Most athletes find that by participating in a sport, they gain a family - a close circle of teammates and coaches, people to lean on and maybe a shoulder to dry their tears. But for squash-playing siblings Patrick and Breck Haynes and twins Edward and Megan Cerullo, the family came first.
The Hayneses may have inherited their squash skills from their father, who played squash in high school and college. But Patrick '07, sixth player for the men, and Breck '09, fifth on the women's squad, who were originally serious about tennis, did not start playing squash until their boarding school years at Phillips Exeter Academy. Patrick joined the squash team his sophomore year, while Breck began as a freshman.
The transition from tennis to squash was made easier by the fact that the siblings are "not at all" competitive with each other, according to Breck. They would drill together but would not compete against one another, instead choosing to play for fun.
The Cerullos, meanwhile, would agree that squash is a fun sport. But unlike the Haynes siblings, sophomores Edward, the men's third seed, and Megan, the top player for the women, are accustomed to competing against each other.
The Cerullos grew up in Brooklyn Heights, N.Y., two minutes away from a tennis and squash club, and at first, the siblings focused their energies on tennis. But when the twins were in fourth grade, they were introduced to squash - and everything changed.
"It was easier to be really good at squash than tennis," Megan said of the switch. "Because so many people play tennis."
The Cerullos took group lessons together, and "we were really competitive," Edward said.
According to Megan, the pair was especially competitive between the ages of 14 and 16. "We would get in fights at the end," she laughed. "We took it really seriously."
But the twins have not played against each other recently, having taken to rooting for each other instead. Since the women's team usually plays right before the men, Edward is able to arrive at the courts early to see Megan play, and Megan stays after her match is finished to watch her brother.
"I always try to watch his matches," she said. "I think he doesn't take my matches as seriously as I take his, but when he comes, he'll sometimes coach me in between games. He's very encouraging."
Likewise, the Haynes siblings watch most of each other's matches. Competing for the same school also makes it easier for their parents. "They like watching both of us play," Breck said.
But Patrick clarified, "They like watching me more. They told me so."
Whether or not Patrick actually is the favorite child, squash is a family tradition. Out of five Haynes siblings, four have competed in squash at the collegiate level. Crosby, the eldest, played for Dartmouth's women's team before graduating in 2004. Schuyler plays for Bates College's women's team and will graduate in 2007. The youngest sibling, Player, is currently a freshman at Phillips Exeter.
In fact, the Haynes family ties spread even deeper within the Brown squash teams, as Patrick's and Breck's cousin, Chester Hall '08, is currently a member of the men's team, and his sister, Letitia Hall '02 played for the women's team.
"It's a big family affair," Patrick said.
Big bro on campus
The Hayneses say having a sibling on campus is great. They were each recruited by Brown and saw the University as a good fit, appreciating the way in which Brown students balance academics with their social lives.
Despite the age difference the two spend plenty of time together. "We see each other a lot... enough... borderline too much," Patrick said.
For the Cerullos, their decisions to attend Brown came independently of one another. Edward had always liked the school, but Megan avoided considering Brown for that very reason. "I thought different schools would be good for us," she said. "That way, we could have separate experiences."
But Megan was attracted by Brown's open curriculum and the women's squash program, run by Head Coach Stuart leGassick. "I liked the coach and how the girls on the team took both their varsity and academic experiences seriously," she said.
Both Megan and Edward, who lived in France for a year and like to travel together, now live in Machado House. But unlike the Hayneses, the two see surprisingly little of each other. "He's always really busy," Megan said.
The two do, however, check up on each other. "It's nice to have someone you're really close with, someone who knows you intimately and will be there for you," Edward said.
Megan cited scheduling conflicts as the only negative aspect of having a sibling at the same school. For example, "Sometimes when we're going home, he wants to leave earlier," Megan said. "But that's just logistics."
The Hayneses and Cerullos share other loves besides squash. Breck horseback rides and skis, while Patrick plays all sports except basketball. Likewise, both Megan and Edward ski, snowboard, water-ski, golf and play soccer.
But squash remains their main passion. Edward has great respect for his sister's skills. "She is one of the most talented squash players," he said. "Ever."
At times, Edward even finds himself envying his sister's talent. "I don't have as much natural ability," he said. "It's always been frustrating. I have to spend a lot of time training physically and a lot of hours on the court, but she doesn't have to work as hard. I wish I had some of her talent."
However, both twins agree that Edward would probably win a match-up now. "I think I've got the upper hand," Edward said.
"Boys have a muscular advantage," Megan explained.
But at the end of the day, it does not matter who wins and who loses, which sibling has the advantage of natural talent and which has the advantage of power and size. Megan and Edward will never be ordinary rivals, just as squash for Breck and Patrick will never be just another sport.
As Patrick said, it's a family affair.
