PAMELA REINSEL COTTER
THE PROVIDENCE JOURNAL, 6 February 2012
Name: RhodySquash (13 students who play the sport year-round).
Ages: Fifth to seventh graders at Thompson Middle School.
Hometown: Newport.
Background: The National Urban Squash Program has been around for two decades. RhodySquash Executive Director Ross Freiman-Mendel says he had the idea for a similar program in Newport. “I approached local philanthropists from the De Ramel Foundation, who agreed to generously provide the seed money to get RhodySquash running and they have provided additional operating support as the program has developed and matured,” Freiman-Mendel says. “Our program is free, and we’re constantly fundraising.”
RhodySquash is unique, Freiman-Mendel says, in that the program works with “suburban” poor as opposed to “urban” poor, which happens in New York City and Detroit, for example.
“There are children who are equally underserved in comparatively more rural communities, yet our program is the only NUSEA-type branch to serve this constituency,” he says. “The majority of our students qualify for the [National School Lunch] program, and three-quarters are from racially diverse backgrounds.”
“We use squash as the medium for delivering our program; it’s the ‘hook’ by which we can impart knowledge of the game in addition to rigorous academic tutoring, test preparation, and high school and college counseling and placement,” Freiman-Mendel says.
Freiman-Mendel says squash is particularly well-suited for what his organization hopes to accomplish. “It requires an immense amount of both aerobic and anaerobic fitness. It’s very much a game of attrition, and matches can last well over an hour. It’s been voted the ‘healthiest’ sport by Forbes magazine,” he notes.
“Opponents self ‘ref’ [referee], requiring that each player is honest and a good sport. And from an academic standpoint, squash is tactical, mental, and also heavily recruited by high schools and colleges,” he says.
Workout: Because squash is physically very demanding, the kids do rigorous, but age-appropriate workouts. “Our program meets three times per week,” Freiman-Mendel says. “All practices begin with 50 court lengths to get a sweat and raise their heart rate. Practices include hitting drills, movement drills [ghosting], playing practice games and matches.” Practices often end with “pyramids” — which are “suicides” (running in a quick sprint and turning, line to line) on a squash court. In addition to an hour of tutoring, the kids play an hour of squash, and often play even more after practice. “We also provide nutritious snacks to all of the RhodySquashers after each workout,” he says.
Quotes (from the kids):
Lairab Iqbal, grade 6 — “I love all of the things I learn at RhodySquash. Many people help us with our squash games, and my favorite shot is the boast.”
Rex Underwood, grade 6 — “I like RhodySquash because when you work out you know it’s good for you. They push you hard enough to learn the game and get better at it.”
Cristal Fuerte, grade 5 — “Squash is really fun because you get to hang out with your friends, do homework, and work out … a lot! I like practicing and winning games. We’ve been sweating a lot, and I know that I’m getting stronger.”
Jayda Rios, grade 6 — “I like RhodySquash because when you work out you can feel your body pushing its limits, and when you do your homework the teachers help you through it, so you can understand it and the coaches give you one hundred percent help and attention and they give you healthy snacks to keep you fit and not ruin your body.”
Volunteer Sasha Hinckley adds, “I work with many kids, helping them exceed in squash. Everyone has their own style of play, likes and dislikes, and attitude toward working out. Every day I push the kids as hard as I can (while still having fun), and they approach the intense exercise with a smile and enthusiasm.”
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Ross Freiman-Mendel, founder and executive director of RhodySquash, works with Jayda Rios, 12, of Thompson Middle School, on a squash court at Newport Squash. |
Ross Freiman-Mendel, RhodySquash’s 18-year-old executive director, is using his time and energy with the nonprofit group during his “gap year” in his education. After deferring his acceptance to Brown University for a year, this Newport native took up administering the group.
He went to high school at the Wallingford, Conn., private school Choate Rosemary Hall, where he volunteered for the New Haven urban squash program, Squash Haven. Between that and a similar program, Street Squash, in Harlem, N.Y., Freiman-Mendel says he got the idea for RhodySquash. He’s been collaborating on the project for three years, but next year he will be returning to his studies. RhodySquash is now conducting a search for a permanent, full-time executive director.
The RhodySquash program has an academic element including tutoring, test preparation and high school and college counseling and placement.
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| Above, Jaileen Guerrero does her homework. |
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