The 2009 Halloween 2009 ISRA Players Lend Your Support 20 From the President 2 Classic 6 of the Year 16 Attention ISRA Family News 3 Slam It For Susan 8 2010 Distinguished ISRA Members 20 Service Award 17 Illinois Deaf Racquetball USA Racquetball ISRA Golf Outing 4 Tournament 9 James B. Dvorak Award 18 Membership Application 20 3rd Annual Illinois 2009 US Open Racquetball 2009 ISRA Newsletter Vest-A-Dog Raquetball Championships 11 Advertising Rates 18 Racquetball Fundraiser 5 Challenge Retrospective View of the ISRA 2010 Tournament Courts 21 John LoMonaco History of Racquetball 14 Calendar 19 Memorial Grant 5 www.illinoisracquetball.com 1 ILLINOIS STATE From the RACQUETBALL ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT PRESIDENT Recently, several of us (Cheryl Kirk, Geoff method for Laurel Davis - Oak Brook Peters, Michelle Halverson and I) at- members to tended a Leadership Conference at the nominate VICE PRESIDENT Olympic Training Center in Colorado individuals. Geoff Peters - Chicago Springs. The conference has not been Listed be- held for the last couple of years, so it was low is some information regarding the SECRETARY good to see it reinstated. It’s a great way Hall of Fame. Marla Cusano - Lombard to find out what we are doing well as a state and where we have gaps in our OBJECTIVE TREASURER programs and service to our members. The objective of the ISRA Hall of Fame Michelle Halverson - Lombard It is also a great place to get ideas. is to recognize and honor those indi- ZONE VICE PRESIDENTS viduals who have demonstrated out- Steve Angelo - Alton (South) Illinois has always done a great job when standing achievement in many areas Pam Schubach - Peoria (Central) compared to the other states – generally of the sport. Those areas include, but Kevin Brylski - Lake Villa (North) performing at a Top 5 sort of level. This are not limited to, playing ability, Doug Halverson - Lombard (West) year, however, we found we have slipped sportsmanship, leadership and devel- a bit in how we are perceived because opment. The award is based upon GOVERNING BOARD we do not currently have a formal, active years of consistent excellence in one Patrice Calvi - New Lenox referee certification program. A formal ref- or more of these areas. Only two indi- Rich Clay - Libertyville eree program would provide members viduals shall be inducted in a calendar Mike Davern - Naperville easy access to referee clinics and provide year. TJ Ferro - Naperville Pam Grace - Wheaton opportunities to take the certification tests. Rick Seaberg - North Aurora This is something that we previously had CRITERIA FOR NOMINATION Joe Silius - Mokena but has fallen by the wayside. Therefore, The person must have been involved Tom Utterback - Orland Park we are hoping to get a program reinstated in Racquetball on a State, Regional or Lynne Weisbart - Lake Forest soon and have some potential candidates National level for a minimum of ten identified to head up that effort. years from the time they either be- AUXILIARY BOARD came a USAR or ISRA member and Larry Boyer - Mt. Zion Here in Illinois we have reached the point must have maintained their member- Keith Brown - West Chicago where all tournament directors are now ship during the ten years. Minimum Dan Flood - Sugar Grove using the R2Sports system to manage age for induction is 35 years as of the Jeff Grace - Wheaton tournaments. It makes all of the work date of induction at the ISRA State Paul Jepsen - Hinsdale connected to running a tournament so Singles Tournament. Accomplish- Joann Kempthorne - East Peoria Cheryl Kirk - Naperville much easier to handle. One of the addi- ments that would make an individual Kit Lawson - Naperville tional discussions we had in Colorado eligible for nomination include suc- Jim Maroon - Peoria Springs was the ability to use the soft- cessful amateur performance at the Dave Milazzo - Gurnee ware for leagues. R2 has now been set State, Regional and National levels; Liz Molitor - Glen Ellyn up for clubs to use for regular leagues. teaching, coaching or innovations; Mike Vicary - Metamora Leagues can be sanctioned and matches promotion of the game; administra- Lynn Yeazell - Naperville included for ranking points. tion/representation for the sport; and working for the good of racquetball. ISRA NEWSLETTER STAFF As a state, we realized that we are behind Cheryl Kirk - Editor in promoting and populating our ISRA Full criteria and nomination proce- Geoff Peters - Associate Editor Hall of Fame. We inducted two members dures can be found on Joe Silius - Advertising Editor Kit Lawson - Photo Editor in the last year (Diane DeArmas and TJ www.illinoisracquetball.com. Please Ferro), but there are many more deserv- review these and consider nominating The ISRA Newsletter is