Christopher Smith is in his fourthseason with the Harvard Squash coaching staff in 2010-11.
In his first year with the Crimson, Smith helped the Harvard men'ssquash to a fourth-place finish at the CSA National TeamChampionships, while the women's team placed fifth in thenation. At the end of the season, Colin West '10 grabbedAll-America honors on the men's side, while Alisha Mashruwala '11and June Tiong '10 earned All-America distinction on the women'steam.
In 2008-09, the Crimson women advanced to the nationalchampionship match at the CSA Team Championships, finishing second,and the men's squad placed fourth. Five women receivedAll-America accolades, including Nirasha Guruge '12, AlishaMashruwala '11, Emily Park '12, June Tiong '11 and Bethan Williams'11, while Colin West '10 earned his second straight All-Americanod for the men's squad.
During the 2009-10 season, the women's team won the CSA teamnational title and the Ivy League crown, going 12-0 on the season,while the men finished fifth. Colin West '10 won the men'sCSA individual crown, and earned All-America honors along withRichard Hill '11. On the women's side, Laura Gemmell '13captured the women's individual title. Gemmell, JohannaSnyder '10, June Tiong '11, Bethan Williams '11 and AlishaMashruwala '11 earned All-America honors.
Prior to comingto Harvard, Smith spent three years as the head coach of theNortheastern University men’s and women’s squash teams.Smith was the inaugural head coach for the Huskies and quicklyelevated the program to the top of the Chaffee Division as thenation’s 33rd-ranked program by his second year. In 2006-07,Northeastern climbed up to No. 23 in the national rankings on themen’s side.
Smith has served as the manager of the U.S. National Teams Programsince September, 2006 and provides support for coaches and playerswhile also spearheading the organization’s externalcommunications strategy. Smith served as the U.S. Junior NationalTeam head coach from 2004-2006 and coached the team to a 13th placefinished at the World Championships with victories over NewZealand, Ireland, Japan, Finland and Zimbabwe. He previously workedwith the team as an assistant coach from 2003-04.
He has earned numerous distinctions including the U.S. OlympicCommittee’s Developmental Coach of the Year honor in 2005while being named to the College Squash Association’sExecutive coaches Board that same year.
From 2003-2006 Smith also worked as the director of SquashBusters,a local after-school program and prep school placement program. Hehas served in a myriad of other coaching and mentoring rolesfollowing a six-year professional career in which he was ranked ashigh as 220th in the world.
Smith played collegiately at Hobart College, compiling anindividual four-year record of 63-19 and captaining the team as asenior in 1998. He graduated that year with a bachelor’sdegree in sociology.
Smith resides in nearby Medford, Mass.
