Kids are the heart and soul of SquashBusters. Selected for the program in sixth grade, from either the James P. Timilty or Dearborn Middle Schools in Roxbury, students can participate in the program for up to seven years – from 6th through 12th grade. 

SquashBusters intentionally keeps the ratio of students to staff and volunteers low, 1:1 for tutoring and coaching and 1:6 for group activities like community service projects and cultural outings. Through this attention, kids and adults get to know each other well, developing close relationships over a long period of time.

The kids who participate in SquashBusters bring a wide variety of ethnic, cultural, and economic backgrounds and experiences to the program. The thread that weaves through them all, connecting them to the program, is the effort they put forth in their school work and on the court, the respect they show for themselves and others, and the high motivation they have to be part of the SquashBusters team.

SquashBusters has a strong alliance with its two main educational partners, the Dearborn and  Timilty Schools in Roxbury. The leadership within both schools is extremely supportive of SquashBusters. The former Timilty principal, Roger Harris, serves on the Advisory Board of Directors. The teachers stay connected to the program and the kids by meeting each week with SquashBusters’ Academic and Community Service Director. The schools applaud the effect SquashBusters is having on each student’s academic performance. Teachers attend practices, squash tournaments, the annual teachers vs. students squash match and the year-end picnic.

“Never have we seen an after-school program which offers such an intense combination of athletics and academic support for our students. A very important educational partnership between the Timilty School community and SquashBusters has been forged. It is a partnership that is positively impacting the academic, athletic, and social lives of many inner-city children.”

Gert Sweeney, 6th Grade Coordinator
James P. Timilty Middle School