2001 Ektelon USRA 34th
National
Singles Championships
Downtown Houston YMCA: Houston, Texas
Memorial Day Weekend, May 23-28
releases
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Gudinas def. Paraiso
7-15, 15-9, 11-8
Huczek def. Carson
15-11, 15-6
Huczek, seeded third at this event, defeated the top seed and defending national champion Rocky Carson (Santa Maria, Calif.) in straight games, 15-11, 15-6. Huczek, 18, became the youngest player to win the men's Open national championship but he still has lofty goals that he wishes to accomplish as he is set to compete on the men's International Racquetball Tour [IRT] full time next season. "My goal is to be number one on the tour." Said Huczek "I am ranked number fifteen now, I have fourteen more spots to go."
Huczek and Carson faced off in last year's tournament in the semifinals with Carson taking that match on his way to his title. Carson, who is known for slowing down the pace of the match, wasn't able to slow down Huczek Sunday. "Last year was the first time that I ever played Rocky," said Huczek "Having played him a couple of times coming in (to this tournament) I was ready, I was able to anticipate him better and I just stayed focused on the match."
The women's Open final was a repeat of last year's as top seeded Cheryl Gudinas played second seed Jackie Paraiso (El Cajon, Calif.). Paraiso dominated the first game, jumping out to an 11-1 lead before closing out the game 15-7. Gudinas was able to refocus between games and take the second game 15-9 and the tiebreaker 11-8.
Paraiso is nursing an injured shoulder, which may have had something to do with the outcome of the match. "There were times when I didn't have the strength to hold on to the racquet." Said Paraiso "But I felt like I played better than I have been. My shoulder is beginning to feel better and I am back on the rise."
The championship is Gudinas' third in a row and she also received the USRA Female Athlete of the Year award Saturday evening during a banquet for the tournament players. "Everything was a struggle out there today." Said Gudinas "I really respect Jackie's game a lot. Winning this tournament is wonderful every time."
Repeaters ...
Kevin Graham will need to outplay Jeff Bell in order to keep his men's 30+ crown. The USRA Male Age Athlete of the Year, Tim Hansen, hopes for a successful title defense against U.S. National Team Head Coach Tom Travers in the men's 40+. Tom is also launching a double challenge as he is set to face defending men's 45+ champion Ruben Gonzales in the men's 45+. Defending men's 50+ champion Mitt Layton will face Russ Mannino in the men's 50+ finals. Ed Remen will try to retain his men's 55+ title against Bill Wolfe and Houston's Joe Lambert will face Frank Trask in his defense of the men's 70+ title.
Defending women's 24- champion, Rhonda Rajsich is leading the division once again this year in the round robin format. Kerri Stoffregen will face Claudine Garcia for the women's 25+ championship, and defending women's 40+ champion Malia Bailey will face Debra Tisinger in the women's 40+ title match. Susan Pfahler will battle Marcy Lynch to defend her women's 45+ title. Gerri Stoffregen is set to defend her women's 55+ title and Jo Kenyon will face Lola Markus in defense of her women's 65+ title. Mary Low Acuff has already received her gold medal in the women's 80+ division.
Open Finals Set
In the second, Carson pulled away to a 12-8 lead which Fowler quickly narrowed to 12-10 but that was as close as he would get before Carson came away with a 15-10 victory. “All I have to say is that he’s really good" said Carson, "I felt like my return was on today and I was able to execute the shots I needed at crucial times.”
After becoming the youngest male to ever make the U.S. Team last year, No.4 seeded Jack Huczek came one step closer to becoming the youngest player to win a men’s Open division title with a surprising 15-5, 15-6 victory over Mike Guidry, currently ranked ninth on the men's pro tour.
Huczek controlled the tempo of play throughout the match as Guidry struggled to find his rhythm. By mixing up his serves, Huczek was able to keep Guidry off balance, often setting up a weak return. “I just wanted to get him into a rally." Huczek recalled. "I knew that if I could do that then I would do well.”
