The World Youth Championship

The XXVI World Youth Championship will be inaugurated on Sunday racquetball, at 6:00 pm at the Hotel Santo Domingo in a ceremony that will include the parade of the 17 delegations have confirmed for the event.
The president of the Dominican Federation of racquetball, Rafael Fernandez revealed that everything is ready for the start of the tournament, bringing together the best young competitors in the discipline.

"In this championship will come the best of global youth racquetball and have the opportunity to showcase the talent we have, which will be the future of our country," said Fernandez.

A total of 225 players will be competing in the World Youth Day event to be held in Pavilion Olympic Racquetball Center.

The party begins on Monday at 8:30 am, in the eight racquetball courts Pavilion and will be simulcast on the Internet through www.internationalracquetball.com page, sponsored by the company Wind Telecom.

The World Junior Racquetball Championships is organized by the International Federation of that discipline through the Fedoracquet. The event director is Gary Mazaroff competitive, who is already in the country.

The delegations of Bolivia and Ireland already in the country as well as technical staff who work in organizing the event. This Saturday will be coming to Dominican soil the remaining performances.

Among the countries that will be at the event include Canada, USA, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Ireland, Korea, Japan, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Chile, Bolivia, Argentina, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Dominican, among others.

XXIII World Youth Championship

The president of the International Racquetball Federation, Keith Caulkins, described as important to encourage the fight against drugs through sports for the opening of the XXIII World Youth Championship in the discipline which takes place in the country.
The president of the International Racquetball Federation, Keith Caulkins, described as important to encourage the fight against drugs through sports for the opening of the XXIII World Youth Championship in the discipline which takes place in the country.

Caulkins assessed as positive the large number of racquetball adolescents , which they will be the future world champions, he said,

For us it is important to encourage the fight against drugs, vice and advocate for clean sport," said Caulkins to make use of the word during the colorful opening ceremony of the World Cup event in Santo Domingo hotel.

During this tournament will see the future world champions," he said.

The welcoming remarks were made by the president of the Dominican Racquetball Federation (Fedoracquet), Rafael Fernandez, who acknowledged the presence of each of the 17 delegations present at the event. "The parents of these children are essential to make this a success, thanks for being with us," Fernandez said.

Representing the Ministry of Sports Junior Arias Noboa spoke, Deputy Minister of the ministry, who highlighted the work and effort in assembling Fedoracquet appointment.

Meanwhile, the Dominican Olympic Committee president, Luis Mejia, urged each of the athletes to "respect its flag, respect their leader and who love the Dominican Republic, and if you like, come back."

At the head table was also Antonio Acosta, secretary general of the Dominican Olympic Committee, and Rachell Hall, director of brand E-force, who said his presence was a way of supporting each of the participants.

After the ceremony, the Folkloric Ballet of the Ministry of Tourism is responsible for making the game more fun, which was enjoyed by those present.

The event takes place in the racquetball courts in the Olympic Center. The powers pulled Monday from 8:30 am and runs until 9:00 at night. The event concludes Saturday.

Frederique Lambert goes for Racquetball gold

Frederique Lambert goes for Racquetball gold
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Montreal's Frederique Lambert will play for gold at the 2011 Junior World Racquetball Championships where she will meet a familiar foe.

Lambert beat Bolivian Adriana Riveros, 15-8, 15-8, in the quarter-finals and American Devon Pimentelli, 15-3, 15-5, in the semi-finals on Friday to set up Saturday's gold medal showdown with Maria Jose Vargas of Bolivia, who defeated Lambert during pool play earlier in the week.

Lambert is returning to the Girls U18 final for the second straight year after losing last time to American Aubrey O'Brien. This will be the last year she is eligible for the U18.

Lambert already assured herself of one medal, as she and Valerie Fallu of Brossard, Que. will be returning home with bronze medals in U18 doubles. They lost in the semifinals to Bolivians Maria Jose Vargas and Adriana Riveras, 15-8, 15-13.

The Girls U14 doubles team of Saskatoon's Daniel Drury and Michelle Morissette from Baie Comeau, Que., will also play for gold Saturday.

