Emanuel Community Center

THE CINCINNATI SQUASH ACADEMY IS A SPORTS AND EDUCATION NONPROFIT THAT SEEKS TO CREATE A TRANSFORMATIVE IMPACT ON A SELECT GROUP OF MOTIVATED, UNDERSERVED YOUTH IN THE COMMUNITY. SQUASH IS THE HOOK, YET EDUCATION IS THE HEART OF THE PROGRAM.THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO GUIDE STUDENT-ATHLETES ON THE PATHWAY TO POST-SECONDARY SUCCESS AND BEYOND SUCH THAT THEY CAN LIVE INDEPENDENT, CHOICE-FILLED LIVES.WE RECRUIT STUDENTS AT PARTNER SCHOOLS AND PROVIDE FREE, YEAR-ROUND ACADEMIC SUPPORT, SQUASH COACHING AND GUIDANCE TO OUR SCHOLARS.

THE EMMANUEL COMMUNITY CENTER RUNS THE CINCINNATI SQUASH ACADEMY (CSA), AN URBAN SQUASH PROGRAM SERVING APPROXIMATELY 50 STUDENTS. THE MISSION OF THE PROGRAM IS TO CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY OF DISADVANTAGED YOUTH IN THE GREATER CINCINNATI AREA BY HELPING THEM REACH THEIR ACADEMIC AND ATHLETIC POTENTIAL. THE MAJORITY OF STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATE IN PROGRAMMING ATTEND SCHOOLS LOCATED CLOSE TO THE OVER-THE-RHINE FACILITY. CSA IS A MEMBER OF THE SQUASH & EDUCATION ALLIANCE, WHICH OVERSEES 20+ SIMILAR PROGRAMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. URBAN SQUASH IS A NATIONALLY-TESTED YOUTH DEVELOPMENT MODEL THAT PROVIDES INTENSIVE YEAR-ROUND PROGRAMMING. IT ENGAGES STUDENTS FROM FOURTH GRADE THROUGH COLLEGE AND BEYOND. THE CINCINNATI SQUASH ACADEMY STRIVES TO HAVE A TRANSFORMATIVE IMPACT ON ITS PARTICIPANTS.EACH STUDENT IS EXPECTED TO ATTEND PROGRAMMING THREE DAYS PER WEEK WHERE HE/SHE RECEIVES ACADEMIC TUTORING AND ASSISTANCE ALONG WITH SQUASH AND ATHLETIC TRAINING. STUDENTS COMPETE IN SQUASH TOURNAMENTS LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY. ADDITIONALLY, OUR STUDENTS HAVE ACHIEVED ACADEMIC SUCCESS WHICH HAS RESULTED IN ACCEPTANCE AND SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS TO PRESTIGIOUS AND HIGHLY COMPETITIVE PRIVATE SECONDARY SCHOOLS. FURTHERMORE, THE STUDENTS ARE EXPOSED TO CULTURAL AND COMMUNITY ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES.DURING THE 2020 FISCAL YEAR, THE CINCINNATI SQUASH ACADEMY PROVIDED 124 HOURS OF VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING, 92 HOURS OF IN-PERSON SQUASH SOLO HITTING OPPORTUNITIES, AND 40 HOURS OF IN-PERSON SUMMER CAMP. AFTER A YEAR OF MOSTLY VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING, THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE YEAR WAS THE IN-PERSON SUMMER CAMP WE HOSTED IN JUNE. WE RAN TWO SESSIONS THAT WERE TWO WEEKS LONG FOR EACH COHORT, MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL. DURING THE CAMP, STUDENTS HAD THE CHANCE TO PLAY PICKLEBALL AT SAWYER POINT, TOUR THE NEW TQL STADIUM (HOME TO FC CINCINNATI), TAKE A MYERS-BRIGGS ASSESSMENT, LEARN FINANCIAL LITERACY CURRICULUM, ENGAGE IN STEM ACTIVITIES, AND PLAY TONS OF SQUASH.HERE ARE THE MAJOR OUTCOMES FROM THAT CAMP:89.5% ENJOYED BEING BACK FOR IN-PERSON SQUASH ACTIVITIES.74% RATED THEIR OVERALL EXPERIENCE OF CAMP AS AN "8 OUT OF 10X OR HIGHER.86% OF STUDENTS SAID BEING BACK IN-PERSON FOR CSA MADE THEIR YEAR BETTER.