“It was a little bit difficult, people didn't really know anything about squash, they mixed up the vegetable and the sport,” said Schwartz. “There's no interest, people would rather play basketball.”

But soon enough, 100 kids signed up for City Squash's free program, which combines tutoring, mentoring, community service and, of course, lessons in squash.

“I have played squash all my life and in America the game has been historically limited to a select part of the population, largely private clubs and private schools and elite universities,” said Wyant. “So I was really excited about the idea of expanding the population who play squash.”

The students must be a part of the free lunch program at M.S. 45 or P.S. 205. They spend half the week playing squash in space provided by Fordham University and the other half working on their academics with City Squash tutors.

The squash players start the program as young as eight years old and stick with it until they go to college.

Many students have gone on to receive scholarships to private schools because of their squash skills.

“City Squash gave me the opportunity to go away,” said student Katrina Intal. “So if it weren't for City Squash, I definitely know I wouldn't have gone to boarding school.”

Schwartz said he is proud of the students who are nationally-ranked in the sport, but said he is even more impressed with their dedication to doing well in school and becoming well-rounded individuals.

“The program is really a life-transformative program where we put much more energies into the academics then we do anything else,” said Schwartz.

Wyant said he hopes City Squash will give its students the upper hand in the future.

“What we want more than anything is for them to graduate from the program believing that they can achieve anything in life,” said Wyant. “That they have the tools and the educational skills to be what ever they want to be.”

Seetreeon Torres, a participant, said the duo already has made a difference in his life.

“They've changed so many kids life from people in the Bronx. Me, they have changed me, they've changed my friends,” said Torres.

So, for teaching kids that squash is more than a vegetable, and that hard work in school will serve them well in the future, Sanford Schwartz and Tim Wyatt are NY1’s New Yorkers of the Week.

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