They advanced to the final after Costa Ricans Sofia Soley and Melania Sauma defaulted when Soley broke one of her fingers in three places when going for a shot in her singles match early Friday.

Drury and Morissette will play Mexicans Montserrat Perez and Diana Aguilar in the final.
On the boys side, Coby Iwaasa of Lethbridge, Alta., will be coming home with two bronze medals in U14 action.

He defeated fellow Canadian Matthew Swaine from Toronto in the singles quarter-finals, 15-4, 15-7, and then lost to Rodrigo Montoya of Mexico, 15-5, 12-15, 11-7.

In doubles, Iwaasa teamed up with Swaine and they got to the semifinals, but then lost again to Montoya and his Mexican partner Erik Garcia, 15-10, 15-10.

In Boys U18, Kurtis Cullen of Brandon, Man., and Samuel Murray of Baie Comeau, Que., are bronze medallists, because they reached the semi-finals where they lost to Bolivians Carlos Keller and Jorge Louis Michel, 15-10, 15-10

Racquetball tourney in Rapid July 23

The Racquetball Shootout is July 23 at the Sioux Park racquetball courts, starting at 8 a.m. This will be a one-day tournament, and the entry fee is $5.

A World Outdoor Racquetball membership is required at $15 and can be paid the day of the tourney at the courts.

For more information, email Pat Sigler at sigsppd@rushmore.com.

Verduguez and Bizeau win in Paris

Ricardo Verduguez (BOL) and Maxime Bizeau (FRA) are the winners of the first combined tournament for Racquetball and Racketball (Racquetball on a Squash court) that was held last weekend in Paris. Verduguez defeated Bizeau on the racquetball court, while Bizeau won the racketball competition on the squash court. Check out the Courbevoie Facebook Page or http://courbevoie-racquetball.asso-web.com/ for the results of this event.

'France Racquetball' has suffered some major court closures recently. It is hoped that with some support by local governments new courts can be opened at some point in the near future. Fingers crossed!!All French players are asked to support these attempts.

US Open to be held in October

Preperations are already underway for THE racquetball competition of the year: The US Open will be held on October 5-9 in Minneapolis. The US Open is the biggest and most prestigous racquetball competition worldwide, it attracts players from various countries and regions. In addition to that, professional racquetball at it's best can be seen during the competiton. An international VIP reception will be held on October 6th at 9 pm in the PRO/Gold lounge.

If you have any questions about the event please contact Tournament Director Doug Ganim at ganim@mac.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit www.usopenracquetball.com.

Trevor Meyer wins in Ramstein

Trevor Meyer from Germany is the winner of the 2011 American European Racquetball Association (AERA) Invitational Tournament that was held last weekend at Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany. Meyer defeated Bolivia's Ricardo Verduguez in 2 games. The AERA Invitational is being played on seven courts in 2 clubs in Ramstein and therefor is the tournament with the most available courts on one site in Europe. It's one of the most important events on the European and US military scene. This years' event did not draw the usual amount of entries. While entries from the US forces were low this year, a large group of French players competed once again in Ramstein.

Four from PVAC shine in national championships

Four junior racquetball players from Petaluma Valley Athletic Club participated in the Junior National Racquetball Championships in Portland last week.

Luke Sewall and Sawyer Lloyd in the 16-and-under division, Dima Gafarov in the 14-and-under division and James D'Ambrogia in the 8-and-under division and 10-and-under doubles represented the PVAC. The players were accompanied by PVAC junior coach Brian Dixon, the junior racquetball director for California.

More than 160 players from across the country competed in the event, held at the Sunset Athletic Club. California, with 15 players, placed second behind Oregon in state competition.

The Petaluma standout was 8-year-old James D'Ambrogia. It was his first national competition, and he competed in three events: boys 8-and-under multi bounce, boys 8 and under single bounce, and boys 10 and under doubles.

He played with enthusiasm, with his older PVAC friends, as well as his family and coach, cheering him on.

He won the gold medal and is the national champion of the 8-and-under multi-bounce division. He won a silver medal in the 8-and-under single-bounce competition and won a bronze medal in the 10-and-under doubles competition.

