The opening of four squash courts at St. Paul's School in Brooklandville has prompted coach Lanny Springs to wax euphoric about his favorite sport's chances of making great strides in Baltimore.

The result, he said, of having the first on-campus courts in the area available to his players, frees valuable court time at other facilities for other teams.

That, and the increased emphasis on younger prospects stocking middle school teams, bodes well for the sport's future, he said.

"With younger and younger players coming in, it's all good for us," the Ruxton resident added. "It's just the best time for someone who really loves squash right now."

The courts were retrofitted into the Kelly Gymnasium after a previous plan to have six freestanding courts built near the baseball diamond was scrapped.

And it came, at a fraction of the cost, according to Springs, although he declined to divulge the figure.

Springs said that Head of School Tom Reid told the coach that a new building was "first on our wish list, but not on our priority list," after the economy went south in 2008.

"What if we retrofit the Kelly Gym instead,?" Springs said Reid asked him.

Springs happily replied in the affirmative.

With seed money from the Knox Foundation, the project that required a group of other local contributors was completed in 20 weeks, even when allowing for the courts to be built in, and shipped from, Germany.

The new facility's layout allows spectators and coaches to watch all four courts at the same time.

At the Oct. 10 opening, Springs brought in two former players, Peter Nicol and John White, who were ranked No. 1 in the world to play on the courts.

"There couldn't have been a better way," to christen the courts, said Springs, who learned the sport at Princeton University and still plays doubles at the Maryland Club, Meadow Mill Athletic Club and "anywhere else I'm invited."