HISTORY & OVERVIEW

By the early 70's, court clubs could be found in every state and the sport enjoyed a rapid and steady rise in popularity. As Americans sought new and challenging athletic activities, the timing was perfect for racquetball -- courts were accessible nationwide and the sport was fun and easy to learn. The late 70's and early 80's saw racquetball become one of the fastest growing sports in America as thousands of new racquetball courts were built to satisfy the demand.

But the sport saturated the market and reached its peak in the mid 80's, when many clubs either closed their doors or began converting courts to other uses. But by 1987 the decline leveled off and racquetball regained a steady, manageable growth rate.

From an original core group of loyal enthusiasts, participation has stabilized at just below five million American players who enjoy the sport each year.

Internationally, the sport has also attained great heights in its short history -- with World Championships held bi-annually since 1981, the addition of five International Olympic Committee approved events and its debut as a Pan American Games Sport in 1995.

These are exciting times for the sport of racquetball. With increasing exposure to a growing market of recreational and competitive players -- combined with the sport's proven track record of retention and steady annual growth, plus the promise of achieving the "Olympic Dream" racquetball is well positioned for the future.

DEMOGRAPHICS

SUMMARY

• In the last decade, a player base of Americans who played racquetball at least once has stabilized at just below five million in the U.S., and just under six million worldwide. 
• The racquetball population is youth-oriented, with 57.5% of players falling in the 12-34 age range. 
• Racquetball is a popular activity among the young/affluent segment, who are more likely to play frequently (25 or more times per year) than are participants in any of the other special population segments. ("Young/Affluent" are defined as 25 44 years old; have household incomes of $50,000 + in professional/managerial occupations.) 
• Racquetball players tend to be significantly more upscale than the general population, with the highest incidence of participation at the $75,000+ income level. 
• Addressing retention, the majority of today's racquetball players have been playing for four or more years.

FACTS & FIGURES

• The average number of calories burned during racquetball play ranges from moderate at 640/hour [Prevention, 1995] to 794/hour [Men's Health, 1995] -- to a high level at 13.7 per minute (or 822/hour) [Sports Training Institute].
• An average game will take 20 minutes, during which a player will run a distance of approximately 3,650 feet -- or over two miles in one hour of play. [U.S. Olympic Training Center]
• Racquetball players work at a constant rate of 75 to 85% of their maximum heart rate for the duration of a typical racquetball game. [USRA Elite Training Camp, 1992]
• Racquetball offers both aerobic and anaerobic benefits, with both sustained high level heart rate activity and quick bursts of energy required during play.
• Racquetball works nearly every muscle group, including sustained, repetitive use of large muscles that increase calorie burn and reduce fat percentage.

THE OLYMPIC DREAM

In its formative years, the sport's leadership recognized the need for international development and quickly identified the "Olympic Dream" as a vital long-term goal. Immediately following the first racquetball World Championship in 1981 the United States Olympic Committee granted the national governing body "Group C" Olympic status in 1982. Racquetball continued to advance in the Olympic structure and in 1989 attained its highest level of recognition by becoming the youngest sport to ever achieve U.S.O.C. "full member" status for its national governing body (NGB).

This brought new levels of exposure to the sport, as it was featured in U.S. Olympic Festivals and is now routinely considered in the planning phases of future Olympic Games. Racquetball made its debut as a full medal sport at the 1995 Pan-American Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and has since been featured in subsequent games in Winnipeg, Canada [1999] and Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic [2003].

Racquetball's rapid domestic and international growth has been remarkable. Now played in over 90 countries worldwide, the sport's bi-annual World Championships routinely draw teams from 30+ countries on six continents.

Affiliations
-- The USRA is a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC)
-- The USRA is recognized as an official national governing body (NGB) of the USOC. [NGB sports are on the program of the Pan American and Olympic Games.]
-- The International Racquetball Federation (IRF) is recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC)
-- Racquetball is a full member of the General Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF)

Racquetball is a full medal sport in ...
The Pan American Games
The Pacific Rim Championships
The Central American Games
The Central American Caribbean Games
The Bolivian Games
The South American Games
The World Games

USRA PROFILE

The United States Racquetball Association [USRA] is a not-for-profit corporation designed to promote the development of competitive and recreational racquetball in the United States. The association offers member institutions and individuals an opportunity to participate and contribute to the development and growth of the sport.

The aims and objectives are comprehensive and listed in Article II, paragraph 202 of the Constitution and By-Laws of the USRA. Since 1968, with these aims and objectives in mind, the USRA leadership (made up of a member-elected Board of Directors and a salaried national staff) has established and maintains the programs described in detail elsewhere.

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