Carson and Huczek previously faced off on the pro tour, at the Michael Lanning Benefit Pro-Am in Minneapolis, where the two went to a tiebreaker that Carson pulled out, 11-9.
Rematch Set
She then dominated the second, jumping out to a 14-3 lead before Fenton was able to manage only two more points in the match. In a final show of good sportsmanship, Fenton called a “carry” on herself at match point.
“It never gets any better (than going for a national title)." said Gudinas. "I couldn’t even sleep last night because I was nervous. When I stop being nervous before a match then it's time to quit.”
Jackie Paraiso was impressive in her 15-5, 15-7 victory over Kersten Hallander to earn a spot in the rematch final. She jumped out to an early 7-0 lead in the first game and never looked back. Hallender mustered a few points but Paraiso kept her on the defensive with precise passes and crisp pinch shots.
Game two saw more of the same, with Paraiso again jumping out to an early lead. Hallender fought hard but was unable to overcome the early deficit and fell 15-7. Referring to a nagging shoulder injury Paraiso said, “A large chunk of my game has been missing recently but not today. I have no expectations at this tournament (due to the injury), I am just happy with every win that I can get.”
Paraiso will be attempting to capture her first women’s Open National Championship, one of the few titles that have eluded her in her career. Gudinas, who finished second several times before finally breaking through in 1999, will be attempting to win her third straight championship.
Negrete, president/owner of the Athletic Club of Bloomingdale (a long-time tour host), has been on hand all this week to both compete in the Men's 35+ and 40+ and do a little schmoozing with tour players and fans.
"I'm really excited about it," said Negrete "the players are looking forward to a new format and we're looking to expand by about three to five tournaments next season."
"I'm psyched about the new structure," said five-time tour champ Sudsy Monchik, who's also been on hand for the past few days, "it's got a lot of potential for growth."
Men On Track
Rocky Carson stayed on track to repeat as national champion with a 15-10, 15-13 victory over Jeff Bell of Tucson, Arizona. Bell had come back from a 12-2 deficit to bring the first game to 15-13, then taken a 9-6 lead in the second before falling to Carson. The win extended Carson's team appointment and he will be recognized as the USRA Male Athlete of the Year at the banquet this evening.
Carson’s opponent will be No.4 seeded Dan Fowler, who defeated Texan Brian Fredenberg15-9, 15-9 to reclaim a team spot. Fowler finished fourth last year and ended the IRT pro tour season with a No.10 ranking.
Third-seeded Jack Huczek had little trouble extending his team term with a 15-8, 15-6 downing of Missouri's Chris Wright. Huczek is the first player to serve concurrent terms on both the adult and junior National Teams. If he's able to claim just two more victories, the 18-year-old would become the youngest male national champion in USRA history.
Mike Guidry “double-qualified” for the U.S. National Team with his victory over Denver's Woody Clouse in straight games of 15-9, 15-8. He had already earned a team appointment at national doubles when he paired up with Ruben Gonzalez to earn a silver medal. The lefty will face Huczek this afternoon.
Gudinas’ opponent will be Laura Fenton, who defeated Kerri Stoffregen 15-9, 15-6. Fenton, who overcame back surgery in 1999 to earn a team spot a year later, will be making her fourth appearance in the semifinals, her first since 1999.
Jackie Paraiso, the No.2 seed, received a win by injury forfeit when San Antonio’s Liz Alvarado twisted her knee at the close of the first game. With the score 13-5 in favor of Paraiso, Alvarado attempted to retrieve a passing shot to her right side and her knee gave out, sending her to the floor. After a 15-minute injury timeout, Alvarado attempted to finish the game, but her knee gave way again and Paraiso closed out the first game 15-5.
Alvarado returned to the court for the second game but after a few rallies her knee buckled, sending her to the floor for a third, and final, time. She was carried off the court to sympathetic crowd applause for her efforts.
Another Texan, Kim Russell of Austin, was defeated in the quarterfinals by former doubles partner Kersten Hallander 15-2, 15-5. Hallender overpowered her opponent on her way to her second straight semifinal appearance.
