Alistair Barnes founded Mission Squash as a nonprofit in late 2011. He was inspired by a visit to Street Squash, one of the oldest and largest Urban Squash programs, based out of a purpose-built, $10-million facility in Harlem New York.
In 2012 “Mission Squash” began pilot operations in Houston, partnering with Gregory Lincoln Education Center, a public middle school close to Downtown. Programming ran at a private sports club, the Downtown Club at the Met, with a small part-time staff and volunteers.