Montana has opened its first regulation-size squash courts after a grassroots fundraising campaign raised more than $225,000 to bring the sport to Missoula.
The two courts are the first regulation-size squash courts in Montana. Organisers said the development will also create the largest outdoor squash facility in the United States.
The project was led by Missoula Community Squash and supported by local and national donors, as well as US Squash, the Squash and Education Alliance, National Squash League and Open Squash. Harrow Rackets and the Missoula Family YMCA also provided in-kind support.
The courts are part of the YMCA’s covered outdoor Airnasium on its Russell Street campus. The facility already provides space for pickleball and basketball and will remain free and open to the public during non-programmed hours.
US Squash chief executive Mollie Samaan said the project reflected efforts to expand the sport into new parts of the country.
“One of the most exciting trends in squash today is seeing the game take root in new geographies,” Samaan said.
“The partnership with the Missoula YMCA exemplifies that spirit, and thanks to innovations in court construction, opportunities like this are becoming increasingly achievable for communities that may never have considered squash before.”
She said US Squash hoped the facility would have an impact beyond Montana by helping introduce new generations of players to the sport.
Matt Baker-White of Missoula Community Squash said the project had put the city “on the national squash map”.
“We’ve built something truly world-class here, and we’re thrilled to share it with players from across the country,” Baker-White said.
“Most importantly, our group is excited to build a community of squash players of all ages and grow the game here in western Montana.”
The sport’s inclusion on the LA28 Olympics programme is expected to provide a further boost to participation and infrastructure, particularly in areas where squash has traditionally had little or no presence.
Missoula YMCA chief executive Heather Foster said the new courts would provide another entry point for people trying the sport for the first time.
“At the Y, we are often the first place people try something new,” Foster said. “It might be the first place a child learns to swim, plays basketball, kicks a soccer ball or, now, steps onto a squash court for the first time.”
The July launch will include professional player appearances and free clinics designed to introduce squash to the wider Missoula community.