Lloyd made it to the quarterfinals, losing a tough match to eventual second-place finisher John Lindsay. Lloyd won two golds and a silver in the 14 and unders last year, and competed at the World Championships.

This year, he had minimal preparation time, as he was in Spain as an exchange student for several months before the event, giving him only three weeks to prepare.

Naples athlete has racket playing racquetball

Geoff Hunter, owner of Naples Fitness Center, won the singles racquetball gold medal in the men’s 50-54 age group at the National Senior Games in Houston on June 26.

Though Hunter, who grew up in Painesville, Ohio, about 20 miles outside of Cleveland, had been playing the sport nearly his whole life, his gold-medal performance proved to be his crowning achievement.

“It only took me 40 years to win a national title,” said Hunter, 51. “It might take another 40 to win another title.”

Besides the singles title, Hunter also partnered with Orlando’s Ken Drew to win the bronze medal in doubles competition.

The National Senior Games are the seniors’ equivalent to the Olympics, except they’re held every two years instead of every four. It is the largest seniors event in the world with competitions in numerous sports, from archery to track and field to volleyball.

An athlete must be at least 50 years old in order to qualify to compete. This was Hunter’s first year of eligibility and he took advantage of it.

“I felt my first year was my best chance to make an impact,” said Hunter, who won the Florida State Senior Games title in December to qualify for Houston. The racquetball event was hosted by the Naples Fitness Center.

“Conditioning and stamina are the best aspects of my game,” Hunter said. “And my big thing is I’m fast. I knew I’d be in position to execute. In racquetball, it’s all about serve and return. I knew I’d be in good position to compete. It was about keeping my nose down and staying focused.”

Besides his exploits in racquetball, Hunter is also an avid handball player among other sports.

“If it requires chasing a ball,” Hunter said, “I play it.”

Hunter is also a PGA golf pro, having served as the golf pro at Hunter’s Ridge in Bonita Springs for many years.

Hunter said he finds the mental and physical workout he derives from racquetball compelling. He also credits the high level of competition in Florida for his success.

“We’re fortunate to have so many high quality players here in the state and at Naples Fitness Center,” he said. “It’s easy to test your skills around here.”

Racquetball is also a family affair for Hunter, who used to play with his wife, Tracy. Their three children, Geoff Jr., 22, Paige, 21 and Matt, 18 all play the sport. And like their father, Geoff Jr., a student at Florida State, and Matt, who attends college in Baltimore, both play other sports that require chasing a ball.

Geoff Jr. played tennis and lacrosse, while Matt also plays lacrosse.

“They get a good foundation from racquetball in terms of footwork and hand-eye coordination,” Hunter said. “They’re used to chasing a ball, seeing it and are able to hit it on the run.”

As for Hunter himself, who will compete in the state doubles championship tournament in Sarasota in August, he said he’ll play racquetball for the foreseeable future — even the 2013 Senior Games, which will be held in Cleveland.

“The great thing about racquetball is you can play it your all your life,” Hunter said. “I’m 51 and I’ll be playing when I’m 81.”

2011 IRT Florida Satellite Series

Contact the director:kimberly_roy@hotmail.com
603-491-1494

EVENT LOCATION(S)
Civic Center
9221 S.E. Civic Center Place
Port St. Lucie, FL 34952



Event Description:
USAR and IRT sanctioned event.

Registration Deadline(s):
Please enter Online.
Online registration open until Wednesday 8/3/2011 at 11:00 PM. (Central Time)
Late online entries will be accepted up until Sunday 8/7/2011 by 11:00 PM (Central Time) for an additional fee of: $20 .

Starting Times:
Please check start times online. Start times for first round match(s) will be available after 11:00 PM Wednesday 8/10/2011. Call 603-491-1494 if you don't have internet access. Play starts at 9:00 AM on Friday 8/12/2011.
Time Zone: Eastern Time (EST)



Event Director(s):
Kim Roy reserve(s) the right to combine or cancel any division due to insufficient entries.



Ball: ProPenn HD

Sanctioning:
USAR and IRT sanctioned event.

Age Requirement
For age division competition, players must meet the proper age requirement as of the first day of the event.

Ref:
Winners will be required to referee the next match; find a suitable replacement; or forfeit the next match. Referees will not be compensated.

