Jack O’Brien has been a key member of the squash team here at Fordham. He has been an important player, racking up two #3 slot wins last season and leading the team from the #1 slot this year. O’Brien is from Chicago, Illinois, and was also a member of his varsity basketball team in high school.
The Fordham Ram: What made you come to Fordham?
Jack O’Brien: I’m from downtown Chicago, so I’m a city kid. I looked at a few schools, a few different places, and found that I really wanted to be in an urban environment, and I ended up here. I got off Fordham Rd. and I loved it. I knew this is where I wanted to be.
TFR: Do you have a favorite place in the city?
JO: Yeah, I’ve been around a lot. I’d say I really like being in the Village; It’s a lot of fun. I also spend time on the Upper West Side a bunch. I have a few Fordham friends who have graduated that live there so it’s fun getting to hang out with them a bit.
TFR: How did you get into squash? How did that start?
JO: I was a tennis player growing up. I got recruited and played at a boarding school in New England. Athletes had to play a sport every sports season, so I showed up and I was a racket player so in the wintertime they said “You’re a tennis player, you’ll play squash now.” They handed me a racket and said, “Here you go, have fun.”
TFR: Do you have a favorite squash memory here at Fordham?
JO: It’s always really great for us to beat Vassar. We have some schools that we can compete with, and that school we’re right on par with; We’re always neck and neck in the standings with them. For some reason, we always beat them there, and most of the time they beat us here. It’d be really great to beat them this year at home.
TFR: What’s your favorite non squash-related Fordham memory?
JO: My favorite Fordham memory… I’d have to say spring weekend my freshman year. It was a lot of fun. I really liked MGMT.
TFR: What are your plans after graduation?
JO: I’m looking to go into finance. I’ve had a few interviews so far. I’m just hoping to be successful.
O’Brien first started playing squash at Roycemore Prep School in Chicago.
