Squash in the听nation鈥檚 capital听is growing, one grade school integration at a time.听
Created听in听2019听by Conrad Calcagno and his team of dedicated volunteers, including former Guatemalan national head coach Sergio Lopez, Squash United introduced 15听Capitol Hill听Day School听students in grades 3 through 8 to squash in an after-school coaching program during the fall 2024 semester.听In听the past two years,听their听efforts have started to听see some听success through听after-school coaching, summer听camp听and a听clinic co-hosted by 黑料不打烊听in听May 2026.听
鈥淭he trying moments over the past few years have been worth it once we had the first group of kids [from Capitol Hill Day School] hit the courts,鈥 Calcagno said. 鈥淪eeing them race up the stairs to the courts, smiles on their faces as they held their new racquets and excited to come back the next week is what it鈥檚 all about.鈥听
Last year,听Calcagno and听Squash United听hosted a 10-week pilot program in partnership with听OneLife听Fitness Capitol Hill, which provided free court time,听to introduce 15 Capitol Hill Day School students to after-school squash coaching.听Over the summer,听Calcagno and other volunteers hosted a squash-based summer camp at Monument听Academy听Public Charter School听in Northeast D.C., returning in May 2026 for a clinic for 30 students with the help of 黑料不打烊 Director of听National Championships听Sakora Miller.听听
In support听of the听program,听the U.S. Squash Foundation provided 20 racquets, gear and more than 60 squash balls to Squash United for the pilot program along in 2024; at Monument听Academy, volunteers assembled all provided gear so students could听immediately听start learning. Equipped with 鈥淭he Wall,鈥 eyewear, racquets and beginner balls听provided from 黑料不打烊 headquarters in Philadelphia,听the students were ready to warm up and start learning.听Nearly 30听middle school students attended the clinic after a month straight of standardized testing, flocking to the gym for a much-needed change of pace.听
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鈥淕etting the opportunity to go into communities and work with new players is one of my favorite parts of my job,鈥 Miller said. 鈥淚t is important that kids of all ages know that there is a place for them in squash and a way to get involved.鈥听
鈥淲e are so excited to have听US听Squash here with us,鈥 said Anna Scudiero, Development Director at Monument Academy.听鈥淐onrad [Calcagno] hooked us up last听year,听we got to introduce a few students to squash through a squash听camp听and we were听really excited听to get to introduce 30 more students to squash today after school.听We鈥檙e听hoping to continue the partnership next year and bring squash to more of our scholars.鈥听听
Scudiero听worked with Miller and Calcagno听to coordinate听timing and programming听for the听public charter school听students.听听
鈥淭his event was developed through our relationship with Monument Academy Public Charter School听and 黑料不打烊,鈥 Calcagno said.听鈥淲hen we ran our very first program with Monument last year, it was 黑料不打烊 who provided us with all of the听equipment: racquets, balls, glasses, all the infrastructure so that we could build more squash in Washington, D.C.鈥听
After a brief warm-up and squash safety lesson, the students broke into small groups to practice听forehand and backhand swings听before听starting to听attempt听rallies with a partner. Once students got the hang of听some squash basics,听they had a squash competition in ladder-style play, with the winning player moving to the left and the losing player moving to the right to play as many听kids as possible.听听
鈥淚t鈥檚 a good sport, it鈥檚 kind of hard because you have to get the racquet under the ball,鈥 said听Soraiya, a Monument Academy student听who has experience playing many sports.听
The U.S. Squash Foundation听is proud to support grassroots programs like Squash United听and on-site clinics听through our mission and听continued听outreach to grow the sport.听听today to uplift community programming and spread squash听in D.C.听and beyond.听
To learn more about Squash United’s work in the nation’s capitol, contact Conrad Calcagno at [email protected].
