Caleb

Squash coach sharing his love for squash to provide a community for refugees.

Core Values: Community, Purpose, Joy, & Compassion

Bio

I’m Caleb Chong, a senior at Upper Canada College in Toronto, Canada. I speak English and am semi-fluent in French. I love playing squash, whether it’s on my school’s varsity team, training for tournaments, or coaching at my club. Squash is an amazing sport, and I love how matches designed to be competitive can build friendships so much bigger than whatever happens inside the court.

 

I’m passionate about sharing what I love with others. I enjoy mentoring new students at my school, being a fun camp counselor, or just a friend to someone who needs it. In my free time, I play frisbee, play the drums, and read sci-fi.


For my impact project, I ran squash clinics for two local refugee houses, teaching them the basics and helping them have fun together. I mobilized my competitive squash friends and worked with Squash Ontario and a local club to provide my sessions for free. Today, Impact Squash has expanded into a service dedicated to building community through squash and promoting squash in underrepresented communities. You can learn more at www.impactsquash.org/.

Work with Caleb
IMPACT PROJECTS  | HIGHLIGHTS

 

Advocate for Refugees

I wanted to share my love for squash and experience as a coach to provide a community for refugees who had to leave their own communities behind. Throughout my sessions, I enjoyed watching the refugees work together, encourage each other, and laugh together when someone hit the ball out of the court. I’m happy to have contributed to this shared experience, and I made so many friends along the way.

 

 

During my clinics, I talked with the refugees about their transition to a new country, and they mentioned not having much to do at their residence: eating, sleeping, attending ESL classes, and the occasional job or outing. But through the experience, I watched them concentrate on each shot, sprint across the court, and progress from bouncing a ball on a racquet to full, multi-shot rallies. The rate at which they picked up squash reflected the strong sense of purpose they felt, and I was proud to be a part of this.

 

Most importantly, we had fun together. We smiled with each new drill, laughed when we crashed into each other, and took the wrong bus to the club (my fault!). I remember one of the refugees played the whole session in his socks and dove across the court to get a shot. When I look back, the fun we had together and the friends I made are always the first things that come to mind.

Mentorship Experience

 

  1. I am a National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) Trained Intermediate Squash Instructor and Club Coach. I coach and mentor juniors at my club through technique, drills, and games, so they can have fun, develop their skills, and ultimately understand the value of training.
  2. I am a counselor at Camp IAWAH. In the summer, I spend each week with a group of boys, leading them through meals, activities like water skiing, games, and worship, ultimately fostering an environment where they are encouraged to grow. 
  3. I mentored 3 new students at my school, organizing a small mentor-mentee gathering before school, touring them around, and facilitating discussions about common interests to ultimately make them feel welcome. In Grade 11, I was selected to be a prefect at my school, and volunteered to oversee connection: making each student feel welcome and being an approachable figure for advice, as well as a role model for other students in my house.

            Q&A with Caleb

 

What others experienced

" I loved the entire experience. I was stuck with my project for a LONG time and I'm glad my mentor helped me. Not only did she help me with my project but she helped me connect with other researchers and experts."

—Amanda

8th Grade 

 

YES, I WANT IN!