2009 USAR Junior Olympic Racquetball Championship

The five day event in East Lansing, MI was held at the Michigan Athletic Club as well as Michigan State University, June 24-28, with 185 juniors from all across the US competing for coveted Gold medals in over 30 divisions for boy’s and girl’s singles and doubles.  This is a National event as the US Junior National Team Qualifier, one-year appointments will be up for grabs for the top finishers in 18-Gold Singles, 16-Gold Singles, 14-Gold  divisions.

All players start in the Gold division.  Winner keeps going; first round players defeated move to a Red bracket.  In the gold division, second round players defeated move to the Blue bracket.

First round players defeated in the Red bracket are then placed with the rest of the first round players defeated into a White division bracket.

This is a really good way to equal out the playing field for each player  and get a lot of racquetball play in.  At the minimum, a player gets three matches in an Olympic format.  The experience alone is priceless.

The competition was hot all week and upsets were in effect and team members were placed to play for Junior Team USA at Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic in December at the 2009 IRF 21 st Junior World Racquetball Championships.

I took three players from our Wabash Valley Junior Racquetball Team.  This was their first national experience and what a good wake up call for them.  One of my players came back with two medals and he is still on cloud 9.

18 and Under Boys

The young up and coming star from Stockton, CA, Jose Rojas dominated this division without losing a game.   The toughest match for this young man was the final where Taylor Knoth, Milwaukie, OR scored 11, 11.

He is above and beyond the rest of the up and coming future players.   The 2008/2009 season was a strong indication of where this future star is headed.  He has beaten top pro racquetball players including #5 on the International Racquetball Tour Jason Mannino, #6 on IRT Shane Vanderson,   #14 on IRT  Travis Woodbury, #15 on IRT Hiroshi Shimizu, #18 on IRT Anthony Herrera,  and #21 on the IRT Tony Carson.  This kid is the real deal.

In March, Jose won the 2009 USAR National Intercollegiate Championships playing for Delta College.

His future looks very bright on the IRT. He keeps the fans in their seat.

#1 Jose Rojas def. #3 Taylor Knoth, 15-11, 15-11

18 and Under Girls

This division was a 6 player round robin that was decided by the head-to-head match of Sheryl Lotts, Bedford, OH  vs. Danielle Key, Gibert, AZ.  Current USAR National Intercollegiate champion, Sheryl Lotts, would continue to prove that she is the best female junior player in the country as she defeated Danielle in a tough match that went the distance.

#1 Sheryl Lotts def. #2 Danielle Key, 15-10, 13-15, 11-7

16 and Under Boys

Considered to be the match of the tournament you saw a lot of diving, rekill gets, great court coverage and awareness.  This was an intense match up as the #2 seed Marco Rojas beat out #4 seed Jose Diaz in a tiebreaker that will be remembered.

Both of the players are from Stockton, CA and are very familiar with each other’s game.  You just never know who is going to win and when.

The younger brother of Jose, Marco would prove that Jose is not the only brother who will win Gold.  Two complete different styles of game and one common result is the only way to describe Marco and Jose.  Jose Rojas is the quiet one and Marco is more vocal and get in your head type of player.

#2 Marco Rojas def. #4 Jose Diaz, 15-8, 8-15, 11-8

16 and Under Girls Singles

Aubrey O’brien, Auburn, CA,  swept through the draw in convincing fashion.  She didn’t lose a game on her route to a national title.  This young up and coming star is always smiling and a joy to be around.  She is competing more and more on the Women’s Pro Racquetball Tour and every year she continues to improve.  Aubrey is quickly becoming a fan favorite as she can be seen at many events giving out autographs.

#1 Aubrey O’brien def. #2 Devon Pimentelli, 15-11, 15-10

14 and Under Boys Singles

Zach Wertz, Kenner, LA, would go on to win the Boy’s 14 and Under Singles division without losing a game.  He would defeat Sam Reid, Portland, OR, in the final.

#1 Zach Wertz def. #3 Sam Reid, 15-9, 15-10

14 and Under Girl’s Singles

Kelani Bailey, Norfolk, VA beat Samantha Simmons, Crofton, MD, in a tiebreaker.

Kelani is a prime example of how good you have to be to win junior olympics as she recently won Women’s A and Women’s 24A/25A division at the USAR National Singles Championship last month.

You can also find great instructional footwork video from her and her mother, former top Women’s pro, Malia Bailey.

http://www.monkeysee.com/play/13314-racquetball-basics-footwork-drills

#1 Kelani Bailey def. #3 Samantha Simmons, 15-8, 14-15, 11-4

Other notes:

All #1 seeds in the 18-, 16-, and 14-  Girls division all won.

The day before the event begin they implimented a new rule  in the Mixed Doubles division. When a male server serves the ball it cannot be hit by the opposite sex at all on return of serve.  If the ball just so happens to land on the girl side the male partner must hit the ball.  Vice versa as well…if girl serves the girl on opposite end must return the serve.  Otherwise, it results in a fault serve.