Students Cook Squash and Play Squash with Ming Tsai; Celebrity Chef to Promote Healthy Food and Sports Programs Thursday, Nov. 17 at Oakland's Think College Now School.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Chef Ming Tsai and Stanford Squash coach and squash champion Mark Talbott will be at the Think College Now school in Oakland at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 17, to introduce healthy food programs, along with the sport of squash, as part of a recent grant from the Western Athletic Clubs and merchant bank Tennyson West's Giving on the "T" program.

Tsai will perform a cooking demonstration at the school with students using squash -- the vegetable -- to promote healthy diets. Then he will play squash -- the sport -- with squash legend Mark Talbott at the school to kick off a campaign to raise $1 million to fund more Sports4Kids programs that integrate inner city squash and wellness programs.

"Food and fitness are so important to wellness and healthy communities," said Tsai, who played #2 on the Yale University squash team and played on the European pro squash circuit in the 1980s, before launching his cooking career. "I am really pleased to be here supporting the Giving on the "T" fitness and nutrition initiative in the schools."

The event is being held in conjunction with the $20,000 Tennyson West North American Open squash championships. The charity sporting event, held at the San Francisco Bay Club from Nov 8-13, drew some of the world's top squash players. All proceeds from the tournament go toward building sports programs for underserved communities.

On Sunday, the North American Open and the Giving on the "T" Foundation, in partnership with the Western Athletic Clubs, provided grants of $200,000 to support the Bay Area-based Sports4Kids (a non-profit that creates youth sports and recreational opportunities in inner city schools) and the U.S. Squash Racquets Association programs to bring squash to underserved youth. The grant, a project of the Tides Center, will allow Sports4Kids to expand into new schools and to offer fitness and healthy food programs.

"The opportunity to bring physical activity, squash and wellness programs into our schools is profound," said David Levy, founder of Giving on the "T". "We appreciate that squash players and the corporate philanthropic community are working together to help schools and kids who need and deserve it need most."

What Is Squash, The Sport?

Squash is a fast moving, indoor racquet sport played by an estimated 15 million people in more than 150 countries worldwide. Approximately 500,000 people play squash in the United States. In just 45 minutes, a squash player can work out aerobically and network socially. Because of its global reach, the game suits business travelers. More squash facts:

--Forbes recently pronounced squash the best sport for getting and staying fit. One reason: The rulebook forbids stalling to catch one's breathe between rallies.

--Squash is one of five sports, being considered for inclusion in the 2012 Olympics.

--Tennis Industry magazine (now Racquet Sports Industry) has reported that squash is the only sport that is growing, based on court construction and gear sales.

Giving On the "T"

Tennyson West established the Giving on the "T" Foundation to provide grants to Bay Area non-profits that serve disadvantaged youth. The Tennyson West North American Open is the primary vehicle for raising funds for the Foundation. Western Athletic Clubs has a long history of supporting non-profit organizations and will match the money raised by Giving on the "T" dollar for dollar up to $100,000. One of this year's primary beneficiaries is a newly created San Francisco Inner City Squash Program.

Sports4Kids

Sports4Kids provides support for children's physical activity programs in 75 schools throughout the Bay Area, including 42 in Oakland, 12 in San Francisco, nine in West Contra Costa, five in Berkeley and three in Alameda. Activities include playground sports and games and working with teachers to facilitate physical education lessons. Over the last decade, Sports4Kids has expanded into more than 80 Bay Area public schools and has received a major grant from the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation to reach public schools in Baltimore, MD and nationally.

Ming Tsai

Ming is host of Public Television's cooking show, SIMPLY MING, and one of three celebrity judges on Public Television's reality cooking show, COOKING UNDER FIRE, which debuted in April. Ming began cooking for television audiences on the Food Network, where he was the 1998 Emmy Award-Winning Host of East Meets West, Cooking with Ming Tsai. He also hosts Ming's Quest, on Fine Living Network. In 2005, SIMPLY MING was awarded the prestigious CINE Golden Eagle Award.

DIRECTIONS TO THINK COLLEGE NOW SCHOOL

2825 International Blvd., Oakland, CA, 94601

From the Bay Bridge take the 580 ramp to Downtown Oakland (CA 24)/Hayward-Stockton 5.4 mile

Take the Fruitvale Exit

Right at Fruitvale 1.5 mile

Right at International (also known as East 14th)

The school will be on the left. There is a parking lot that can be accessed via 12th Street or from the back of the school.