By Kirsten Carlson
| |
| 
Amy Milanek (R) captured the Women's 40+ crown the last two years, this year over Zerline Goodman. Photo by dalewalkerphoto.com. |
What happens to a budding WISPA star after she retires? Does she slow down for a bit? Take some time away? Finally indulge in some double fudge cookies? Not quite. For Amy Milanek, former World No. 28, life since leaving the WISPA tour in 1998 has been anything but slow.
Milanek left the WISPA tour after getting pregnant. She had the first of her three children in 1998. Her kids, now ages seven, six and four keep her running more than she ever did on a squash court. Her two boys, the oldest and the youngest, both like squash, while her daughter, Cassie (named after former World No. 1 Cassie Jackman, now Cassie Thompson) is leaning more toward soccer.
“They play basketball and soccer and baseball and T-ball. It keeps me focused on my time,” she said. “I definitely organize my time better when I have a lot of things going on.”
Not that Milanek has left squash behind. She still plays in the US, winning the 40+ at Nationals the last two years and finishing as runner up in the 35+ three years ago. For the last six years she has worked as an assistant pro at Berwyn Squash and Fitness Club, a time period that has seen female teaching pros become more common.
“A lot of clubs are starting to bring them in because some kids like the female role models, athletic role models,” she said. “I think you find them a lot more now.”
Milanek’s balancing act between teaching, playing and her family requires lots of planning on her part.
“I play the Howe Cup and I play national events, and then I play doubles. It is kind of hard so I really have to be careful and pick and choose my tournaments. I go to maybe one other tournament with some of the gals I coach at Berwyn.”
Also on Milanek’s schedule is keeping in touch with her friends from the Tour, including an upcoming trip to Spain to visit a WISPA friend. After several years off the tour, Milanek still gets excited when talking about it.
“I absolutely loved it. I wouldn’t have stopped playing actually. I had just made the US team that was going to Germany for Worlds, and I got pregnant. Otherwise I would have kept playing. It was amazing—traveling all over the world, meeting new people.” |
| |
|
