Racquet Up Detroit, a Squash and Education Alliance program founded in 2010, celebrated the grand opening of a new eight-court, 18,000 square foot education and youth development center Friday, January 28.
Located in northwest Detroit, the facility includes three state-of-the-art classrooms, a college and career center and the largest squash center in the Midwest.
Detroit’s Mayor Mike Duggan was on hand to celebrate the grand opening. “This is a special day for Detroit,” Duggan said. “A lot has been taken away from this neighborhood, especially its youth.”
Racquet Up Detroit have produced four classes of students through its eight-year program with a 100% graduation rate. This new facility will provide the capacity to serve approximately 200 Detroit kids each year (students in 5th – 12th grade), as well as a network of alumni receiving postsecondary support. This new facility will provide the capacity to serve approximately 200 Detroit kids each year (students in 5th – 12th grade), as well as a network of alumni receiving postsecondary support.
“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,” said Derek Aguirre, Executive Director of Racquet Up Detroit. “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. 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.”
The grand opening featured an exhibition match between Team USA’s Todd Harrity and France’s Lucas Serme, who were in Detroit competing in the Motor City Open.
Read more coverage of the grand opening in The Detroit News. For more information visit racquetup.org.
