Urban Squash Toronto marked the conclusion of it’s 7th and most historic season by celebrating the program’s first ever graduating class on June 26th at Downsview Park. In 2010, a team of ambitious and passionate squash enthusiasts led by Chairman Clive Caldwell and current Executive Director Don Givelos had the vision and determination to launch a transformative initiative that exposes over 80 under-served youth from the Jane and Finch corridor to our great sport. Seven days a week, volunteers and staff open the doors of UST’s Downsview Park facility to provide academic tutoring, mentoring, squash training and a home away from home for dozens of aspiring young student athletes.
Congratulations to UST’s inaugural graduating class of Husam Shallo, Rashanti Miller, Taquoi Williams, Javian Halladeen, Anojah Nithiyanathan, and Zachary Carreiro who began as bright eyed Grade 8’s that thought squash was a vegetable and now head into the world as leaders of their community and valued members of the Squash Ontario family.
To mark the occasion, Squash Ontario has launched a fund of $5,000 to support programs like UST and others throughout the province that bring our incredible sport to communities in need and that go above and beyond to change the lives of young people, exposing them to the benefits of academics and sport.
For more information on UST’s 2018 graduating class and the first Squash and Education program in Canada that is truly doing amazing things for our community, please visit www.urbansquashtoronto.org .