History

The Maryland Squash Impact Award was conceived in 2018 by Robert S. Travers, Chairman of the Maryland State Squash Hall of Fame Committee and Maryland Squash board member. The award was subsequently certified that year by the Maryland Squash Board of Governors. The purpose of the award is to identify and honor those individuals who by virtue of their dedication to the game of squash racquets in Maryland have and will have a lasting impact on the game that transcends generations. It is the highest honor Maryland Squash can bestow for one’s lifetime achievement in advancing the game of squash in Maryland and nationally.

Accordingly, the first Maryland State Squash Nancy Cushman Impact Award was presented to Nancy Cushman on April 7, 2018 during the 25th Anniversary Celebration of Meadow Mill Athletic Club, a club she founded in 1992. Meadow Mill Athletic Club was the first squash facility in Maryland built specifically for the international version of singles squash and has been the genesis of the growth of international (softball) squash in Maryland – especially junior squash in Maryland.

Nancy Cushman

Nancy Cushman was born and raised in Harford County, Maryland. A natural athlete, Nancy took up the game of squash racquets in 1974 and quickly became an accomplished player who competed nationally. Nancy’s love of the game influence her decision to make owning an athletic facility focused on the advancement of squash her profession. In 1985, Nancy and her husband Frank purchased the Racquet Club of Roland Park, which housed two hardball singles courts and one double court and began a Maryland State Squash program. With the financial assistance of club members, Nancy and Frank founded Meadow Mill Athletic Club in 1992. In addition to doubles squash, Meadow Mill was built around the international version of squash (softball) that was just beginning to take hold in American Colleges and Universities. Betting on the growing popularity of softball squash, at the time, was a bold gamble that proved to be a forward looking accurate assessment of the future of squash in America. Meadow Mill Athletic Club, in addition to a host of athletic programs, grew to offer 16 international and two doubles courts to its membership. Because of Meadow Mill Athletic Club, Baltimore has become a center for softball squash in Maryland and internationally. In addition to Maryland State tournaments, Nancy (through Meadow Mill) has hosted a multitude of US Squash national championships. Meadow Mill Athletic Club has truly evolved to become the epicenter of competitive squash in Baltimore – especially junior squash where Meadow Mill’s junior programs exceed 1000 participants in any given year.

In addition to the many awards Nancy has received over the years for playing, managing and promoting the game of squash in Maryland and nationally, in 2018 she was presented US Squash’s highest award, the President’s Cup, for her lifetime achievement. But the Nancy Cushman Impact Award was established particularly for Nancy’s far-reaching contribution to Maryland Squash. She created and built a club open to the public that has been the origin of the proliferation of softball squash in Baltimore, Maryland and the mid-Atlantic region. Before Meadow Mill, there were no viable junior or women’s programs or a place that welcomed and could accommodate major events. Because of Meadow Mill, local philanthropists, had a home base for “SquashWise”, an academic program linked to the disciplines of playing squash that empowers and propels underprovided kids into a brighter future. High school and college squash, Maryland State and National Championships have prospered in Baltimore because of Meadow Mill Athletic Club and Nancy’s lifelong unwavering devotion to the game. Over the past 30 years, no other individual has had a greater positive impact on the game of squash in Maryland.

The Process

The Nancy Cushman Impact Award is presented from time to time by Maryland Squash, for the reason stated, through the recommendation of the President of Maryland Squash and its officers and further requiring the full endorsement of the Maryland Squash Board of Governors on behalf of the membership.