Juan Santos: Squash gave me everything I have in my life right now.

Juan Santos is an Assistant Coach at Open Squash, primarily working with younger beginner players in our Green Team program. Originally part of the Front Desk team, Juan was asked one day to help coach some of the juniors—and it went so well that he later earned his Level One Coaching Certificate. Since then, he’s become a dedicated youth coach who now works with players of all ages and levels, from 4-year-olds to 80-year-olds.

Juan’s squash journey began at City Squash, while he was still in school in the Bronx. Growing up in a challenging environment, he saw squash as his “ticket out,” and City Squash as his opportunity. “My middle school was horrible—there were 2,000 kids over three grades,” he recalls.

Juan credits Brian Peterson of City Squash as one of the first male role models in his life. Raised by a single mother who worked long hours cleaning a bakery to support him and his three siblings, Juan’s early squash skills were limited—but his determination wasn’t. “I didn’t want to quit, because I saw this as my way out.”

City Squash often helps its students earn full scholarships to top boarding schools. Juan was offered the same chance but initially missed it due to behavioral struggles off the court. He ended up at what he describes as “the worst high school in the Bronx.” Determined to change course, he pushed himself to find a better path.

That path came through squash. Attending camps in Martha’s Vineyard introduced him to the Poly Prep community in Brooklyn, which ultimately offered him a full-ride scholarship. There, Juan thrived both academically and athletically, working his way up to the #7 spot on the squash team during Nationals. “I didn’t win my matches, but it was fun just being on the court,” he says. “After that, my love for squash went up again.”

At Poly Prep, Juan found the mentorship and structure he needed to aim higher. With their support, he applied to and won the prestigious POSSE Scholarship, a competitive program with thousands of applicants. Encouraged by his family, he chose to attend Middlebury College, drawn by the team culture that reminded him of City Squash. Though he initially ranked #16, his work ethic and fitness earned him a spot on the team—and by Nationals, he helped Middlebury defeat Navy in what he describes as “one of the best experiences I’ve ever had in squash.”

Then came the pandemic. “Personally, Covid was the worst time for me,” he says. “Something in me changed, and I didn’t have the drive and discipline anymore.” Stepping away from the team, Juan turned his focus to academics and discovered a new passion through a Business Ethics course. “It was the first time I had something to focus on that wasn’t squash—how can we be ethical and still make money?”

When Juan later joined Open Squash, he didn’t initially plan to coach or even pick up a racket again. But when asked to help with a junior session, he rediscovered the joy of the game that had always anchored him.

“The one thing that was always there for me was squash. When I needed something the most, squash was there. When I needed something to bring me back to life, squash was there. When I was at my lowest point, what was the only thing keeping me going? Squash.”

We’re so proud to have Coach Juan Santos on our team—thank you for sharing your story, and for inspiring the next generation through your passion for the game.