Racquet Up Detroit opens largest squash court center in Midwest

DETROIT (FOX 2) - A new squash court center in Detroit is the largest in the Midwest.

Squash is a sport where 2-4 players use a racquet to hit a ball against a wall.

Non-profit Racquet Up cut the ribbon on its new 18,000-square-foot facility Friday.

The building features three state-of-the-art classrooms, a college and career center, and the squash courts. It will provide access to Racquet Up’s program to about 200 youth. The program helps students graduate high school, and has had a 100% graduation rate for four cohorts of students who participated in an eight-year program.

The new facility will also allow the organization to partner with more schools, offer more health and wellness activities to families, and host world-class squash events.

"Our new facility will be a game-changer for kids, and it could not be more timely as we all try to move forward from the pandemic. We have demonstrated that our program can support students to succeed academically and access life-changing opportunities. From our new, permanent home, we will provide this support to thousands of youth and their families over the decades to come," said Derek Aguirre, the executive director of Racquet Up Detroit. "We are deeply grateful to the many donors who have made this project possible, and we look forward to collaborating with our neighbors and partners across the region to build paths toward college and career for our kids."