The USRA recently announced the recipients of the 2002-03 scholarship awards. The program funded a $500 award to each student to be used toward expenses for undergraduate education. 

Repeat awards were given to Krystal Csuk (Naperville, IL) attending Baldwin-Wallace College and Joel Worthington (Overland Park, KS) at the University of Kansas, followed by first-time awards for: Christopher Barton (Portland, OR) University of Southern Colorado; Christopher Finley (Greenville, NC) University of North Carolina – Charlotte; Laurie Fisk (St. Louis, MO) University of Missouri; Christopher Meyer (McMinnville, OR) University of Colorado; and Travis Woodbury (Arlington, VA) at the University of Memphis.

Chris Barton began playing racquetball competitively as a freshman in high school and by the time he was a senior won the Oregon State High School championships in both singles and doubles. He graduated from Mt. Hood Community College and plans to continue his education at the University of Southern Colorado and compete on their racquetball squad.

Krystal Csuk is a two-time USRA Scholarship recipient from Naperville, Illinois. She is the current U.S. Intercollegiate Champion and was a member of the 2002 Baldwin Wallace National Racquetball Championship team. Krystal is also a member of the U.S. National Team.

Chris Finley graduated in the top third of his class at D.H. Conley High School in Greenville, N.C. He began playing tournaments in 1993 and is ranked No. 1 in men’s D in North Carolina. He attends the University of North Carolina – Charlotte, where he is majoring in Engineering.

Laurie Fisk is the reigning 18- Mixed Doubles National High School Champion and a member of the 2002 Kirkwood High National High School Championship Team. She is continuing her education at the University of Missouri – Columbia where she plans on majoring in Business. Laurie graduated from high school with a 3.66 cumulative GPA.

Christopher Meyer graduated with honors from McMinnville High School in 2002. He is the founder of the McMinnville H.S. Racquetball Club and has competed in numerous national championships and two world championships. He attends the University of Colorado – Boulder.

Travis Woodbury has been a member of the U.S. National Junior Racquetball team and runner-up in several national and world junior events. He is attending the University of Memphis where he is a member of the racquetball team. Travis is also an advanced certified instructor and has spent time as a volunteer for the U.S. OPEN Racquetball Championships.

Joel Worthington is a two-time USRA scholarship recipient. He has completed his second year at the University of Kansas where he is studying to earn a degree in Strategic Communications from the School of Journalism. Joel also spent a semester studying abroad in Europe splitting six weeks in Florence, Italy and six weeks in Paris, France where he still found time to compete.

Scholarship applications are available to currently enrolled college students and graduating high school seniors that have been accepted into an accredited university as a full-time student. The deadline to apply for a 2003-2004 scholarship is June 15,2003. Please contact the USRA for an application.

Pictured, top to bottom:
Chris Barton
Krystal Csuk
Chris Finley
Laurie Fisk
Christopher Meyer
Travis Woodbury
Joel Worthington 

The Wyoming Racquetball Association, in partnership with the Green River Parks and Recreation Department, proudly announced its first $500.00 scholarship, awarded to Jason Rich of Green River. Jason is the son of Gino and Elaine Rich of Green River, and is attending the University of Wyoming this year. 

This new scholarship for the youth of Wyoming has taken a few years to develop, many hours of consultation, brainstorming, and hard work. The Wyoming Racquetball Association helps clubs and recreation departments with the scheduling of racquetball tournaments, promotes membership in the United States Racquetball Association, and also keeps track of state wide points for seeding in their sanctioned tournaments. They were very generous in kicking off this scholarship by donating $1,000 to get the fund started. They also wrote a letter to all members endorsing the scholarship. The rest of the donations were made by racquetball players throughout the State of Wyoming

This exciting new program will help boost the development of Junior Programs in Wyoming's clubs and recreation centers. Junior programs are very instrumental in developing new players and giving the youth a chance to continue playing this fun sport through college and beyond.

Interested candidates can pick up scholarship information from their counselors office, or send an email to Lisa Maes at limaes@wyoming.com for a copy of the application. Requirements include showing good sportsmanship, tournament play, helping younger players learn the game, and citizenship off the court. The scholarship is available to high school seniors and college students. 

I would like to commend former WRA President, Jay Beach; Treasurer, Kelly Tegeler; Vice President, Mark Smith; new President, Thomas Neibauer; and all the players who contributed. They helped make an idea become a reality.

Again, congratulations to Jason Rich of Green River for becoming the first recipient of this scholarship. We look forward to the future, and the presentation of more awards like this in 2003.

It’s easy to see why Ryan Rodgers traded a computer screen for a racquetball racquet.

When Rodgers isn’t teaching as part of his duties as the professional at the Racquetball and Fitness Club in San Antonio, he’s usually on the road competing in a tournament or conducting a demonstration.

“Once I started playing racquetball, I kept playing because I loved it,” Rodgers said while taking a break after a demonstration match against fellow pro Lance Gilliam at the Victoria YMCA on Tuesday night. "Now, I play racquetball for my job. I couldn’t ask for anything better than that.”

