When Arianny Acosta thinks back to her middle and high school years at SquashBusters Lawrence, she recalls how impactful drills like court sprints were to her future. In those moments, she learned to dig deep and push herself to achieve more than she could have ever imagined. “I remember struggling to keep up, whether we were doing court sprints or something else, but our coach always made sure to cheer us on and encourage us, and I realized I could do this in all parts of my life.”
An independent child growing up, she had never been part of a team. She assumed SQB would be all about squash and found it refreshing when she discovered it was also about people and community. It was at SQB that Arianny learned it was okay to lean on people, which has been a pivotal piece as she navigates her college path and her future. Whether it was Mike, Erica, or Corey helping her with the college process, she recalls how easy it was for her to connect with them. They calmed her nerves when going on interviews, helped her navigate the college application and financial aid process, and acted as sounding boards for her decisions. “Mike and Corey have been beyond helpful. They have continued to support me. It’s nice knowing I always have someone to text or call if I need help. SquashBusters fostered community from the very beginning, where the staff were always reaching out and checking in and making sure I had what I needed. And because of that, now I feel comfortable asking for help when I need it. I’ve had this community for years, and I’ve been able to develop relationships with them, and they’ve been able to help me out even after I had graduated high school.
Now, going into her senior year at Yale, Arianny, who is studying biochemistry and biophysics, draws upon those lessons she learned at SQB as she strives towards her goal of working in biotech. “SquashBusters, in many ways, allowed me to push myself out of my comfort zone, taught me a lot about being able to persevere, and that applies to many aspects of my life.”
That push out of her comfort zone helped her grow academically and personally. SquashBusters gave Arianny the opportunity to experience new things, including traveling overnight to tournaments and honing her public speaking skills. And SquashBusters gave her the support and skills to manage new situations, and the knowledge that she’d come out just fine. “College was a very big change in terms of being away from home. It was a completely different environment, with people I had never met before. A lot of it was learning to be okay with being uncomfortable.”