published ing folks out there. So, we have estab- a deserving individual. Hall of Fame quarterly, and is the official publication of lished procedures for defining candidates members will be inducted during the the Illinois State Racquetball Association for the Hall of Fame as well as creating a Annual Awards ceremony each year. (ISRA). All rights reserved. Copyright 2009. Reproduction in whole or in part The new tournament season is upon of any text, photograph or illustration without written permission from the us. ISRA State Singles and Doubles ISRA is strictly prohibited. Letters to the On the Cover... will be held at Glass Court in 2010. In Editor, photographs, and articles or editorial At the IVAD tournament, 2011, we will be heading south to contributions should be sent to Dave Negrete and junior player Peoria for the State Doubles tourna- [email protected]. Tristan Bush provide pictorial com- ment. Plan to be there – a road trip is mentary on the future of racquetball! always fun! Typesetting by: TypaGraphics — Laurel 2 www.illinoisracquetball.com ISRA Family News Editor’s Note: A warm thank you to the ‘80’s and ‘90’s, recently passed Dolores Lamberson for her assis- away at 72 years old. Bill, also known tance with this issue! as “The Buzzard,” started playing rac- quetball in 1978 at the age of 42 and by Four Attend USAR the early 1980’s, he was starting to Leadership Conference place in the state and regional master’s tournaments. By the 1990’s, he was winning singles and doubles events, taking first place in the 55+ State Singles four years in a row. Dave Milazzo remembers, “Bill was a humble and good man who played a lot of ISRA John Thorson, Joe Silius events in the ‘70’s and ‘80’s. I always (with Hayley), and TJ Ferro enjoyed playing and talking with him.” arrive for The Walk Bill’s wife, children and stepchildren re- lung cancer each year. Nearly member him as someone who loved to $60,000 was raised through the ef- tell jokes and riddles. In addition to rac- forts of many individuals and teams. quetball, he also played golf and tennis. They have fond memories of watching Barbara Curran organized a team of Bill at tournaments and were amazed to walkers, and Jim Wehrli arranged for meet some of the Chicago Bears at a the trolley. They named the group Revie Sorey tournament. The family “Trolley for TJ” in honor of TJ Ferro, will plant a tree at Glass Court in who is currently fighting the battle. memory of Bill. Dan Jaskier, owner of It was a beautiful Saturday as the Glass Court, remarked, “Bill was a long- walkers met at LA Fitness and time member who played in many tour- naments and also taught lessons, clin- In September, Illinois was well repre- ics, and donated a lot of his free time.” sented at the USA Racquetball Lead- ership Conference in Colorado May Bill rest in peace alongside his son Springs at the US Olympic Training Bill, Jr. who passed away in the mid ‘80’s. Center. Twenty-two states attended to collaborate with USA Racquet- ball on present and future initia- Trolley for TJ tives. On the first weekend in November, a team of supporters represented rac- Above, L to R: Geoff Peters, Laurel quetball in a fun walk for cancer as they Davis, Michelle Halverson and rolled into Naperville in style. The Cheryl Kirk bask in the glow of the Lungevity Foundation held its 7th annual Will and Ellie Haak walked Olympic Torch. Lung Cancer Walk and Rally dedicated to support Papa TJ to those who are fighting lung cancer and to the150,000+ people who die of boarded the trolley, bells ringing, to Remembering Bill Schram ride downtown and make an en- In early trance as a team. A very special Septem- thank you goes to Annette Wehrli ber, we Kennedy (aka Trolley Chick) of lost a Naperville Trolley & Tours, Ltd. long-time (www.napervilletrolley.com) for her member hospitality. Other sponsors in- of our rac- cluded Prudential (Phil Curran), quetball Marriott (Mary Metcalf), LA Fitness family. Naperville (Dominic Serpe), and William R. Trader Joe’s Naperville. “Buzz” Schram, Trolley for TJ team members in- continued on next page who was very active in racquetball in www.illinoisracquetball.com 3 ISRA Golf Outing to enjoy all of our out- Ron Calloway and Rob Lee. The door activities. But we women’s foursome winning Low beat the odds on hold- Net was Laurel Davis, Nancy ing the ISRA Golf Outing Amaro, Connie Arvia, and Barb this year with a pretty Utterback. Men’s Closest to the Pin nice day and a decent was won by Ron Calloway (who turnout of all-around also traveled the farthest) and good golfers. The rain Women’s Closest to the Pin was held off and everyone claimed by Nancy Amaro. Men’s finished their rounds Longest Drive went to Dan Flood with plenty of time left to at- tend the ban- quet that fol- lowed.