Normally end-of-season Tier 2 events (not affecting year-end outcome of rankings for most pros) don’t get much attention from racquetball fans outside of the host city, but the 2008 Steadman Hawkins IRT Greenville Open is generating some buzz. This event marks the return of one of the greatest players the sport has ever seen, Kane Waselenchuk. Armed with his new racquet, the Krowning Moment KM175, Kane will be testing the waters of the IRT tour against some of the tour’s top players, including: Shane Vanderson, Alvaro Beltran, and Rocky Carson (**assuming all top seeds advance).
Kane will play Shane Vanderson at 5:30PM EST TONIGHT, and you can bet I’ll have some updates online as soon as they are ready. Assuming Kane picks up where he left off two seasons ago, he’ll play in the semifinals at 4:30PM on Saturday, and then in the finals at 12:30PM on Sunday.
You can find the draws online here.
June 20th, 2008
by Geoff Thomsen
We’ve known for some time that Ben Croft had signed with Gearbox, but the company made the official announcement a few days ago with a press release. Gearbox has been consistently upping their presence in the racquetball community since appearing on the scene just over a year ago, and the addition of another top ranked pro to their player roster continues to solidify their position. Ben finished the 2007-2008 season with some big wins over top 5 players, and I’m sure Gearbox will see some big things from him in the coming seasons.
Press-release
Gearbox Racquetball Welcomes Ben Croft #7 ranked player on the International Racquetball Tour (IRT)
Bonita, CA
June 18, 2008
Gearbox racquetball is proud to announce the signing of Ben Croft from Lake Bluff, Illinois. At the bright young age of 23, Ben has stormed his way up the rankings where he is currently ranked #7 on the International Racquetball Tour.
Ben is not only the youngest player in the current top 10, he is also known as one of the most exciting and intense players to watch on the court. Ben captures the audience with his fierce approach to the game and super human speed, sometimes diving five times in one rally to chase down any ball.
Ben holds an unprecedented seven intercollegiate titles in Division I, thus forming the solid foundation of a champion. Ben Croft also received the prestigious Rookie of the Year Award in 2007 as well as the 2007 United States National Doubles Champion title. Having had successful victories over Jason Mannino, Shane Vanderson and Jason Thoerner, Ben’s determination to win was further proven in the 2007-2008 season.
Gearbox Racquetball is extremely pleased to add Ben Croft to their roster of professional athletes. Gearbox’s Athlete Manager, Joel Arredondo says, “Ben is a dominant force to be reckoned with and an extraordinarily talented athlete who brings excitement to the game. I could not be any happier to have him be a part of the Gearbox family”.
Gearbox Racquetball:
Gearbox racquetball takes it roots in being a company for the player designed by a racquetball player. Seeing racquetball not only as a great sport but also as a great lifestyle, Gearbox wants to create a proud and enduring identity for the sport. Gearbox is committed to designing products for the racquetball player lifestyle, products that promote racquetball on and off the court.
For more information please visit www.gearboxrb.com.
June 20th, 2008
by Geoff Thomsen
2008 USA Racquetball Junior Olympic Racquetball Championships
June 25th-29th, 2008
Concord, CA (Big C Athletic Club)
Total Participants: 198
Web:
Media:
Please feel free to leave additional info in the comments!
June 16th, 2008
by Geoff Thomsen
I finally figured out that Firefox was giving me issues on Rhonda Rajsich’s website, www.rhondarocks.com, and switched to IE to find she had some updates on her current condition. It sounds like everything went well, and she is on the full and lengthy road to recovery. If you know Rhonda, or have seen her play, and like to leave her a get well message, check our her website and click on the little banner on the right that says "Send Rhonda Get Well Wishes, Click here".
From "News" on www.rhondarocks.com:
Rhonda’s surgery on Wednesday, June 11 went well. At this time it appears that the surgeons were able to repair all of the fractures in her face area. She spent the night in the hospital and will most likely be discharged sometime later today.
