Tournament Trail Juniors Ladies+ Results TIDBITS CRA Board
SPRING 2007 EDITION www.ColoradoRacquetball.com
PRESIDENT’S CORNER —
Racquetball — A Stress Reliever
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by Marcia Richards
acquetball season begins in Colorado in late August or early September. The kids are in school, the summer is over, and work is work … When we were younger, it was very easy to just pick up and go play racquetball, either for fun or in a tournament setting. Now we have what many call our "real lives" and then there is racquetball. Our daily lives come and go, family commitments come and go, work piles up and we deal with it, and then there is racquetball. Stress is part of our lives and it comes and goes. Stress does not play favorites; it hits us all throughout the year. Stress is unavoidable, but how we deal with it is what makes us different. The challenge is for us to figure out how to use stress in our favor, by capitalizing on its energy. When you are stressed, your body seems to race and the adrenaline flows at higher measures. There is no better time to pick up a racquet and direct this vigor into a fastpaced, high-energy game like racquetball! It is important to recognize what our bodies need and direct our energies in a way that empowers us to play, even on the most adverse days. Racquetball incorporates large muscle groups, is a huge calorie burner, and is lots of fun. No doubt, racquetball can be an antidote to our stressful lives. Good humor, allowing yourself to choose your level of commitment, and competition make up a great formula for keeping racquetball in your life. When things get too chaotic, pick up your racquet and go to the gym for a short workout. You can re-energize your life, probably sleep better, and, no doubt, feel better because you got to sweat, even for a short moment. The game is fast and furious, just like our lives, so make time for yourself to play so you can keep the stress at bay, if not useful at play, and be back at work with a smile on your face.
I believe you will find that there will never be a day when you regret getting onto a court and drilling or playing-life is just a little better afterward.
EDITOR’S CORNER —
Hall of Fame
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by Cindy Tilbury
n January, I was fortunate enough to be inducted into the Minnesota Racquetball Hall of Fame. Since I had moved to Denver in 1999, it was an unexpected honor, so I appreciated the honor and the fact that they had not forgotten my 12 years of tournament play and state association board member service. I always love going back to Minnesota to play and to visit with friends, but this time was extra special. In my acceptance speech, I talked about two recent events that brought me way back to the beginning, and I wanted to share them with my Colorado player friends, too. During the last year, I had been playing with a group of men who don’t get outside their
courts much, and I put on a few events for them, including some classes and a pro exhibition match. They had never seen the game played like that, and it reenergized them for playing and improving. In September, I convinced two of the guys to enter a USAR-sanctioned tournament not far from their hometown. I became their coach and cheerleader during the weekend, but before that, I had to get them the tournament calendar and entry forms, get them in the right divisions, get their start times, teach them to read drawsheets, when to take timeouts and how to best use their five-minute warm-up time. It was fun, but I couldn’t remember how or when I had learned all of the little things about tournaments, and now I feel most at home at a tournament. The guys had such a great weekend and they did fairly well in Consolation. They met some new people to play, too. It was so satisfying for me that I’d like to encourage each of you to make a special effort to invite a non-tournament player to your next tournament. Carve a path for that person—racquetball tournaments can be a little intimidating to start—just like any competitive sport. The second event was my pilgrimage to the Massillon (Ohio) YMCA where my older brother had taught me to play racquetball in about 1978. The lady at the front desk let me come in and see the courts and walk around a bit. She thought she remembered my brother from back then. It made me realize how we all leave a racquetball legacy and that we need to think about that all the time. I was honored and grateful that my fellow Minnesota players hadn’t forgotten my racquetball legacy.