A 2011 StreetSquash graduate, Julian Hackney first discovered squash through the organization’s Summer Discovery program before entering seventh grade at Thurgood Marshall Academy (TMA). 

“I was at a point in the summer where I had nothing going on, Julian said. “Sage [Ramadge] and George [Polsky] introduced me to squash, a sport I had never even heard of.”

Julian recalled feeling overwhelmed but quickly found comfort in the friendships he built during the summer program. 

“It made it a lot easier to start at TMA because I already had friends from StreetSquash,” Julian said. 

Previously active in swimming and baseball, he soon found a passion for squash.

StreetSquash became a second home throughout middle and high school.

“I practically lived there,” Julian said. “It wasn’t just about squash. It was academics, it was trips, it was just being part of a community.” 

Even after many years post-graduation, he recently returned to the building and described the feeling as “surreal.” 

He added, “It felt exactly the same. Even though some faces changed, it was still StreetSquash.”

Julian looks back fondly on all the travel opportunities. Through StreetSquash, he traveled to Italy, attended squash camps at Dartmouth, and competed in tournaments around the country. One trip in particular left a lasting impression: 

“We went to Nicaragua, and that trip opened my eyes,” Julian said. “I had never seen anything like it. The history, the culture, it stuck with me.”

Academically, StreetSquash’s SAT prep was big for Julian. 

“The SAT tutoring was a game-changer for me,” Julian said. “I was not a confident test-taker at all. But they pushed me and encouraged me. That kind of support really helped me get into college.”

He eventually applied Early Decision to Bates College, a school he first learned about through connections made at StreetSquash. 

“Honestly, if it wasn’t for StreetSquash, I don’t think I would have even known Bates existed,” he said.

At Bates, Julian double-majored in African American Studies and Film and Television Rhetoric. Though he initially considered a pre-med track, he followed his passion for storytelling and media. Squash remained a part of his college experience too. 

“I played my freshman, sophomore, and senior years. I only took off my junior year because I studied abroad in Ghana,” Julian said.

After graduation, Julian started his career as a page at CBS before moving into trailer editing at Jump Cut, a boutique company specializing in independent and foreign films. He later worked at the music streaming platform Tidal, creating documentary-style artist content. Today, he freelances as a film editor and director, continuously building his creative portfolio.

Julian emphasized how much StreetSquash shaped him beyond the sport. 

“StreetSquash gave me exposure,” Julian said. “It gave me structure. It gave me community. Those things have stayed with me.”

When asked what advice he would give a new student considering StreetSquash, he would tell them, “Just try it,” he said. “You never know what you might fall in love with. Squash teaches you to be agile both mentally and physically, and the friendships and memories you build are for life.”

He added that the fundamentals he learned in squash are applicable beyond the sport.

“Squash taught me bigger lessons,” Julian said. “Like staying ready. Always staying active at the T. Those lessons apply to life too.”