Although Rhonda’s doctors expect her to make a full recovery, she will have some difficult days ahead of her. Again, she wants to thank all of her fans for their thoughts prayers and support.
Rhonda’s website will be updated regularly regarding her condition.
June 16th, 2008
by Geoff Thomsen
June 15th, 2008
by Geoff Thomsen
June 12th, 2008
by Geoff Thomsen
As for the players on the IRT, I’ve also compiled a list of placements for the 10 top stops on the WPRO tour. It’s no doubt that Rhonda Rajsich ended up with the season title after not missing a single semifinal appearance in any Tier 1 or grand slam event, and then only missing two finals. A few of the top contenders missed several of the events throughout the season, including Christie Van Hees, Paola Longoria, and Brenda Kyzer.
| |
|
missed |
Quarters |
Semis |
Finals |
Champ |
| 1 |
Rhonda Rajsich |
0 |
10 |
10 |
8 |
5 |
| 2 |
Cheryl Gudinas Holmes |
0 |
10 |
8 |
7 |
3 |
| 4 |
Angela Grisar |
0 |
10 |
7 |
1 |
|
| 3 |
Kerri Wachtel |
0 |
10 |
7 |
1 |
|
| 6 |
Paola Longoria |
4 |
6 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
| 5 |
Kristen Bellows |
0 |
10 |
3 |
1 |
|
| 8 |
Brenda Kyzer |
2 |
7 |
|
|
|
| 7 |
Adrienne Fisher |
1 |
6 |
|
|
|
| 9 |
Christie Van Hees |
8 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
| 12 |
Diane Moore |
- |
3 |
|
|
|
| 11 |
Jo Shattuck |
- |
1 |
|
|
|
| 10 |
Doreen Fowler |
- |
2 |
|
|
|
| 14 |
Vivian Gomez |
- |
1 |
|
|
|
| 18 |
Samantha Salas |
- |
1 |
|
|
|
| 27 |
Janell Wheeler |
- |
1 |
|
|
|
update 6/20: Changed rankings to reflect final 2007-2008 season standings
June 12th, 2008
by Geoff Thomsen
I decided to go back and take a look at the finishes of the IRT players for the 2007-2008 season, and below you will find a summary table for all Tier 1 and Grand Slam Events – 13 in total (**except two quaterfinalists from Allentown, PA where the draws are completely MIA). The rankings you see are from about mid-season, so the actual year-end rankings are not accurate. There is a definite trend for the top 7 or so players, with the 8th spot up for grabs at each of the events. The top two athletes also dominated throughout the season, with Jack and Rocky only giving up a single tournament win to another player.
| Rank |
Pro |
qtrs |
semis |
finals |
champion |
| 1 |
HUCZEK, JACK |
13 |
13 |
12 |
6 |
| 2 |
CARSON, ROCKY |
13 |
12 |
10 |
6 |
| 3 |
MANNINO, JASON |
11 |
10 |
3 |
1 |
| 4 |
BELTRAN, ALVARO |
13 |
10 |
1 |
|
| 5 |
VANDERSON, SHANE |
13 |
3 |
|
|
| 6 |
WILLIAMS, MITCH |
13 |
1 |
|
|
| 7 |
CROFT, BEN |
10 |
2 |
|
|
| 8 |
CROWTHER, CHRIS |
7 |
|
|
|
| 9 |
THOERNER, JASON |
4 |
|
|
|
| 10 |
HAWTHORNE, ANDY |
3 |
|
|
|
| 11 |
MORENO, JAVIER |
2 |
1 |
|
|
| 16 |
ELLIS, JOHN |
1 |
|
|
|
| 17 |
GUTIERREZ, POLO |
1 |
1 |
|
|
June 11th, 2008
by Geoff Thomsen
The USA Racquetball National Singles Championships has traditionally been title sponsored by Ektelon, so they have been the only manufacturer allowed to to set up a booth showcasing the new season’s products. The other companies were forced to host suites back at the sponsoring hotel, where sponsored players would congregate to see the new products and enjoy some snacks. This year, four of the major racquetball equipment manufacturers had booths in the players’ village. Ektelon, Head, E-Force, and Gearbox were all on-site showing off new products.