Refunds:
No refunds available for this tournament.

Moore 'totally immersed' in racquetball

Linda Moore possesses a number of local racquetball-related titles in front of her name — Lincoln Racquet Club professional, University of Nebraska instructor, Nebraska State Racquetball Association president and Cornhusker State Games director.

While Moore's main focus is growing and promoting the sport here, she's still a successful player on the national level.

After winning the women's 50-and-over singles titles at the U.S. Open last October and the Senior/Masters National Championships in January, Moore received the Peggy Steding Female Age Group Award during the USA Racquetball National Singles Championships in Fullerton, Calif., from May 25-30. The award honors outstanding performance by athletes older than 35.

When Moore found out in late April she was this year's Peggy Steding winner, it totally changed her plans.

"I had decided I wasn't going to Fullerton because I was having problems with my knee and really wasn't playing (racquetball) that much,'' Moore said. "But since I was getting an award, I felt like I had to go.''

Despite not being 100 percent, Moore still reached the semifinals and finished in the top four.

Moore, days away from turning 55, has been playing national tournaments for around 30 years. She's been battling the same core of players as they've advanced through every age group together, and friendships have developed through the years.

It's cordial, but also ultra-competitive. In the national singles tournament last year in Houston, Moore was a semifinalist in the 50-plus but won the women's 35-plus.

"Those 50-year-olds are tough,'' Moore said, laughing. "We typically have more players in our national tournaments than any other age group. We all started together in the '70s and '80s, and we enjoy the competitions and seeing each other year after year. My husband Harry and I like to use the national tournaments as vacations.''

Moore has been a pro at the Lincoln Racquet Club for 25 years, doing everything from teaching junior lessons and organizing leagues and tournaments, to stringing and selling racquets. She's also the club's membership director.

As president of the state racquetball association, she's the tournament director for six of the major annual events.

She's been the Cornhusker State Games racquetball director for 22 years, using it as a platform to promote the sport and bring in new players.

Moore teaches an activities class at UNL in which racquetball is part of the curriculum. She began playing racquetball as a student at Central Michigan University at the age of 19, so she knows the college setting is good for growth.

"With their high school sports over, a lot of people take it up in college and then stay with it because it's a lifetime sport that provides a great cardio workout,'' Moore said.

Moore doesn't see herself cutting back anytime soon. She enjoys her involvement locally and intends to keep competing nationally "as long as my knees hold up,'' she said.

"I'm totally immersed in it (racquetball),'' Moore added. "Racquetball in Nebraska has been steady for many years, and my job is to build off that and expand it.''

Kinser hosts open racquetball tournament

Paul Beeks, winner of the Kinser Open Racquetball Tournament, prepares to strike a racquetball warming up before the tournament at Kinser Fitness Center, June 25.

OKINAWA, Japan - Marines island-wide faced off during the Kinser Open Racquetball Tournament at the Kinser Fitness Center June 25.

The double-elimination racquetball contest pitted service member against service member in the fast-paced sport.

“The purpose of this tournament was to provide an outlet for racquetball players to meet and play new competitors with a similar interest in the sport,” said Otis C. Miller, a sports coordinator with the Marine Corps Community Services Semper Fit program.

The Semper Fit facility hosts three tournaments every year at the racquetball courts.

“Playing racquetball is a good way to stay aerobically fit,” said Brian K. Trievel, a competitor in the tournament. “The key is to hit the ball so that the ball bounces off the wall at an angle that will send your opponent running.”

According to Trievel, maintaining a position in the center of the racquetball court is crucial to the sport because the small court space affords no room for mistakes.

To score a point in racquetball, a server must cause their opponent to bounce the ball twice before the opponent returns the shot. If the ball bounces twice during the servers’ possession, then the server position is switched.

In their first match, Paul Beeks, a competitor, trumped Trievel in a 15-10 game. Trievel moved up in the semi-finals to compete against Beeks once more, but fell behind after losing to Beeks 15-12.

In the end, Beeks reigned victorious, claiming the title of tournament champion.

“It feels good to win,” said Beeks. “It takes a lot of endurance to play in a tournament like this.”