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Groton, MA - It was a storybook ending to a storybook year. Along with seven parent chaperones, three staff members, and junior national champion Lily Lorentzen, a volunteer, 23 CitySquashers traveled to Massachusetts for the 2nd Urban Individual Nationals two weekends ago (June 11-13). Hosted again at Groton, the scenic boarding school that boasts one of the country's finest squash facilities, the event brought together 140 players from four of the country's inner-city squash programs. CitySquashers had a terrific time and could hardly have performed better.
The Bronx-based program entered players in four divisions and won three of them. Tanesha Jackson, last year's U13 Girls winner, defeated StreetSquash's Sheena Suckoo in four games to take home the U15 winner's trophy, and Maylin Colon did not lose a game on her way to the U13 title, beating SquashBuster Ashley Brooks in the final.
CitySquashers' prowess on court was perhaps most apparent in the U13 Boys division. All four semifinalists hailed from the Bronx, with sixth grader Prince Mensah capturing the title with a win over classmate Willie Gonzalez in the final. Steven Barrera, a seventh grader, defeated his sixth grade teammate Freddy Hernandez for third place.
Other CitySquashers brought hardware home as well. Ary Gimenez earned fifth place in the U15 Boys draw. Jesse Pacheco and Rochell Hudson finished third and sixth respectively in the Girls U13's. Katrina Intal defeated SquashBuster Ana Lopez for the U13 Consolation Plate title. And Bogar Avila, after going down 0-2 in games against SquashBuster Serge Saint-Vil in the final of the U13 Boys Consolation Plate, rallied to win in an emotional and exhausting five games.
While the results illustrate that CitySquashers have been dedicated to their squash training, their fourth quarter grades, released Friday, show that they have also been hitting the books. Eighteen of the program's 23 team members have improved their grades since joining the team, and more than two-thirds of CitySquashers now boast an average of at least 80%. Not a single CitySquasher had an average at or above 90% before starting the program; six of them do today. The team average has increased from 80% to 84%.
CitySquashers certainly had a lot to celebrate last weekend at their year-end barbecue in Bronxville, which was held at the home of David Armstrong and Ana Guerrero. Asked about the season, Ary Gimenez, who received the program's most prestigious award, CitySquasher of the Year, had only good things to say. "The year was cool. We had new stuff, like mentors, and took great trips. We had to work really hard, for school and for squash. We did really well."
Tim Wyant, CitySquash's executive director, was also pleased with the program's second season. "The kids had an incredible year. All of the progress they have made, as students, players and people, is a testament to how hardworking and talented they are. They are an amazingly fun and giving group. We're already getting excited for next year!"
Indeed, summer has arrived. Will CitySquashers take a break? None have chosen to. In addition to CitySquash's five-week day camp at Fordham, CitySquashers will participate in academic programs such as Summerbridge at the Riverdale School and the ACTION Program at Rye Country Day, and squash camps at Harvard, Princeton, Westchester Squash, Bowdoin, Dartmouth and Universal Squash in Philadelphia. CitySquash's third year may yet be better than its second.
The Bronx Boast is a publication of CitySquash, Inc.
2003-2004 CitySquash Awards
- CitySquasher of the Year-Ary Gimenez
- Academic Excellence-Katrina Intal
- Most Improved Student-Rochell Hudson
- Most Valuable Player-Jesse Pacheco
- Most Improved Player-Anneudy Saldana and Edgardo Saldana
- Community Service-Danel Gimenez
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