Squash is a global game, but in the U.S., it’s a sport primarily associated with white players. Squash courts tend to be located at private schools and members-only clubs.
“The elite, affluent communities … have access to squash, and unfortunately it hasn’t been a super accessible sport for most people,” said Meg Taylor, executive director of Capitol Squash. “I mean, it’s a prep school sport.”
Julissa Mota, who is Mexican-American, said the opportunities she has now would have been out of reach without squash. Her mother cleans offices.
When low-income city students get the chance to learn squash for free, it can open up a gateway into the exclusive world of boarding schools. Why? Those prep schools are often in the hunt for good squash talent to round out their teams, Taylor said.
When Paul Assaiante calls Capitol Squash “a transformative, life-altering program,” that is the sort of calculation he has in mind. Check out the full story
By Vanessa de la Torre, Connecticut Public Radio
