E MAKING A DIFFERENCE
for the
LOVEof the
GAME
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Mary Beth Horn with kids in the SquashBusters program.
www.experience.com
BY AlMgE WHITENACK
New urban sports programs
help kids and bring diversity
to “prep school” sports.
with athletes like Tiger
Woods and the Williams sisters dominating
their respective games and inspiring fans of all
ages with their grit and grace, sports that were
once the domain of the privileged are becom
ing more popular—and accessible—than ever
before. In addition to golf and tennis, sports
like squash, crew, fencing, and lacrosse are at
last welcoming a more diverse generation of
participants.
Athletes are also realizing that the bound
aries (like archaic traditions and expensive
facilities) that stand between the sport they
love and a fleet of diverse young players are
surmountable. These people are leading the
charge in establishing grassroots outreach
programs that teach their sport to inner-city
and at-risk youth. In the process, they’re
establishing a new niche of jobs that combine
social service with athletic passion.