Raising the Bar
According to congressional stipulations put forth by the Stevens Amateur Sports Act, individual national governing body [NGB] rulings may not be more restrictive than the International Federation [IF] which governs each sport. For racquetball, this means that the U.S. Racquetball Association [USRA=NGB] is legally bound to follow the guidelines established by the International Racquetball Federation [IRF=IF] for athlete eligibilty. Recently the IRF determined that "eligible" athletes would be anyone who had not exceeded $50,000 in pro tour earnings in a single calendar year.
The gist ... beginning as early as national doubles in October, the USRA must allow all players to compete in U.S. team qualifying "open" (completely unrestricted) divisions at USRA national championships. If the IRT and LPRA pro tours do not institute their own restrictions limiting tour players from competing for team spots in USRA events, we could look forward to a very high-profile roster of Open division entrants in Las Vegas this fall.
And for the rest of us? The Elite Division has now been recognized and adopted as an official competitive division at USRA events (falling between the U.S. Team qualifying "open" and "A" skill divisions) so it can be entered just like any other bracket. The USRA Board will be reviewing its competitive environments and drafting policy to govern new situations over the coming months
Got questions? Refer to the current issue of RACQUETBALL (in Executive Director Luke St. Onge's column and the editorial) for some added insights, or ask a director!
States fielding the largest teams in Houston this year were:
- 1. Texas (147)
- 2. California (38)
- 3. Illinois (31)
- 4. Ohio (30)
- 4. Virginia (30)
- 6. Florida (25)
- 7. Pennsylvania (22)
- 8. Louisiana (20)
- 9. North Carolina (19)
- 10. Colorado (17).
Eight Re-Qualify for the U.S. Team with Quarterfinal Wins
#5 Laura Fenton def. #13 Kerri Stoffregen 15-9, 15-6
#3 Kersten Hallander def. #6 Kim Russell 15-2, 15-5
#2 Jackie Paraiso def. #10 Liz Alvarado 15-5, 0-0 injury
#1 Cheryl Gudinas def. #9 Elaine Albrecht 15-6, 15-13
Men's Open Quarterfinal RESULTS
#4 Dan Fowler def. Brian Fredenberg 15-9, 15-9
#3 Jack Huzcek def. #6 Chris Wright 15-8, 15-6
#10 Mike Guidry def. Woody Clouse 15-9, 15-8
#1 Rocky Carson def. Jeff Bell 15-10, 15-13
Open Semifinals — Saturday 1-4 pm
Open Finals — Sunday, 2:00 pm (women), 3:30 pm (men)
Remaining division finals — Memorial Day Monday!
USRA Board Election Results
In addition, the board spent a great deal of time in revising the U.S. Team selection procedures used for fielding squads for international competition; aligning its eligibility standards with recent International Racquetball Federation changes; reviewing its membership and education programs; as well as committing to an intensive, long-range strategic planning session later in the summer. Look for some major changes to take place in the coming season!
So Far, So Good
This year, we'll be watching Tim Hansen and Agatha Falso as they attempt to hold onto their streaks prior to accepting their awards on Saturday evening. So far, top-seeded defending 40+ champ Hansen is right on track and will face Albuquerque's Tom Neill tonight at 5:30. Falso will begin her 50+ round robin on Saturday at 9:30 am against Patti Nishimura. Here's hoping they can beat the odds!
Testing Out
On the Line
For the men, top-seeds Rocky Carson, Jack Huczek and Dan Fowler all must win today to stay on the team. Only Mike Guidry (the 2000 doubles runner-up with Ruben Gonzalez) has some breathing room until October. With the exception of Brian Fredenberg, who placed third for a team spot in 1999, the remaining contenders (Jeff Bell, Chris Wright and Woody Clouse) are all seeking a team debut with a win today.
On the women's side, only defending champion Cheryl Gudinas must advance today to extend her term. If she's successful, only two more matches will stand between her and a third consecutive national open title.
