Start to the Racquetball Season
December 6, 2017
Racquetball has officially started for the year. The three teams, JV2A, JV2B, and Varsity, have been competing in singles and doubles matches since November.
Varsity put up a good fight against long-time rivals, Lafayette Lancers. The team remains hopeful for the rest of their season and to play against the Lancers again soon.
“As long as we try our best and have fun, I’m happy, and I know the rest of our team feels like we won,” senior varsity seed 1 Anna Hill said.
This year there are 11 seniors on the team this year, as well as four juniors and three sophomores.
When asked about her final year, senior Erin Schuler stated, “I have been looking forward to my senior season for a while, but I know it will be bittersweet.”
All three teams are looking forward to team bonding. This year there is both a team dinner and a team sleepover in the works. The seniors are planning them in order to assimilate all the grades so they all really come together and play as a team.
“I can’t for team bonding!” senior Annie Harter said. “ It was so much fun last year, and I’m sure it will be fun again!”
Hill agrees and says it is “a great way to get to know the upper and lower classmen.”
All the girls really enjoy playing racquetball.
“I love the feeling of competing on the court,” junior Kaleigh Ishmael said.
Players say the atmosphere is always inviting with people always laughing and joking around either with their teammates or their coaches. But when it comes to the sport, they are all business.
“I love the competition that comes with the game,” Schuler said. “We take it really seriously, but we also have a lot of fun off the court as a team!”
The three teams practice every Sunday and have games during the week. During practices they do drills, play practice games, and talk to their coaches about where they can improve. Some of the hardest parts of racquetball are receiving serves, serving successful, and ceiling balls. Over the last few weeks the girls worked really hard trying to improve on these in practices.
“If you can hit consistent ceiling balls, you can beat any racquetball player,” Coach Cindy Burman said.
This year racquetball also earned a new coach Mark Kissel who brings a new energy and vibe to the team. Mark’s positive outlook is a perfect balance to Cindy’s more competitive nature.
All three teams also compete in several tournaments throughout the season.
Coming up in mid-December, varsity girls ranked seeds one, two, and three will participate in the Top Seed Tournament. The three teams will also be playing in a big doubles tournament. During doubles games there are four people on the court instead of two.
After that the team will start preparing for the end of season State Tournament which is in February. The girls compete in tournaments based on their seed amongst the other players on their team.
“I love the fun and satisfying feeling that comes when I play,” Harter smiles. “ Racquetball is the BEST!”
