Six-year old Kerri Stoffregen >>

RB: When did you first start playing racquetball? I used to go to the club with my mom (Gerri Stoffregen) when I was young but my brothers and I would just bat it around. I really didn't take it up seriously until I was about 16. I was playing competitive tennis and I was getting burnt out. I went to a racquetball tournament with my mom and I just kind of got hooked. I started wanting to go to the club. She and I, when I was in high school, would go to the club everyday after school and hit.

So the reason you became so involved in racquetball was because you were burnt out from tennis? Yeah, I used to travel and play competitive tennis since I was a little girl. I just got burnt out. It was very competitive and I just didn't like the cattiness.

Do you remember your first racquetball tournament? I don't remember my first tournament but I do remember playing in the "C" division. I remember playing "C's" and "B's" divisions and I remember each time that I won I was so excited to move up another division.

Did you move up through the divisions quickly? Ummmm, I moved up … When I started taking it seriously I would say that I was an "A" player within a year and an Open player in probably two years.

When did you make your first U.S. Junior National team and how did you feel after that accomplishment? My first Junior Nationals was in '92 and I didn't know what to expect at all. My mom just wanted to take me up there because I had been playing and, you know, it wasn't really a big deal whether I won or not. We thought it would be a fun mother/daughter trip so we went out. I was selected in Ohio to go to the junior camp that year, in '92. I didn't make the team (U.S. Junior) that year and then in '93 I did make the team. It was great. I just had so much fun in juniors because I got to meet so many friends from across the country. Racquetball is kind of my own little niche at home. None of my friends from home really knows what goes on when I go away to a racquetball tournament, so it's kind of nice.

What did I feel like when I made the team? It was one of my goals. I wanted to make the team before I was out of juniors and that was my last year playing juniors so it felt great to accomplish that goal.

How much did your mom influence your game? Did she work with you a lot as you developed? We have very similar game styles if you watch her play and watch myself play. She taught me a lot about smart shot selection and patience. I think that we have a very similar game style and she at 58 could probably beat some of the top 10 pros on the tour. She could still give them a very competitive game.

Do you ever feel pressured on the court due to all of the success that your mom has had? No, God. My parents were the last people to put pressure on me about dong anything in sports and school. They knew, they instilled in me to give it the best that I could do. That's all they ever really expect from me is to do the best that I can do. If I lost a match as long as I, I mean no on wants to lose, if I gave it my all and I was a good sport then they were happy.

... (laughing) Chris (her husband) is laughing at me. Even though my mom does call me a bad sport. (laughing). Ok, go ahead.

Your husband also plays racquetball. What level does he compete in? Open.

Does he help you work on your game and has that made a difference in your play? Actually, (laughing) it's been a big wedge in our marriage. No, I'm just kidding. Yeah, he has helped me a lot. I don't think he helps me as much on the court as he does off the court. He is there at like every match, out coaching me, supporting me 100%. It just helps me so much when I am in a match knowing that he's behind me all the way. Sometimes I think he wants me to win more than even I want to win. It's kind of nice to have that support. Also it's nice to have a practice partner. When I really want to practice he's available to practice. If I want to go at 7:00am before work we get up and we go or if I want to play at lunch. I guess I am blessed because he is able to practice with me whenever I need to practice.

Who wins when you play each other? We go back and forth. I would say that Chris wins more than I do but we definitely go back and forth. We play LPRA rules and I think that kind of gives me the advantage.

Do you think that it gives you an advantage on the LPRA tour to have two people so close to you in your family that are top level racquetball players? Oh yeah, it definitely does because even if we are in the car going to the grocery store we can talk about, you know, this match that match just in casual conversation. My mom will pick up things and she can tell me. Chris picks up things that he can tell me about that have helped me in a lot of situations. When I played Jackie in Memphis my mom told me "Hit the sissy serve, hit the sissy serve." She calls it a "sissy serve" because she gets mad at it because it's hard for her to return. It's a backhand wallpaper serve to the backhand. I think it made the difference in my match in Memphis. I probably wouldn't have done that if she wouldn't have told me. So, I think it is very beneficial. I don't think there are any negative aspects of having two of the closest people in my life also traveling with me, playing with me, and having the same interests that I do.

