement of every teammate.

“Coach Henry really filled the massive shoes of my old coach and built a team that had previously been filled with graduating seniors,” Wood said. “My expectations this year were low, but this team really surprised me with the chemistry and energy we had by the end of the season. I’m really excited for the future [of this] team and coach because I truly believe we will be the best team my school has seen.”

Wakefield students have the J.B. Rich Squash Center on campus and receive professional coaching during the squash season. This is a unique opportunity that has created many new squash enthusiasts each year.

Wakefield currently competes in both the Chase Interclub Varsity League (CIVL) and the Mid-Atlantic Squash Organization (MASO), alongside schools such as Woodberry Forest, the Potomac School, and Mercersburg Academy. All are much larger boarding schools that offer coached play throughout the academic year.

Wakefield’s smaller student body and relatively remote location have always created challenges for the team. However, the students’ love for the sport and fierce commitment beyond the season have kept it highly competitive and undeterred. Those challenges have also created an unbreakable sense of camaraderie and lasting friendships. With many years to come for this young team, they have great potential for more success.