Of the remaining hopefuls, four qualified for the team at national doubles and have nothing to lose (Hallander, Russell, Fenton and Paraiso). Kerri Stoffregen held a team spot in 1994 for her intercollegiate win that year, but hasn't re-qualified since, and Liz Alvarado will have to pull out an upset win over No.2 seeded Paraiso today at 2:20 to be named to the team for the first time.
And at least one new player will be named to the women's squad, after No.13 seeded Kerri Stoffregen outlasted No.4 seeded Rhonda Rajsich yesterday in a match that lasted nearly two hours. Rajsich had taken the first game 15-11 before Stoffregen fought back to take game two, 15-13. The close tiebreaker saw the score tie at 8-8, 9-9, and 10-10 before Stoffregen was able to squeak out the last point of the match to advance to the quarterfinals with an 11-10 victory.
They Got Game
As a team, the pair are the current World Doubles champions after winning both the individual title rounds and World Cup team playoffs in San Luis Potosi, Mexico last August.
Birthdays!
05/22: Marcia Richards, Dana Levy
05/23: Agatha Falso, Felix Ruiz, Kelly North
05/25: Rob DeJesus
05/26: Ed Schrimsher, Mike Johnston, Shane Vanderson
05/27: Marie Birmingham, Kipp Atwell, Lynn Hiorns
05/28: Joe Hassey, Rosario Kelley, Robert Faltysek, Mike Guidry
Early Upsets
Other upsets included Josh Tucker, of Joplin, Missouri defeating #7 seed Kevin Graham of Oakdale, Mississipi; Texan Brian Fredenberg over #12 seeded Age Group Athlete of the Year Tim Hansen of West Palm Beach, Fla.; Austin's Ryan Rodgers topping #13 seeded Willie Tilton of Colorado Springs, Colorado; former two-time national champion Michael Bronfeld beating #15 seed Mitch Williams of Washington, N.C., and Mike Johnson of Denver, ousting #16 seed Mathew Majxner of Bozeman, Montana.
Current U.S. National Intercollegiate Champion and RACQUETBALL magazine cover-subject Shane Vanderson of Dublin, Ohio survived a late scare in the last match of the day. Utah's Brian Pointelin won the first game against No. 14 seeded Vanderson, 15-5, but Vanderson was able to storm back to a 15-2 victory in the second game and later outlast Pointelin 11-8 in the tiebreaker.
Defending champion and No.1 seeded Rocky Carson, No.3 Jack Huczek and No.4 Dan Fowler were all able to advance easily in straight games.
Big Surprise
“I knew going in that he was a top ranked pro; I don’t get to face competition like that where I'm from.” Aldinger is the Pennsylvania state Open champion, but he opted to play in the men’s 30+ (which he won) at regionals and forego the chance for a seed position here in Houston.
So how did an unseeded player that has never faced competition from one of the top pros manage to defeat the No.5 seed? “I just wanted to stay in the match early.” he explained, “As the match kept going, my confidence kept building. It is definitely the biggest win of my career.”
Locker took the first game 15-14 and jumped out to an early 7-3 lead in the second but Aldinger was able to battle back and force a tiebreaker with a 15-2 win. Locker again jumped out to 6-3 in the deciding game, but Aldinger was able to dig deep to tie the score at 7-7, where he called a strategic timeout.
“When I called the timeout ... somebody told me that there is no glory unless I won.” said Aldinger. “That’s when I decided that if I had come this close that I might as well finish it.” He went on to take the third game, and match, 11-8.
Aldinger was later defeated in the round of 32 by Ohio’s Mike Dennison in another grueling match,12-15, 15-8, 11-4. When asked if the earlier faceoff with Locker may have fatigued him, Aldinger replied, “I want to say ‘no’ but my legs say ‘yes’. Not to take anything away from Mike (Dennison), he played a great match, I just wish I would have been a little more fresh.”
