Athlete of the Issue: Griffin Dewey ’20

A confident leader and force to be reckoned with on the squash courts, Griffin Dewey ’20 is the embodiment of a Deerfield student-athlete.

Dewey has been playing squash since she was little. As a new sophomore, she joined the girls’ varsity squash team in the winter of 2017 and has been crucial to the team’s success ever since. Now, as a senior, Dewey has led the team through a very successful season alongside co-captain Isabella Rolfe ’21. The team’s 7-3 record is due in no small part to the outstanding performance of Rolfe and Dewey. The two grew up in the same town and have played alongside one another for almost ten years, and their close relationship has allowed them to effectively lead together. In speaking about their leadership dynamic, Rolfe said that she has “loved growing up with [Dewey] on and off the court.” 

In addition to many new athletes filling the shoes of the six graduated seniors, the team also gained another new addition, Head Coach Tyler Gardner. Although large changes to the group this year have presented a new dynamic for the team, Gardner says Dewey made his transition to the position seamless by being “willing to meet with me before the season to outline team values, culture, practices, and history.” This dedication to the Deerfield tradition has earned Dewey’s teammates and coach’s respect, and her “positive and hard-working attitude,” as described by Rolfe, has maintained the high standard of the Deerfield squash program.

Emma Kahle ’22, a new sophomore on the team this year, spoke to Dewey’s leadership qualities, saying “Griffin is an amazing captain and teammate. She was really welcoming to me as a new member of the team and always gives it her all at practices and matches. Grif is always smiling and bringing positive energy to the courts, and I’m so lucky to have her.”

Dewey has remained the face of Deerfield Squash both in and out of the DA uniform as she maintains a strong presence at countless tournaments outside the Valley. Balancing these recruiting tournaments and the team’s schedule is incredibly difficult. Commenting on this struggle, she said, “It’s always tough to miss class but ultimately the team comes first and I’ll only play in tournaments when it won’t impact the team negatively.” Dewey’s team-first attitude is just one of the many ways she has been able to contribute positively to the team’s dynamic.

With their season coming to a close, Dewey has high hopes for the team’s upcoming matches. She said, “I’m so excited for my last New Englands and Nationals with the team, and I really believe we can make it the best one yet. We have such a strong, amazing group of girls and I have so much confidence in how we’re going to end the season.” 

Dewey will be continuing her squash career at the University of Virginia next year. She is most looking forward to forming new friendships with other players on the UVA team. “I’m really excited to go to UVA because I like the team and I like playing for a team and am super excited to continue this in college,” she said. The Deerfield community cannot wait to see Dewey’s continued leadership and success at the collegiate level.