You seemed very calm after winning the U.S. OPEN. How did you really feel? I was really, really excited. I think that anyone that plays racquetball has dreams of winning the U.S. OPEN. It's not so much that I was calm; I guess that is just how I show my emotions in front of a lot of people. When I was with my family and friends we definitely had a wild time.

Did you know that your mom would be flying in to see you play in the finals at the U.S. OPEN? You know, she does that a lot. I knew, well she didn't tell me she wanted to surprise me. She's done that a lot of times like for birthdays when I was in college she'd come in. She did that when I was in the finals at intercollegiates. I kind of had a feeling that she would do that. It was the biggest win of my life and I don't think she would have been able to live with herself if she would have missed it.

How did it make you feel to be able to look out of the back of the court during the finals and see your mom and Chris sitting there rooting for you? I think that my family and my husband are the reason that I am doing so well this year. If you look at last year, I was working doing advertising, a 9 to 5 job. I would get home and be so tired that I wouldn't want to go to the gym. Now I have this amazing job where I can work out. I can sit and talk strategy with my boss all day long in the office. I have an incredibly supportive husband who wants me to go and do everything that I can in this sport. My family is 100% behind me to and they are able to travel with me, which is great. I don't think that I could have more things in my corner than I do right now.

When you beat Cheryl Gudinas in the semifinals at the U.S. OPEN she broke down and said some very nice things about you. What did her words mean to you? I think she was so sincere. Cheryl has beaten me a gazillion times and I have beaten her once, well twice now. I beat her about three years ago in a local tournament. I think that it was hard for her to lose because she was coming off seven wins in a row and she had a lot of pressure on her because of that and being ranked No. 1. I think she handled it so graciously and I think that shows what a true champion she really is.

How did you feel going into the U.S. OPEN? I was confident. I went in there with the feeling that I had nothing to lose and I just wanted to go and give it my all. Each match I had a game plan. I just wanted to stick with my game plan and not skip. In the LPRA it is deadly if you skip and I just wanted to not skip and stick to my game plan.

After defeating the No. 1 player in the semifinals you had to face former U.S. OPEN champion Jackie Paraiso-Rice, another player who could be, and has been, No. 1. Were you worried that you would be satisfied with beating Cheryl? I wasn't really worried about being satisfied because this was the biggest match of my life. I was really getting up for it. I wasn't worried about being satisfied. I left the semifinal match on Saturday and it was, you know, it was yesterday. I prepared for a whole new match. My body was fresh. I didn't even think about the past. All I could think about was the present and the future.

When Doug Ganim introduced you at the U.S. OPEN he dubbed you the fastest rising star on the LPRA tour. Would you say that is accurate? I guess you could say that I am the fastest rising star because I moved from I think like 28 to 3. It just goes to show me that hard work and dedication pays off. I think that if I keep doing what I am doing the sky's the limit.

Is there a big difference between playing on the tour full time and just training? When I wasn't playing on the tour full time I still worked out everyday but I didn't have the time to dedicate towards hitting. Now I do a lot more. I can go a lot more into detail with my workout. I have so much more time to work out longer and play. I just have every opportunity. I have four racquetball courts 20 feet from my office.

Do you plan to play full time on the tour next year as well? Oh yeah. Full time and hopefully No. 1.

You said after the U.S. OPEN that your goal for the year was to win a pro stop and now that you have you would have to reexamine your goals and set new ones. What are the new goals that you have set for yourself? I'd like to maintain a top 3 ranking this year and win two more pro stops before the season lets out. Oh, and I would like to have a strong finish in Houston.

