From the President 2 Glass Court One-Day Doubles 10 26th Pan American Racquetball Championships 25 ISRA Family News 3 Women’s Senior/Masters Racquetball Championships 12 ISRA 2013 Notice of Election 4 Tournament Calendar 26 ISRA State Doubles What Racquetball Championships 14 Lend Your Support 27 Means to Me 5 46th USA Racquetball National 2013 ISRA Newsletter ISRA Rules and Doubles Championships 17 Advertising Rates 27 Referee Program 6 41st ISRA State Singles USAR Membership INSIDE The Kill Shot Kids Corner 7 Championships 18 Application 27 2012-2013 Hall of Fame 28th Annual Racquetball and Annual Awards 9 Shamrock Shootout 22 Challenge Courts 28 www.illinoisracquetball.com 1 From the ILLINOIS STATE RACQUETBALL PRESIDENT ASSOCIATION Someone recently expressed con- cern to an ISRA Board Member that PRESIDENT our tournament results were not up Laurel Davis - Oak Brook to date on the Illinois website. That VICE PRESIDENT is correct. Results for all sanctioned after the Cheryl Kirk - Naperville tournaments between 2003 (Hallow- tourna- een Classic IRT Pro Stop) and April ment con- SECRETARY 2009 (USAR Regionals) are currently cludes. Marla Cusano - Lombard posted on the ISRA website under the “Tournament Information/Tourna- The other results that get a great TREASURER ment Results” tab. However, when the deal of attention are the results of Michelle Halverson - Lombard new ISRA website is up and running, Travel League matches, and they viewing of all tournament results will are posted on the ISRA website. ZONE VICE PRESIDENTS Geoff Peters - Chicago (North) be linked from our site over to the R2 We just learned that R2 has created Doug Halverson - Lombard (West) Sports Tournament Management Sys- functionality that will allow us to Pam Schubach - Peoria (Central) tem (www.r2sports.com). use it for Travel League. That means all of the matches played in Travel John O’Donnell, Jr. - Champaign Illinois event results beginning in (South) League would be included in rank- January 2006 reside on R2. Via the ing calculations and results could GOVERNING BOARD Search feature, you can view results be tracked and viewed through Patrice Calvi - New Lenox not only from Illinois tournaments www.usaracquetball.com. We will Rich Clay - Libertyville but also from national championships be working over the summer to see Mike Davern - Naperville and tournaments held in other states. how we can make that work for next Steve Goodman - Wheaton (Note: Rest assured that the ISRA season. Pam Grace - Wheaton still retains several decades’ worth of Jim Maroon - Morton records electronically or, before the One last item for this issue’s letter! Rick Seaberg - North Aurora age of technology dawned, stored in John O’Donnell, Jr. has resurrected Joe Silius - Mokena a great number of binders still in one the Referee Certification program Lynne Weisbart - Lake Forest “lucky” Board member’s basement.) over the last few months. John has held several rules and referee clin- AUXILIARY BOARD Back to the present, there’s a lot of Jonathon Bowles - Elgin ics, administered tests, and has a cool information out there. I signed few people working on the required Keith Brown - West Chicago onto www.usaracquetball.com today Dan Flood - Sugar Grove number of matches in order to Jeff Grace - Wheaton and by clicking on Rankings at the meet the Level 1 Certified Referee Paul Jepsen - Hinsdale top and searching my name, I took a requirement. You might want to Joann Kempthorne - East Peoria look at all of my own personal match join the effort. While we normally Dolores Lamberson - LaGrange results for the last 4+ years. I can see pay referees $5 per match at ISRA Kit Lawson - Naperville every match I have played, regardless events, certified referees will be Dave Milazzo - Gurnee of whether it was a singles match, Liz Molitor - Glen Ellyn paid $10 per match at next year’s women’s doubles match or a mixed State Singles, Doubles and Region- Len Restaino - Homer Glen doubles match. I noticed I have been Bill Roberts - Chicago als tournaments. It sounds like this a bit more successful when I have might be a good project for players Mike Vicary - Metamora a partner, especially if that partner Lynn Yeazell - Naperville to start this summer! For more in- is a man! Rankings are an under- formation, see page 6 of this issue ISRA NEWSLETTER STAFF appreciated benefit of participating in and/or contact John O’Donnell, Jr. Cheryl Kirk - Editor sanctioned events. And, R2 Sports at [email protected]. Joe Silius - Advertising Editor allows racquetball players and fans to Kit Lawson - Photo Editor follow the tournament while it is going It has been a great season. Thanks on and allows us to submit the results to all of the volunteers who have The ISRA Newsletter is published into the ranking system very shortly helped to make the 2012-2013 sea- quarterly, and is the official publication son a success. This season con- of the Illinois State Racquetball cludes with National Singles, May Association (ISRA). All rights reserved. Copyright 2013. Reproduction in whole On the Cover... 