Ektelon – I’d say that Ektelon definitely had the largest presence, with their typical huge banners, and tons of products from their entire line (racquets, apparel, etc) both for see and for sale. As Ektelon brings this setup to all of the major national events, it’s no surprise that they have a fine-tuned event machine.
Head – A big presence at the US OPEN, it was nice to see Head with a big display at National Singles. Besides showcasing the forthcoming technology, they also a HUGE display of old racquets to stir up the racquetball memories. And to keep you always coming back for more, Head also had a TV in the booth running Fran’s instructional DVD’s, and Tennis Channel broadcasts for past US OPEN events.
Gearbox – Still relatively new on the scene, Gearbox brought a worthy booth to National Singles. New apparel, as well as some new racquet designs were on display, and the Gearbox staff of Joel Arredondo and Rafael Filippini were always ready to chat about anything racquetball related.
E-Force – The guys at E-Force kinda got the bum location of all the vendors, way back in the corner of the players’ village. You kinda missed it when walking in, and by the time you’re leaving the club after a long day, stopping by a booth seemed like the last thing on your mind. The new racquets looked and felt GREAT, and I think Chris Crowther was all the advertisement they needed. He was absolutely CRUSHING every single shot of every rally. Bar-none, he had the most powerful game of anyone at the event.
June 11th, 2008
by Geoff Thomsen
The uploading of photos from the 2008 USA Racquetball National Singles Championships is underway! I’ve got photos up from the Men’s final featuring Rocky Carson and Jack Huczek, as well as the Women’s Semifinal with Kristen Bellows and Rhonda Rajsich (get well, Rhonda!). I’ll keep adding photos over the next several days, and you can either periodically check back at www.doubledonut.com, subscribe to my feed, or follow my updates on Twitter to know when new photos have landed.
The latest updates are in the 2008 National Singles Photo Gallery.
There were also a few other photographers in Houston taking photos. Julian Gomez, from 801Creative in Salt Lake City, was helping me with USA Racquetball duties, and Adam (Aaron?) Clark, a local player from Houston, was sharpening his skills with his new camera. I’ll be in contact with Julian to see if he intends to post anything online, and Adam has already added some photos to the Racquetball Group on Flickr. As always, the photo situation on the courts at the Houston YMCA is VERY challenging, with low light, dots on the glass, and lights that cycle resulting in color shifts in all the photos (not to mention that racquetball is one of the hardest sports to shoot!). Hats off to anyone who gets decent shots (of which Adam and Julian both accomplished!!).
If anyone else at the event has pictures you’d like to share, I’d HIGHLY recommend posting them to www.Flickr.com, and then adding them to the Racquetball Group on Flickr. In fact, I’d recommend adding ANY racquetball photos to that group so the world can see!!
June 11th, 2008
by Geoff Thomsen
Ektelon’s Scott Winters has forwarded on some additional information about the latest news for Rhonda Rajsich. In the press release below, there is some information about her surgery, which is scheduled for today. If you are reading this, please send some positive thoughts Rhonda’s way for a quick recovery.
If you’d like to send Rhonda a message, a questbook has been created for her online: http://www.e-guestbooks.com/sign/rhondarajsich
Rhonda Rajsich, the number one ranked women’s professional racquetball player, was injured in an unprovoked assault on Sunday, June 1, 2008, outside of her Hermosa Beach, California residence. Hermosa Beach Police are investigating the incident.
As a result of the attack, Rhonda suffered several fractures to the right side of her face. She will be undergoing surgery on Wednesday, June 1lth. The surgery is expected to last four to five hours and will involve the placing of titanium plates and screws in Rhonda’s cheek, jaw and eye orbital areas. The full extent of the damage will not be known until after the surgery is complete and the healing process begins. At that time, the doctors will be able to determine whether Rhonda may require further surgery.
