In its new Philadelphia home, US Squash has partnered with Penn Medicine to be its medical provider and strengthen community initiatives
PHILADELPHIA— First, US Squash moved to a new home in Philadelphia. Now, it has partnered with Penn Medicine as its official health system to keep the organization’s world-class players fit and healthy.
As the official health system of US Squash, Penn Medicine will also be the official health system of the United States’ national team, the U.S. Open Squash Championships, and the newly opened Arlen Specter US Squash Center in Philadelphia – the world’s largest community squash center.
“Our organizations share values of excellence, integrity, diversity, teamwork, and also a city,” said L. Scott Levin, MD, chair of Orthopaedic Surgery and co-director of the Penn Nerve Center at Penn Medicine. “We believe that combining our two top-tier organizations won’t just be mutually beneficial, but it will also hold great value for our surrounding communities.”
The three-year agreement designates Penn Medicine as the official health system of US Squash. Penn Medicine personnel will also serve as the official team physicians – and official orthopaedic providers – of the United States’ national squash team. Athletes from US Squash will also benefit from Penn Medicine’s Sports Science Optimization services to both improve their play and keep them healthy.
The next three U.S. Opens, the most prestigious professional championships in the country and all at the Specter Center, will also be sponsored by Penn Medicine.
In addition to the on-the-court and in-the-clinic benefits, Penn Medicine and US Squash will combine to strengthen the US Squash Community Initiative. This effort seeks to expand access to the sport across many different communities and bring new athletes to the sport who previously had been unable to experience it. This includes no-cost clinics for new players, open court access to the public, and the creation of new public school squash teams in partnership with the Philadelphia School District. SquashSmarts, an intensive out-of-school academic and athletic mentoring program, will operate its West Philadelphia programs at the Specter Center’s Lenfest Learning & Innovation Center. All of these programs are designed with the mission of positively impacting social determinants of health including opportunities for physical activity and educational access.
“Our mission is focused on providing everyone access to squash as a tool to enhance their health and well-being,” said Kevin Klipstein, US Squash president and CEO. “Penn Medicine shares our values and is a world-class health system. It’s a natural fit to partner with an organization of this caliber whose work is rooted in providing access to care and improving the health of our local community.”
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Penn Medicine is one of the world’s leading academic medical centers, dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, and excellence in patient care. Penn Medicine consists of the Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (founded in 1765 as the nation’s first medical school) and the University of Pennsylvania Health System, which together form a $8.9 billion enterprise.
The Perelman School of Medicine has been ranked among the top medical schools in the United States for more than 20 years, according to U.S. News & World Report’s survey of research-oriented medical schools. The School is consistently among the nation’s top recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health, with $496 million awarded in the 2020 fiscal year.
The University of Pennsylvania Health System’s patient care facilities include: the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Penn Presbyterian Medical Center—which are recognized as one of the nation’s top “Honor Roll” hospitals by U.S. News & World Report—Chester County Hospital; Lancaster General Health; Penn Medicine Princeton Health; and Pennsylvania Hospital, the nation’s first hospital, founded in 1751. Additional facilities and enterprises include Good Shepherd Penn Partners, Penn Medicine at Home, Lancaster Behavioral Health Hospital, and Princeton House Behavioral Health, among others.
Penn Medicine is powered by a talented and dedicated workforce of more than 44,000 people. The organization also has alliances with top community health systems across both Southeastern Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey, creating more options for patients no matter where they live.
Penn Medicine is committed to improving lives and health through a variety of community-based programs and activities. In fiscal year 2020, Penn Medicine provided more than $563 million to benefit our community.
