NEW HAVEN, Conn. - (AP) -- Every carom of Osuman Imoro's squash ball takes him closer to college.
It's no accident, either. Since he was in fifth grade, Imoro and dozens of other city students have learned and played squash with the express purpose of someday landing spots at the nation's best colleges.
That's how they bounce at Squash Haven.
"People always ask, 'Why squash?'" said Executive Director Julie Greenwood. "But I think squash is uniquely suited to what we're doing. The sport is played at elite institutions around the country, and playing it sends a very subtle message to these kids, that they belong here."
Now in its sixth year, Squash Haven works with 79 New Haven students who come to Yale University's sprawling Payne Whitney Gymnasium three times a week, year-round. The kids get academic tutoring in classrooms on the first floor, plus top-notch squash training on the fourth floor -- where Yale has 15 gleaming courts in the Brady Squash Center and provides a home for the United States Squash Hall of Fame.
The kids are not allowed to use the elevator, incidentally. It's not the Squash Haven way.
"It's pretty cool to think of these kids who started out not even knowing what this sport was, now playing it on a varsity level," said Christi Boscarino-Elligers, Squash Haven's academic director. "There are some kids for whom Squash Haven has been absolutely transformative."
Take Osuman, for instance. He's a 14-year-old freshman at Wilbur Cross High School. A refugee from Ghana, "Oosie" joined Squash Haven when he was a fifth-grader at East Rock Global Studies Magnet School.
He's now the best urban squash player in his age group in the country.
Up on the fourth floor, resting on a bench between matches, Osuman exuded a quiet confidence. "We get more done here than in any other program," he said, keeping one eye fixed on the game on a nearby court. "They motivate us to do well in school."
As for his future, Osuman is leaning toward Drexel University in Philadelphia. "They have a good science program," he said. "And good squash, too."
Squash Haven is part of the National Urban Squash Education Association, a network of independent, nonprofit programs in cities such as Boston, New York, Denver, San Diego, Detroit, Philadelphia, Chicago and Baltimore. The first program, Boston's SquashBusters, began in 1996, and the concept reached New Haven in the 2007-08 school year.
It has grown steadily ever since.
"I've been in it since they first started," said Joby Davis, a 15-year-old sophomore at Wilbur Cross. "We weren't really good at the sport then, but we kept going back out on the court. I like how fast and competitive it is."
Over the years, Joby has had to explain the rules of squash many times to his friends and acquaintances. "Oh yeah," he acknowledged. "But we have schools all over that have players now, so some kids know."
Here's something else Joby knows: he's planning to go to college, preferably at Franklin and Marshall or Drexel.
Alexandra Matamoros, a 15-year-old sophomore at Career High School, has her sights on either Columbia or Wesleyan universities, where she'd like to study criminal justice.
"My friends make jokes that I'm hitting a ball with fruit," Alexandra said, still out of breath from a match that ended just seconds earlier. She credited Squash Haven with focusing her on school. "I take it much more seriously now," she said.
Each year, Squash Haven holds open houses and visits city schools to introduce the program to local students and their families. Greenwood said they look for kids with an academic spark who have at least a modest amount of athletic ability.
"We're not looking for the Michael Jordan of squash," Greenwood said.
There are written applications and tryouts for Squash Haven. Once kids are accepted, they must attend at least 90 percent of the practices and classroom sessions. If a student gets more than one C in a grading period, he or she will get additional classroom time.
"We look for motivation and commitment," Greenwood said. "If you're in fifth grade, we're telling you you'll be with us until you go to college."
Greenwood, coach John DeWitt and the Squash Haven staff have nurtured at least 25 ranked players, plus dozens of others who likely will make squash a lifelong recreational sport.
Along the way, they've also worked on kids' writing skills, homework habits and SAT preparation.
"The athletic piece of this is the carrot, especially for the boys," said Boscarino-Elligers, a former New Haven schoolteacher. "Once they're in the door, we do all kinds of good stuff. It's an educator's dream."
Just then, the newbies -- this year's fifth-graders -- pile into the Brady Squash Center. They energetically grab racquets and await their court assignments. They've been playing only since November.
"It's excellent," said 11-year-old Jorge Barrios. "I never held a squash racquet before. It helps me with my academics."
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Be the first to rate:Click to rate
Source: http://www.newsday.com/news/region-state/new-haven-kids-see-college-chances-in-squash-game-1.4700705
taylor swift safe and sound delilah nevis 2012 sports illustrated swimsuit same day flower delivery valentines day cards hallmark
No comments:
Post a Comment