Rhonda is also under the care of an ophthalmologist. Barring any complications, at this time it does not appear that she will have any permanent vision impairment.
Although it is expected that Rhonda will make a full and complete recovery, at this time her doctors have not been able to determine when she will be able to return to the racquetball court. More information regarding her recovery time will be available sometime after she undergoes surgery.
In order to assist Rhonda with her expenses while she is unable to play, a fund has been established at Wells Fargo Bank. Checks can be sent to the Rhonda Rajsich Relief Fund, c/o Peter Nitschke, Southern California Sports Management Group, 23861 El Toro Road, Suite 700, Lake Forest, CA, 92630. Funds can also be deposited at any Wells Fargo Branch under the following account “Peter Nitschke for the Benefit of Rhonda Rajsich Relief.” For more information regarding the Rhonda Rajsich Relief Fund, please contact Peter Nitschke at Southern California Sports Management Group.
Rhonda thanks all of her fans for their thoughts, prayers and support during this difficult time.
Updates concerning Rhonda’s progress will be posted on her website at http://www.rhondarocks.com.
June 11th, 2008
by Geoff Thomsen
June 10th, 2008
by Geoff Thomsen
The MWRA (Maryland Washington Racquetball Association) is hosting a tournament on July 12th and 13th to help raise money for Rhonda’s medical bills following her hospitalization. If you’re able to make the trip, it sounds like a great event!!
Dear members from the racquetball community,
By now, many of you have heard the news about Rhonda Rajsich being attacked and severely beaten as she walked alone on a beach near her apartment in California. Rhonda is in the hospital and is stable but has multiple contusions and abrasions and a broken jaw. She is in the hospital and will be there indefinitely. She will be undergoing operations to reconstruct the left side of her face. Her eye is swollen shut but tests show that her vision will be ok. Please keep Rhonda in your thoughts and prayers.
In place of our annual end of the season tournament, the MWRA is hosting a 2 day round robin tournament on July 12 &13, 2008 at Severna Park Racquetball and Fitness Club. All proceeds will go to the fund established to help Rhonda defray her medical costs as she tries to recover from her injuries.
The entry fee will be $30.00 for the first event and the second event is free. We will serve meals throughout the weekend, but we are going to forgo the shirts and trophies so those proceeds can go to Rhonda. Depending on the response we get and the number of divisions we field, we are going to try to schedule divisions during certain blocks of time throughout the day. If you play 2 divisions, you will have 2 blocks of time, and if you are in a large draw with brackets, the playoffs will then be in a 3rd block.
The mail-in application is attached to this email and you can also find it at www.mwraweb.com. We look forward to seeing you there.
The MWRA committee
June 10th, 2008
by Geoff Thomsen
- I’m feeling REALLY fed up with “computers” right now. Doubledonut.com is having ALL kinds of problems!! (mostly my fault) ;-( #
- And now my webhost is giving me connection errors to the tools I need to fix the site. WONDERFUL. #
June 9th, 2008
by Geoff Thomsen
Gearbox made a big splash at this year’s 2008 USA Racquetball National Singles Championships with a large booth showcasing the new frames for 2008-2009. After some product training from Joel Arredondo and Rafael Filippini, I got a pretty good feel for the new racquets from Gearbox. Building off the popular Gearbox GB250 (170g), two new frames will debut this season. They will both feature the same design as the GB250, but will offer two new weights – 165g and 185g. The GB250 from last year will get a graphics refresh with gold letter replacing the silver versions. There was a also a pink GB250 (170g, I believe) in the Gearbox booth, but I didn’t get a close-up (manufacturer’s booth photos coming soon). Rafael was also telling me about his road trips in the Gearbox RV, spreading the good racquetball word across the nation.
June 9th, 2008
by Geoff Thomsen
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