Princeton Squash Legend Betty Constable Passes Away
September 12, 2008 | General, Women's Squash
One of the legendary figures in both Princeton athletics and collegiate
squash history, Betty Constable, passed away this week. The first head
coach of Princeton women's squash, Constable led Princeton to 117 wins
and coached seven individual national champions. She also helped create
the women's team national championship, which Princeton has won each of
the last two years.
Constable, a member of the College Squash Association Hall of Fame, achieved a record of success that will probably never be equaled. In twenty seasons, her teams accumulated an overall dual-match record to 117-15 and an Ivy League mark of 73-11, and 10 of her teams finished their seasons with an undefeated record. From 1977 to 1983, Princeton strung together a 40-dual match winning streak, and her Tiger squads have claimed two Ivy League championships (1989 and 1991) since the league crowned its first women's champion in 1983. Additionally, Constable has coached 39 All-Ivy League selections and seven national individual champions.
"“Betty Constable was the key ingredient in our success," Amie Knox '77 has said about her former coach. "She was incredibly dedicated and had a great enthusiasm for the sport and for those who were just beginning it. She really took us and formed us into a team. The most rewarding aspect of my experience as a Princeton athlete was the incredible satisfaction from doing something well. There were a number of experiences which I'll never forget.”
The Howe Cup was named in honor of the leading family in women's squash, consisting of Mrs. William F. Howe Jr., and her twin daughters Peggy and Betty (Constable). Betty Howe Constable helped establish a separate collegiate division of this tournament in 1972. This version of the Howe Cup, which became the U.S Women's Intercollegiate Team Championship, was held annually at Yale University until the 2004-05 season when it began a rotation between schools with a facility large enough to host it. The 2004-05 season was hosted but Princeton University. Under her leadership, Princeton won the cup12 times in the 19 times that they competed for it.
While Constable enjoyed great success as a coach, she also achieved significant success as a player in her own right. She won the U.S. Women's Squash Racquets Association singles championship five times, and retired with an undefeated record. She then went on to capture four singles titles and three doubles titles in the senior division. She also represented the United States in six Wolfe-Noel Cup teams that competed against Great Britain. She also helped develop and organize the United States Intercollegiate Squash Racquets Association.
"We will dearly miss Betty and her everlasting love and loyalty for Princeton Squash," current head coach Gail Ramsay said. "She was an inspiration to her players a trailblazer for women in sport.”
During the 100 Years of Princeton Squash Celebration, the following tribute to Coach Constable was posted.
Dear Betty,
Where do I begin with all the great memories of Coach?! There I was, freshman winter, on the Dillon squash courts with Betty as my teacher learning a new game, squash. Of course at that time, all varsity coaches were required also to teach the masses -- how unbelievably lucky I was to have one of the all-time great squash players teach me the basic fundamentals. She seemed to think I had potential, and thus steered me to varsity try-outs the next year -- remember this was 1972, and she desperately needed bodies! Thus began my wonderful life-long love affair with squash, all thanks to Betty "discovering" me on the yellow tinged courts of Dillon.
But it wasn't all that easy: literally for hours, she put me on the left wall, where she fed me serve after serve after serve. For beginners, she explained, this was the hardest thing to learn: service return. For every ball I whiffed, she encouraged me and said it would be one mistake behind me -- for every error, I would gain a little knowledge and gradually learn to return the ball.
The riotous road trips with Betty were legendary. Before the days of GPS, we would circle around Cambridge and New Haven, trying to find the squash courts and our hapless opponents. While not the greatest navigator, Betty had the magic touch as a coach, and instilled in us a belief that we could win, no matter what our talent. Even the opposing team and their pitiable coach cowered when we showed up at the courts. But we were never cocky -- Betty would not allow that behavior. But, oh, how we did win!
My quick three years playing Princeton squash ended senior year in 1975, not only as captain, but with an undefeated season -- one of so many for Betty and her teams. I cherish my white letter sweater, as a gift from my greatest coach and my exceptionally talented teammates.
With great affection,
CeCe Turner Haydock '75
A memorial service will be held 2 p.m. on Sept. 28 at the Princeton University Chapel. There will be a reception to follow.