The American college squash community has been rocked by the sudden death of legendary Yale coach and Hall of Fame honoree Dave Talbott from an apparent heart attack just days after the passing of his wife Ann.
The 71-year-old was head coach of the Yale team for 38 years and was an inductuee into the College Squash Association Hall of Fame. Dave and Ann, who were married for 40 years, were lifelong servants to one of the oldest and most successful collegiate programme in the US. He had only stepped down from the head coach role in late 2020.
Talbott led Yale to six national titles and coached and mentored numerous outstanding players, including former world no.24 Julian Illingworth and England’s Millie Tomlinson. He presided over the 15 courts at Yale’s Payne Whitney Gymnasium with great passion and good humour.
The College Squash Association said: “Dave’s love of squash and the people involved in it was palpable. Although he was fiercely competitive – Dave was a former professional player and reached a career-high of 12th in North America – he never lost sight of the fact that squash was, at its core, a game meant to be enjoyed.
“He relished the opportunity to have fun playing it, teaching it, and coaching it. Dave had an innate ability to lighten the mood, offering a joke and a warm smile, even in the most intense matches, and was known for goofing around with his equally fun-loving brother, Mark Talbott, with whom he coached alongside at Yale for many years.”
Talbott served as Secretary and pro tour coordinator for the World Professional Squash Association (SPSA) while he played on the circuit in the 1980s. He was later president of the Intercollegiate Association from 2003 to 2004.
In 2019, he was inducted into the College Squash Association Hall of Fame. Even in retirement, he generously volunteered his time to the development of the game, including his role as President of urban squash programme Squash Haven.