An interesting sidenote to Aldinger’s story was that although this may have been his second appearance at Nationals, it was his first healthy bout. Three years ago, when he made his first trip to Houston, he was bitten by a spider three days before he was scheduled to play. With the poison working into his thigh muscle, it was hard for him to walk, let alone play competitively at the time. “It was a wreck, I couldn’t even move. So, basically, for the past three weeks, (leading up to this tournament), I kept myself in a plastic bubble.” It must have been a 20x40' bubble since it was obvious that he's been practicing.
Cover Material
Last year Coy won both the men’s 24-and-under C/D division and the men’s C division here in Houston, defeating players ten years his senior. This year Coy moves into the men’s B and men’s 24-and-under A/B divisions.
Coy has set lofty goals for himself this year, “I want to accomplish what I did last year, win states, two titles at adult Nationals, and two World Junior titles.” He feels that may be enough to win the SI recognition again this year, “That's my ultimate goal.” And he's well on his way to meeting those goals after taking first place in the men’s B division at the Oklahoma State Championships. The second stage of his journey began yesterday.
All of his accomplishments are remarkable enough, but what makes them even more amazing is that Coy’s left leg and ankle were amputated at age four.
In past competition, he's worn a prosthetic leg which had no bend or flex in it, making it difficult for him to maneuver around the court. This year he has a new style prosthetic with more flex in the ankle, making it easier for him to move from side to side. “I'm faster this year because of it.” Not only does Coy expect to be faster this year, but he’s is also playing better racquetball, practicing up to three hours per day. Bad news for his opponents in age and skill divisions here in Houston, as those who played against him last year can attest!
Top Athletes Seek Spots on U.S. National Racquetball Team
Eight one-year appointments to the U.S. National Team will be up for grabs in the men's and women's Open divisions, where the top four finishers in each will earn spots on the team. Later a squad will be named to compete at the Pan-American trials to be held next year in Cochabamba, Bolivia during the Pan-American Racquetball Federation's [PARC] 15th Tournament of the Americas, March 22-31, 2002.
Rocky Carson (Santa Maria, Calif.) and Cheryl Gudinas (Chicago, Ill.) both return to Houston seeking to defend their Open division titles; Gudinas will attempt to secure her third straight national singles title. Both Carson and Gudinas captured gold medals at the 2001 Tournament of the Americas held in San Pedro Sula, Honduras this past April.
Jack Huczek (Rochester Hills, Mich.), Shane Vanderson (Dublin, Ohio), and Kristen Walsh (Salt Lake City, Utah) will also be vying for debut wins among the veterans. The three youngsters have the distinction of being the only players to serve concurrent terms on both the U.S. National Junior Team and the U.S. National Adult Team. Huczek first accomplished the feat with his bronze medal performance at last year's U.S. National Singles Championships. Vanderson and Walsh followed, earning their appointments by winning the U.S. National Intercollegiate Championships men's and women's titles, respectively, this past March.
National titles will be awarded in dozens of divisions, from the U.S. Team qualifying Open divisions to age divisions offered in five year increments between 24-and-under and 85-and-over, plus skill divisions (A,B,C,D), and combined age/skill divisions (25+ A/B).
Play will begin on Wednesday, May 23, at the Downtown Houston YMCA, with matches starting as early as 8:00 AM and continuing through Memorial Day weekend. The men's and women's U.S. Team Qualifying Open division finals will be played Sunday afternoon and all other division playoff matches will be held throughout the day, Monday May 28.
Mike Guidry (Carrollton) is an assistant coach for the U.S. Junior National Team as well as a member of the U.S. National Team and the athlete representative on the USRA Board of Directors. With all of these activities, he has still found time to compete on the men's International Racquetball Tour [IRT] and is currently ranked ninth. Guidry comes to Houston with his mind set on capturing his first U.S. National title.
Some other Texans competing for a spot on the U.S. National Team are former pro, Dave Peck (Austin), 1999 bronze medalist, Brian Fredenberg (The Colony), Jim Minkle (Houston), Ryan Rodgers (Austin), and Tom Furhman (Wichita Falls), in addition to numerous other Texans.