Considering the 26-year-old Rodgers is ranked No. 4 in the state and has the opportunity to earn an income in the six-figure range, his decision to change his major at the University of Texas from computer science to kinesiology makes perfect sense.

"I wanted to be an engineer,” Rodgers said. "But I just couldn’t see myself sitting behind a computer all day.”

Instead, Rodgers spends most of his time on the racquetball court, where he launched a program for maximum success in a minimum amount of time.

Rodgers played basketball and tennis when he attended high school in Irving and didn’t pick up a racquetball racquet until he arrived in Austin.

"Some of my friends started playing and I pretty much learned on my own,” Rodgers said. "I played a girl in my first match and she beat me. It was a new challenge. ``

It took Rodgers three matches to avenge his first loss and he became proficient enough to make Texas’ racquetball team, which competes on the club level, as a sophomore.

He took part in four intercollegiate championships at Texas, going from the team’s No. 4 player in his first year to the No. 1 player in his third and fourth years.

Rodgers advanced to the quarterfinals last spring in Las Vegas before becoming a professional in the summer.

"I used to want to hit every shot as hard as I could,” Rodgers said. "But I learned that accuracy is more important. Now, I’m trying to get accuracy with power.”

Rodgers displayed his technique during the demonstration match against Gilliam, spraying shots at different speeds from all angles of the court.

"The more experience you get, the more racquetball becomes like a chess game,” Rodgers said. ``You learn when to hit a pinch shot (off the side wall to the front wall), down the line or a cross-court shot.” 

Rodgers has also learned how important it is to keep your emotions in check during a match.

"Racquetball is a very mental sport,” Rodgers said. "If you’re mad, it makes it difficult to do things. It’s a sport that’s really hard to learn and it’s easy to get frustrated with when things aren’t going right. But the more you learn, it becomes easier to get back on track.”

Racquetball reached its peak during the 1980s before participation dropped off in the `90s due in part to a lack of court space.

But Rodgers has noticed a resurgence in racquetball’s popularity and that’s why he enjoys doing clinics.

"You can learn the game if you find a good instructor,” Rodgers said. "You need to get someone early on and learn your basic stroke. Little tips can make a big difference.”

The best tips, as Rodgers knows all too well, can’t be found on a computer screen.

Reprinted by permission of the author; originally published 10/18/2001 in the Victoria Advocate.

At the Choice U.S. OPEN in Memphis, spectators may have noticed one young fan in attendance who was often — predictably — lulled to sleep courtside. With bright eyes open (sometimes) she seemed to adapt quickly to the squashing sound of a racquetball rollout and the cheers of the crowd at the end of a rally. 

Although new to the sport, she was heading toward national acclaim for an all-time attendance record at major USRA sanctioned events in Texas and the United States. As yet, the record has gone unchallenged!

On her arrival day, her father happened to be in the final stages of completing the draw, and issuing starting times, for the October 25-27 Spook Fest in San Antonio. Apparently, she wanted to see the event for herself, even though Dad lost an 11-10 tiebreaker in the semi-finals. “I must have been dreaming,” she mused.

But while awake she did enjoy her first tournament and was snug as a bug courtside at the November 8-10, Jim’s Gym event in San Marcos, Texas. A bystander of sorts, she blissfully snoozed through her father’s semi-final finish once again. He was pleased and her mother was beaming, too!

Then, the proud parents (without a doubt) and the mini-fan were on the road once more, to make the trip to Memphis for the 2002 Choice Hotels U.S. OPEN Racquetball Championships. That week was her first experience in the big leagues of professional racquetball.

As Lance Gilliam stated, “It was really something seeing her for the first time. I was helping her dad finish the draw and assign starting times in the hospital cafeteria when he got the call.” Lance continued to plan the event while his friend went on to fulfill his husbandly duties in the maternity ward.

Kayden Bailey Rodgers, born on the evening of October 22, 2002 in San Antonio is the daughter of Tish and Ryan Rodgers. Mom and Dad are employed at the San Antonio Racquetball & Fitness Club as coordinator and pro respectively.

Although she weighs less than a case of racquetballs and her talent on the court is still unpredictable she has the makings of a champion ... two loving parents and a streak of three events in four weeks! 

At her current pace, by the time she reaches 10, a record 480 events could be under her pillow. U.S. OPEN players and fans couldn’t help but extend their congratulations to Ryan, Tish and the youngest fan in racquetball – Kayden! Maybe she's a racquetball fairy, or maybe she just wants to catch a nap. Either way, she was courtside all week long in Memphis! 

Introducing Hailee “Comet” Nichole Fluhart, born to Nichole Mettenbrink on July 17, 2002. 

She is the granddaughter of long-time racquetball enthusiast Tom Mettenbrink, and godchild to Uncle Travis, of Grand Island, Nebraska. Good forehand!