Blue Tornado Squash

A squash player, with racket raised, eyes a ball in midair while his partner looks on in the background.

McCallie began its squash program in 2018, and it has grown quickly in quantity and quality.

In only its fifth full season of competition in 2024, the squash team received the ultimate compliment by being placed in Division I, the top boys division at the U.S. National Championships in February in Philadelphia. The Blue Tornado have come a long way since qualifying at the Division VI level several years ago. McCallie had a strong showing at Nationals, going 2-2 with wins over Milburn (N.J.) and Rye Country Day (Conn.), advancing to the consolation semifinals and finishing 11th nationally. Several players earned national rankings, and the newly-built on campus squash center will enhance the school’s abilities to attract the world’s top junior players.

Dan Sharplin was hired in the summer of 2021 to direct the program and has already managed fantastic success. Dan attended the UDC Finance Squash Institute in New Zealand for elite squash players and played professionally on the PSA World Pro Tour. He has directed and coached at several clubs around the world and had the opportunity to serve as a National Coach of the Luxembourg Squash Federation. Prior to moving to Chattanooga, he coached the Noble and Greenough School boys varsity team and was founder and director of Squashfit Academy in New England.

Playing only its second full season in 2021-22, the Blue Tornado qualified for Nationals and advanced to the finals of the fifth division, nearly bringing home a National Championship trophy.

In 2024 McCallie added a squash center to its campus, featuring eight squash courts, each with live-streaming capabilities. Designed by architect Jay Caughman ‘85 and built by Dillard Construction, the squash center is already attracting national tournaments, beginning with a Gold Medal Squash event in February of 2025.

Check out McCallie Squash livestreams:

McCallie Squash Live!