The sport of squash may seem like an unlikely vehicle for transforming the lives of Pittsburgh youth, but it has proven to be a powerful one—just ask the folks at Steel City Squash (SCS).
The non-profit, which recently opened a $10 million sports and education complex in Larimer, provides free academic and athletic support to underserved youth in Pittsburgh, with squash as their hook for making an impact. SCS launched in 2015 as part of the Squash and Education Alliance, an international network of programs that help young people from low- and moderate-income areas excel academically and in life through the rules and principles of the game.
Since their founding, SCS has grown from serving eight students a year to helping more than 50 students (spanning 4th grade to college) annually across the Pittsburgh area. What’s even more impressive is that the organization reports a 100% graduation and college matriculation rate for those students.
“Squash is an opportunity that opens up so many doors and avenues of success for our participants,” said SCS Executive Director Brad Young. “Squash is so much more than just the sport to our students and their families. It means a safe place where students are challenged, encouraged, and supported. It is a tool for our participants to unlock opportunities that may have otherwise been reserved for others.”
As a sport that has historically been played at Ivy League universities, country clubs, and elite institutions, SCS also links students to a powerful community.
“There’s a network of squash players around the country who have gone to topflight universities and often want to give back,” said David Hillman, chair of the board for SCS. “We utilize that network for fundraising, volunteers, and career opportunities. I think it’s pretty impactful for kids who are from less privileged backgrounds to get involved with that.”
SCS attributes much of its success to its focus on continuity: the organization works to keep kids in the program over the entire course of their educational careers. Students come in two to three days a week after school. Half of the time they are on the squash courts, and the other half they are in the classroom where they get help with their homework and receive any mentoring or emotional support they may need.
“In fifth grade when I started at Steel City Squash, I had terrible grades. Now I’m getting As and Bs from Steel City Squash helping me with my homework and studying,” said Jonae, a student in the program.
With the new Larimer facility, SCS aims to help even more kids succeed.
The 20,000-square-foot Steel City Squash Center at the corner of Larimer Avenue and Joseph Street will allow the organization to expand their program to 150 students as well as create more opportunities for youth who don’t want to commit to year-round programming. SCS will also partner with local schools to provide physical education sessions for up to 200 students per week and offer a membership for 500 players who can access the courts during off-program times and serve as a base of volunteers for their students.
Steel City Squash’s journey to Larimer
Until now, SCS has been operating out of the University of Pittsburgh campus, making use of classrooms in Trees Hall and squash courts in the Fitzgerald Field House. However, in early 2016, they learned that those courts would eventually be demolished.
That set the organization on a quest to find a permanent home. After exploring several opportunities, they were introduced to Donna Jackson, president of the Larimer Consensus Group, and Betty Lane, a member of the organization and longtime community activist.
“It was Ms. Betty who selected the property for Steel City Squash,” Young remembered. “She rode around Larimer in my board member’s car and gave us an insider’s tour of the community. Ms. Betty told us the oral history of Larimer, and her love and hope for the community were palpable. At the end of the two-hour tour, we pulled up to the corner of Larimer Avenue and Joseph Street, and Ms. Betty said, ‘That’s where you are going to build your facility.’”
The lot was owned by the City and Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh. SCS was named the preferred buyer in August 2020.
Designed by GBBN Architects and constructed by PJ Dick, the Steel City Squash Center will be the largest of its kind between Philadelphia and Chicago. It will feature eight squash courts—including one hardball American doubles court and a glass-walled championship court—making it one of three facilities in the country with such advanced squash amenities. The complex will also have classrooms, a college and career center, and a flex space for yoga and mindfulness practices, among other things. SCS will begin programming soon, with their grand opening scheduled for September 7.
“This facility will put Pittsburgh on the map for squash competitions,” said Young. “Already in July we are hosting a national competition that will welcome 150 players from across the country. We will help bring new interest to an already vibrant community eager to develop further.”
Chatham’s varsity squash teams will also practice and compete at the new facility while coaching SCS players.
For the Larimer community, the complex means new economic growth and opportunity for residents.
“The chance to bring this to the Larimer community is very exciting,” said Jackson. “Opportunities are growing for Larimer, and this facility meets the needs outlined in our community plans.”
SCS has worked closely with the Larimer Consensus Group to develop their plans for the site and will partner with the many schools and community partners surrounding the facility, including the Urban Academy and Kingsley Association.
“Our desire to be deeply rooted and impactful in the community—beyond just what we are doing with the students—is a core part of our mission,” Hillman shared. “I think this is going to be a really big positive for the Larimer community as a whole, and we look forward to working with the Larimer Consensus Group and being a good community member.”