Does that mean that making the U.S. National team is one of your goals? It is. I was on the National team in '94 after I won intercollegiates but I really didn't get to do much with the team. I would love to be on the team. Since I have been around all these girls all the time that have been on the U.S. team I have heard so many stories about their international competition and international travel and all of the camaraderie. I would love to represent the United States, especially at a time like this. With everything that is going on in the world right now I think it would be amazing.

Where do you see yourself at this time next year? This time next year? Hopefully I will be No. 1. That's my goal for next year, to be No. 1. I'd like to improve my game a little bit more. Maybe I can do that in the off-season. I'd like to defend the U.S. OPEN title and win it two years in a row. And basically just finish No. 1.

In closing is there anyone that you would like to thank or mention? Of course my family and friends. As I stated before, my husband and my mom are the main reasons that I have had success on tour. Of course Team Butch; if it wasn't for them I wouldn't have met my husband. I also think that another reason that I have had success is that I switched companies and Ektelon has been more supportive than I ever could have imagined. I love playing with their racquet and I really think it has made a difference in my game. 

I work for Five Seasons Country Club in Cincinnati and they have given me every opportunity to take my game to the next level. My boss, Craig Boynton is so generous to give me the time that I need to train and the time that I need to travel. I couldn't ask for a better situation. He has been incredible not only to work for but he also has helped me when I am preparing for a tough match. I'll call him and he will give me some advice. The support I have from all aspects of my life is incredible.

Mom Gerri Stoffregen has quite an impressive racquetball resume in her own right – claiming 22 national singles and doubles gold medals (11 each) in age group competition … all since 1991. Prior to that, Gerri hadn’t wanted to compete at national events because she didn’t want to leave her three children to travel to tournaments. “When Kerri was of age to travel with me, my friend Shelley Ogden said that I might as well give it a try [competing in national events],” recalled Gerri. So off they went. 

In recognition of her fast ascent in the senior circuit, Gerri received the USRA’s Peggy Steding Female Age Group Athlete of the Year award in 1994, and was inducted into the Ohio Racquetball Hall of Fame in 1995. She plays racquetball 5-6 days a week for two hours at a clip and, according to Kerri, “could probably beat some of the top 10 pros on the [LPRA] tour. She could still give them a very competitive game.” Gerri is the current U.S. National Singles 55+ champion and teamed up with longtime friend Shelley Ogden to win the 2001 U.S. National Doubles 50+ title last fall.

Asked if she shares her daughter’s opinion that it’s beneficial to have close family members to train with and discuss the sport, Gerri replied, “I definitely do. We’re able to talk racquetball, we can go to tournaments together, we get the racquetball magazines. And, with my ability, Kerri was able to play against people that were better than her and that helped to improve her game.”

Gerri proudly describes Kerri as having been an athletic child growing up. “She was on the swim team at the country club. She played high school tennis and racquetball at the same time. She also played basketball, so she is quite athletic.” It runs in the family. Aside from competing in racquetball, Gerri still finds the time to play tennis and holds a 7 handicap in golf.

Gerri also agrees with her daughter’s theory about why she’s having such a successful year on the LPRA tour. “I think she has really trained well, conditioning-wise, she works out everyday. Does stairmaster and runs 4 or 5 miles a day. I think she is very satisfied in her life right now – being married. I also think she has a great job which enables her to have a lot of flexibility. This is her prime time right now. This is a good age for her and she has a lot of self confidence.”

Beau, Kerri, Gerri & Bill after Gerri received the 1994 Peggy Steding Award in Houston.

Kerri agrees, and is quick to thank the people who supported her efforts to achieve her goals: boss Craig Boynton, the Five Seasons Country Club, and Ektelon who “has been more supportive than I ever could have imagined. At home, she credits parents Bill and Gerri Stoffregen, brothers Beau and Darren, husband Chris and a close circle of friends “if it weren’t for them I wouldn’t have met my husband. “The support I have from all aspects of my life is incredible. I don’t think I could have more things in my corner than I do right now.”