What can you write about a guy whose worst trait is that he is too nice a guy on the squash court? Grilling his competitors for some insights just hasn't worked--it would take the combined efforts of Kojak, Crocker and Stravos to dig up some dirt on squash captain Mark Panarese.

A senior in History, Panarese began playing squash as the top player on the freshman squad. The following year he started an ascent up the Harvard varsity ladder that has yet to stop.

As sixth man in his sophomore year he won eight of nine matches. In his junior year, Mark alternated between three and four while posting a respectable 6-3 record.

This year while playing between two and four he has split his first two matches. After losing a close one to a strong Western Ontario opponent, he blitzed his Army opponent in a 3-0 rout.

Panarese's squash career dates back to a seventh grade beginning at Milton Academy, where he also tried his hand at tennis, baseball and soccer. Milton squash was pretty informal and, since his arrival at Hemenway gym, Mark has improved his game tremendously.

X-Rated Player

"Much of Mark's improvement results from his transition to a more powerful, more adult game. He has the ability, all he needs is match play," squash coach Dave Fish explained last week.

If he has a weakness, it may be what Panarese has called a lack of mental toughness. He believes that if he hones his ability to concentrate when he is ahead, then he can really begin taking advantage of his improved strokes.

Although "Rese" takes his squash seriously, logging a couple of hours of practice a day, he never seems to lose his perspective. "Squash is like anything else--you want to do it well," Panarese commented yesterday. "But for me squash gains most of its importance from purely its enjoyment value," he added.

This level-headed approach to the game may be the key to Mark's success as this year's captain. Number-two player John Havens remarked, "Due to the perspective he keeps on his own squash game, Mark helps to keep a relaxed, but enthusiastic, atmosphere for the team."

Another junior racquetman, John Fishwick, cited a different reason for Panarese's success as captain. Fishwick said, "Mark can communicate well with both the team and Dave Fish and thus he can effectively perform the captain's liaison duties."

Coach Fish had further praise for Panarese. "He is not going to rant and rave. He plays squash because he enjoys it, and it shows," Fish said.

The list goes on and on: A fine squash player, a popular and effective captain, a good sport and a romper room do-be. (Well, three out of these four are well-documented.) Lest the reader worry that the canonization of another Saint Mark is imminent, Havens has graced us with the following story.

As Havens tells it, he, "Rese" and Scott Mead '77 had been eliminated from last spring's NCAA tournament in the early rounds. Sitting around that night, one of them--the culprit remains unidentified--had the clever idea to leave an early wake-up call for the Princeton coaches.

Yawn

After a brief discussion, the conspirators agreed that just one call would not be enough. It would be too easy for the tiger mentors to roll over and go back to sleep. They decided instead to leave both a 4 a.m. and a 5:30 a.m. wake-up call for the Princetonians, thereby insuring that they would be wide awake and ready for the day's important events.

As sources at the scene recall, the Princeton leadership seemed, well, just a bit irritable the next day.

NCAA hijinx aside, Panarese's talents for squash, and for keeping the team loose, brighten the prospects of an already outstanding team.

"A captain who sets the right tone for his team," said Coach Fish, "can make a huge difference."

With three tough January matches capped off by Princeton on February 4, the team will be able to use any difference that good leadership or a little bit of luck can make.

And have the senior captain out there plugging away won't exactly hurt.