An audible sound reverberates across the squash court as the ball hits the ground, marking the end of Varun Fuloria (’24)’s match. Though defeated, he walks off the court with pride among his disappointment. He did everything he could have, and he continues to embrace future matches with optimism and confidence.

Early in his childhood, Varun played tennis and took a keen interest in wall ball. His mother suggested that he play squash, a sport that blends his interests in these two sports. In the sport of squash, players take turns hitting a ball against a wall with a racquet, aiming to bounce it twice before the opponent can return it. 

“I was reluctant to try it at first, because I really didn’t want to switch from tennis,” Varun said. “But I did. I knew immediately, this is a lot more fun.”

Throughout the years, he rose to the top ranks in the United States, and even reached rank 1 in the boys under 11 division. Varun’s experiences playing squash molded his work ethic into one of persistence and growth. From squash, he learned the importance of hard work and perseverance.

“Throughout my playing and training, it’s taught me that hard work always beats talent,” Varun said.”When you’re working on something, you’ve always got to persevere through the challenges because, in a squash match, no matter who you’re playing, it’s never going to be easy. You’ve always got to keep going and keep pushing.”

Close friend Alec Zhang (’24) attests to Varun’s unparalleled level of dedication, both inside and outside of the squash court. He shows persistence in pursuing his goals without easily giving up, regardless of the level of difficulty they demand.

“I think he’s very committed as a person,” Alec said. “When he sets out to do something, he usually doesn’t falter away from it.  He always puts his mind to it no matter what.”

Varun expresses his love for squash through his critical essays. He participated in New York Times’s Student STEM Writing Contest several times and won the contest in 2021. His enthusiasm for both squash and writing motivated him to write about the sport. Although he no longer participates in the contest, his interest in writing remains extant in the form of writing about squash. He worked on many projects for US Squash, the national squash organization, such as evaluating the squash rating system.

“I got the results of my research published in the Squash Magazine,” Varun said. “I also helped them out with coordinate scheduling, given that there’s a growing number of players on the West Coast. They’ve actually expanded tournament sizes on the West Coast in part due to my work.”

After close friend Ryan Zhang (’24) met Varun in lower school, the two formed a close connection from relating to each other through common experiences within similar environments. Ryan highlights the supportive nature of their friendship, noting the positive influence Varun has on him.

“We’ve both been in the Harker environment for a long time and we were both competitive athletes, so we deal with a lot of similar stuff as seniors,” Ryan said. “Whenever I’m with him, he’s able to take my mind off serious stuff.”

Other students in jazz band also look to Varun for the support he provides. Upper school jazz band teacher Jaco Wong experienced Varun’s growth throughout his high school years, especially in terms of his leadership. Not only does Varun mentor other young drummers in the Harker program, but he also helps his peers in the classroom.

“The beginning of last year I would in a rehearsal ask him questions, and he would know what’s going on, but he wouldn’t step up and try to tell everyone else ‘Hey, guys, this is how you fix it,’” Wong said. “Now, this year, he finally is at that stage of his leadership of willing to step in and let his teammates know how to fix problems.”

In the end, Varun remains a positive person, no matter how difficult the circumstances. His friends describe him as a welcoming and funny person who always brightens up their day. Varun credits his family for the positive attitude and demeanor he maintains everyday.

“I’m the youngest person in our family,” Varun said. “I have to be the happy one to keep everyone engaged when maybe they’re not having the best days. That’s my personality, and I try to bring it to school as well.”