Squash is showing its mettle in the US — to the tune of a new $10 million complex in Pittsburgh’s steel city.
Steel City Squash set about inaugurating the sport eight years ago to Pittsburgh’s nine to 11-year-old’s and has gone from strength to strength.
It followed as part of the Squash and Education Alliance, which is a global network of programmes entwining discipline and determination needed in squash to boost academic achievement.
The Steel City Squash project now helps children through 12th grade and according to the programme it has a 100 per cent graduation and college matriculation rate.
The new facility is set to open in early 2024 and will triple the student number through the Steel City Squash programme to 120.
Board members say the centre will be the largest squash facility between Philadelphia and Chicago.
“We wanted to provide world-class facilities to our students,” said Brad Young, the executive director of SCS.
The Larimer Education and Squash Complex will see eight squash courts, including a glass-wall show court. There will also be classrooms and a college and career centre.
Tellingly, the courts will also be open to the public and comes after three years of fundraising more than $9 million.