15-19. The Racquet for the Cure or in part of any text, photograph or Tournament in Peoria scheduled for illustration without written permission ISRA Annual Award winners with June 7-8 will be the first tournament from the ISRA is strictly prohibited. ISRA President Laurel Davis: of the 2013-2014 ISRA season. Letters to the Editor, photographs, and Nancy Kronenfeld, Matt Robinson, articles or editorial contributions should Have an enjoyable summer! be sent to [email protected]. Marla Cusano, Tom Ness, Clint Hickman Laurel Typesetting by: TypaGraphics 2 www.illinoisracquetball.com ISRA FAMILY NEWS What a Season! by Hung Che Editor’s Note: This may be one of the best proposal stories ever! So, this is my season, I guess...winning a State title, and double gold at that, and winning Dana’s hand in marriage. It is more than I could have hoped for! I wanted to propose to Dana (Mui) at our favorite restaurant with her family and friends on hand upstairs to surprise her. But last-minute changes got in the way…my sister was coming into town that day (Saturday, August 25) to throw a party for my 1-year old niece’s birthday. I was unable to change the date due to other family members coming into town, so on to Plan B. I found a local race, the Skokie 5K Backlot Dash, that was taking place that morning. I decided to surprise her with a proposal at the end of that race. I knew she was not going to be able to run it due to her upcoming marathon plans and corresponding training schedule. My initial ideas on a proposal did not include any type of physical activity and running a race at that…but it was in the name of love! Soon it was race day, early morning, and I had arranged that both of our families would be there “to watch me run.” Dana didn’t seem to think anything was strange about this...excellent. I do think she was a bit miffed that everyone came to watch me run this measly 5K when she runs much bigger races all the time and doesn’t get this type of turn- out! So, I started the race and ran the first 2.5 miles in my running gear. Things were going relatively well, except that it was hot, and I hate to run. I had recruited some friends to bring the ring, flowers, and a tux I had rented earlier that week to the 2.5-mile marker, just before the final turn. I changed into my tux to run the last half-mile and was even able to convince some police officers to follow behind me for the last three blocks to give me a po- lice escort! Well, once Dana saw me running down the street in my tux, with police lights in the background, she put two and two together. She even said out loud, “Is that why everyone is here?” It didn’t take long for her to start crying in anticipation of me reach- ing the finish line to pop the question. When I neared the finish line, I stopped and waved her out from the sidelines to meet me in the street, in front of every- one! As Dana came out, the Photo courtesy of Hung Che race director came up Dana, will you marry me? to me and asked if I wanted to use the megaphone. I was really only planning to ask her one question, not to give a big speech! I’m not sure what I said, things were blurry, but I said some nice things and some funny things, and pretty much proclaimed my love for her. The crowd loved it, they laughed and cheered, and I ended it on bended knee proposing to the love of my life in front of our family and friends…on a megaphone. I received the answer I was hoping for! As I was putting the ring on her finger, I asked if she would finish the race with me. Since you can’t run a race without race bibs, I unbuttoned my jacket and revealed custom- made race bibs, with our names on them, wedding rings, and the date, Photo courtesy of Hung Che 0825, our four-year anniversary as well. She said “Yes!” Mission accomplished, wedding on September 7th! continued on next page www.illinoisracquetball.com 3 NOTICE OF ELECTION of ISRA Officers and Board Members The ISRA Board will hold its Annual Meeting on Tuesday, The following two individuals are being nominated to the June 11, 2013.