INTRODUCTION: Passion and skill drive Ashley Davies on the squash court. He is a three-time All-American. Academically, the finance courses caught his eye when he compared them to athletics: fast-paced, competitive, and a great deal of social interaction.

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How young were you when you started to play squash?
I was 8 years old when I began playing squash at my local squash club in Chesterfield. Fortunately that club was just around the corner from my house and my parents were frequent members there at the gym/bar part of the club which was very convenient for me as I practiced probably twice a day from 10 years old right up until I came to the University of Rochester.
 
How did you become involved with it?
I first became involved with squash because I had completed all of my swimming badges up until that point at the local club (which was the same club where I learnt squash) at the age of 8.  My swimming coach was also the club's squash coach and he suggested that I should try it out as an alternative to swimming. With parents who had played squash weekly for a little while, the move made sense. I picked the game up quickly and enjoyed the thrill of playing with different people of all ages and I love winning! So I loved it and stuck with it.
 
Practically every match you played as a first-year put you against an All-American. How tough was that?
The matches first year were tough and it was not due to their All-American status, more due to the huge changes that I had to maneuver transitioning from playing professionally to being on a team and having to attend classes! All the players I have played at the top spot on the ladder are unbelievable athletes and players, so I try to take that respectful mindset into all my matches. The biggest difference between playing professional and college was the fact that my results now affected others and the team, not just myself! So I guess you could say there was a new sort of pressure I was having to play under which was a great learning experience.
 
In between your first-year and your sophomore season, what did you work on? You finished 18-0 as a sophomore and earned First Team All-America honors.
Sophomore season was a fantastic season for me. I had worked heavily over the summer break trying to work on my movement with Coach Heath to allow me better access in and out of the front corners. Also away from the court, I made a personal decision to change some things in my diet for the entire season and rest well on the weekends using my time to better prepare for the big upcoming matches. My sophomore year there was huge motivation because we had a team that could realistically challenge the very best teams for the Potter Cup so that was a very key part in my mindset that season. The belief we could go all the way really helped me to perform and lead the guys through what was my best season here at the UofR. (ED. Note – the Potter Cup is the top division of the national championships in college squash.)
 
There are a number of occasions when you will face an individual more than once in a season. Do you notice anything they do that is different the second time against you?
Of course. Guys know more and more about you each time they play you, especially when it's in the same season. However, it would still be the same thing: who can apply their tactic better on the day under the pressures of the match. It would be very common to see a guy put up a better performance the second time around as he has a little better idea of what to expect the second time around.

Conversely, do you change your style the second time you play someone?
I tend to try and set my plan out before the game by writing it down. The second time around there may be some minor adjustments to it based on the last match we played. But the key parts of my plan will stay the same as they tend to relate to my strengths and weaknesses and how I want to play, so I just tweak them to my opponent.
 
In between games, what are the types of things that you will talk with Coach Heath about?
These tend to be pretty situation orientated often we discuss the game plan and quickly discuss anything that is working well or not so well. It is only 90 seconds but if the advice is good it can make a big difference on a game. Martin is a fantastic coach and one of the best I have worked with. He has a great eye for what's going on in the game and these in-between games can get very heated if we disagree or I am losing a big game!
 
When you attended Brookfield Community School in Chesterfield, England, was there any international competition – either for you as an individual or for the school?
The school I was at was public and held no form of squash competition. However, I would travel both nationally and internationally every weekend for either training or various competitions before returning home late Sundays to get ready for the new school week! But I would often play 12-22 tournaments a year usually and almost all of them would require me to travel over an hour.
 
Since squash is such an international game, have you faced anyone in college whom you played against during your days at Brookfield?
Unfortunately not, but many of the number 1s from all the other schools tend to be international players I have played prior to college.
 
How can a fan tell you are playing well – besides looking up at the scoreboard for the status of the match?
I am a player that really "plays with my heart on my sleeve" so I am pretty sure you could see how well I am doing by the level of stress on my face haha.
 
When you are home, do you plan to work with any youth programs – coaching, counseling, working behind the scenes, etc.? What do you like about doing that?
When I return home I tend to help out with the Nick Matthew Academy (as a coach) which is based at my home club. Nick Matthew is a triple world champion and former world number 1 in the game and was my mentor for many years. So I thoroughly enjoy helping him with coaching and helping youngsters learn the game that has given me so much opportunity. I also help a couple of local junior players here in Rochester that compete on the national level which is awesome
 
What led you to the University of Rochester?
My choice to come to the UofR was made very simple as an older-aged applicant. I applied at age 22 and therefore all Ivy's were off the table as I looked to transfer to college in the US after being a student at the Sheffield Hallam University for six months. So all the good squash schools left available to me were Rochester, St Lawrence & Trinity College (CT). At that point the decision was very simple as UofR had the best coach, best academics and the best college campus (all my own opinion obviously).
 
Did you speak with any UR alumni before making the decision to come to UR?
I knew a few players who had come to the UofR and played on the team from a similar situation as me. Players like Neil Cordell 2016 Ryo Kobyashi 2017 and my teammate Endo Tomotaka 2018 who all said they thoroughly enjoyed their times here and their time with the team. I would not say that these inputs affected my decision but it definitely reinforced that I had made the right decision.
 
Why did you choose Business-Finance as your major?
I originally was unsure of what interested me on the academic front before arriving in Rochester. But due to the nature of the set up here in the UofR I was able to explore a few different classes in my first few semesters and finance classes took my eye. I also found a lot of parallels within the finance world with the professional sporting world: fast paced, competitive & lots of social interaction. Three things that I believe also helped draw me into finance as a career path. 
 
Have you worked with any campus groups tied to your studies?
I unfortunately have not had too much time free to engage with any other on campus groups other than being a representative for the squash team at VSAAC meetings. This is due to the nature of doing my degree in 3.5 years and being captain of the team has made my free time limited!