With Squash’s Olympic moment just three years away, the U.S. Squash Foundation and Access Youth Academy—in partnership with the PlayLA initiative—are laying the groundwork for a vibrant squash scene in Southern California leading up to and beyond the LA28 Olympic Games.
As the CEO of Access Youth Academy (AYA), Renato Paiva prioritizes diversifying the future of squash and the development of the sport through exposure to youth, particularly in the Los Angeles and San Diego area.
“San Diego is just twenty minutes from the border of Mexico. Bringing squash to the forefront sometimes felt like playing beach volleyball in Alaska. It was a far-fetched dream to help the community thrive,” Paiva said. Today, California squash is very much alive and thriving, with an active district led by Paul Buck.
When it comes to squash, for Paiva, it runs deep. He has been around squash since he was nine years old and seen “both the good and the bad” of the sport. As the Vice President of Pan American Squash, he is able to contribute on a global scale, which is critical during an Olympic cycle. Maintaining healthy, constant collaboration on a local, national and global level is all part of what Paiva refers to as squash’s mosaic.
“I am a tile in the mosaic of squash. I have to take care of my tile properly, or the whole thing looks ugly. To trust that the big picture will be done properly, I have to trust someone leading it,” he said.
In 2022, US Squash partnered with PlayLA to include squash programming at two public parks as a part of its summer and fall seasons. The PlayLA initiative introduces kids to more than 40 different sports at an affordable cost to eliminate economic barriers to sports and serve as a legacy before, during and after the Olympics. After a successful introduction into PlayLA, AYA joined the efforts by providing additional volunteer training, coordination and on-the-ground support, ensuring a sustainable and scalable path forward. Since squash’s introduction, hundreds of kids have been exposed to the sport. AYA and US Squash are aiming to expand programming over the next three years.
The U.S. Squash Foundation has supported PlayLA in various ways, ranging from providing equipment for specific programming to advice and leadership support from US Squash executives to encouraging nomination for the Pan American board. Paiva cites the collaboration between World Squash Federation, US Squash and the Professional Squash Association as one of the keys to Olympic inclusion.
“I feel that they are just one phone call away. I don’t think there’s any other way that US Squash can support that they haven’t already, through not only talent but also treasure,” Paiva said.
PlayLA is making progress as the countdown to the Olympic Games draws nearer. The citywide, all-encompassing athletic initiative engages all sports involved in the Olympics to get involved with kids in the local community. Access Youth Academy executes on behalf of the national governing body here in the United States.
“It started with one park in an afterschool program where we showcased squash for just one hour with only one wall. From there, we adapted to multiple parks and multiple walls. During the next cycle, we will have four parks to further expand the reach,” Paiva explained. “It is our goal to be able to bring this program to over a dozen parks, but that requires a lot of volunteers.”
Right now, Paiva estimates that he works with 35 volunteers on a rolling basis. Part of the PlayLA initiative, which has introduced over 200 kids to squash to date, involves training pros from other racquet sports and introducing them to squash coaching. When it comes to getting kids interested in squash, that part comes easier than expected.
“Hitting something against something is a natural instinct. It’s the easiest way to expose kids to squash, regardless of how many walls are involved,” he said.
What’s next for squash in LA? In the short term, AYA continues to become more involved with youth in the region, targeting “transformative” work with the Los Angeles School District–the largest in the country second only to New York–through school programming, hosting gym classes inside AYA’s walls.
Establishing the framework of accessible exposure to squash for today’s youth in LA sets up a successful future up to and beyond the upcoming Olympic Games.
“The LA28 Olympics will come, will be amazing, and will go. The eyes of the world will turn to Brisbane, but long-term we hope that we can expand and do the work with the same love and enthusiasm after the closing ceremony and still move the needle forward,” Paiva said.
The U.S. Squash Foundation uplifts grassroots programs like the work of Access Youth Academy through their mission and outreach to grow the sport. Support the U.S. Squash Foundation today to spread squash through SoCal and beyond.
