The Arlen Specter US Squash Center brought squash to local West Philadelphia schools this week with pop up squash walls set up for students to try the sport during their recess breaks.
The squash expos employed a net wall for kids to hit balls against at their school’s playground. The expos were set up at the Science Leadership Academy Middle School (SLAM) and Samuel Powel School, both located a few blocks away from the Specter Center in West Philadelphia.
The goal of the initiative was to increase awareness of the sport before hundreds of students visit the Specter Center, November 7-12, to step on a squash court for the first time and sign up to play on one of the newly established public school squash teams. The school teams will begin practice at the Specter Center the week of November 15 as they start the inaugural season of the country’s first urban public school squash league in partnership with the Philadelphia School District.
“It was fun to see some familiar faces at SLAM with the first group of kids to take part in our squash mini course, and to see them introduce their friends to the sport,” said Chris Sachvie, Specter Center Director of Squash. “We hope this piqued their interest so that when they visit the Specter Center next week they’ll want to experience a real squash court and join their school team for the upcoming season.”
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