2009 Lawler Sports IRT Pro-Am

For Immediate Release

Contact: Manny Rodriguez

Title: Lawler Sports IRT Pro Am

Tel: (812) 264-2053 (Cell)
Office: (812) 235-3701 Lawler Sports

Websites: www.lawlersports.com, www.INSRA.org
Email: manny@lawlersports.com

2009 LAWLER SPORTS PRO-AM OPEN IRT EVENT

Terre Haute, IN – September 17-20th, 2009 – Lawler Sports will be hosting its first annual International Racquetball Tour (IRT) event at Indiana State University in Terre Haute, IN. The event will feature all of the world’s best racquetball players including #1 ranked Kane Waselenchuk who is coming off a dominant season where he lost one match all season going 49-1. Also looking to end Kane’s reign at the top is #2 Rocky Carson, #3 Jack Huczek, #4 Alvaro Beltran from Mexico who is the only player to beat Kane last season and #5 Jason Mannino.

Players from all over the country and other parts of the World (Japan, Mexico, and Canada) will be playing in this event as it is an International Racquetball Tour event. This will be the first time a Top Tier 1 event will be held in Indiana and I am very proud to host the Men of the International Racquetball Tour. “I have been a long time fan of Men’s Professional Racquetball and I am excited to bring it to the community of Terre Haute.” State event director Manny Rodriguez. The fans are in for a lot of action, fun and amazing racquetball. Trust me this is one event you will not want to miss.

Along with the entertainment value of pro racquetball we will benefit Autism by helping raise awareness and funds along with Autism Speaks in the Indiana area. Autism is the fastest growing developmental disability. Recent statistics show that one in 150 births result in a form of autism.

We will be hosting an amateur event for all skill levels, age levels, and doubles. Come enjoy the best racquetball you can find on the planet, play a lot of good racquetball, and make a whole realm of new friends while catching up with your old ones.

The Lawler Sports Pro Shop will be set up all four days of the event with a full line of equipment and racquet stringing as well as offering the expertise needed to help you in all your racquetball desires.

Pros and Amateur will all compete at the same location at Indiana State University. Next to the courts will be the player Village where you can meet our sponsors and what they have to offer in supporting their efforts to grow our game of racquetball. There are a lot of new instrumental things going on around this tournament towards the future of our sport and I hope to see each and every one of you there!

Our Host Hotel is the Best Western right off of Interstate 70. They have given us a discounted rate of $59.95/night. Mention the Lawler Sports Pro Am to get the discount.

For more information contact http://www.irt-tour.com or manny@lawlersports.com (www.lawlersports.com)

A Racquetball Champion in the Making: Jose Rojas

Jose Rojas, Stockton, CA, just finished winning the 18 and under Boys Gold division at the 2009 USAR Junior Olympic Racquetball Championship in dominating fashion.  He didn’t lose a game through the whole singles draw.

This up and coming junior sensation is the talk of the racquetball world as one to watch. 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 young player 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.

What can a junior racquetball sensation player really understand that helps him compete at the Professional Level? Jose says that he needs a good ceiling game to compete in the Pro’s.

“Having a good ceiling ball game which I know I need in the pros. The biggest difference that made was it taught me to be patient and take my shot when it was necessary and not to force them. I used to be very aggressive and always went for the kill no matter where I was.” Jose Continues, “Hitting a good ceiling ball helped me be patient, force my opponent out of the middle, forced him to take a tough shot or hit a ceiling ball right back, then hit the shot I want to hit.”

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

As an amateur, Jose Rojas is ranked sixth in the United States Racquetball Association ranking.  His match record since June 2007 is 51 wins and only 10 losses in sanctioned events.   One of the losses came due to forfeit so that he could focus on his pro draw that he would have won a match or so and he could be prepared and not out of energy.

In 2007 Jose Rojas was recognized by SI LATINO, a Spanish version of Sports Illustrated, for his accomplishments at the 2007 Junior Olympics where he won both the boys 16 and under and the boys 18 and under divisions.

Jose comes from a state that takes their junior racquetball very serious.  California, Oregon, and Missouri are the top three states when it comes to competitive junior racquetball participation.  When I asked Jose what does he sees the future looking like for California Junior Racquetball he doesn’t hesitate to say very positive things:

“California is actually hosting many one day shootouts for fundraising for California Junior racquetball. I see it possibly growing and getting stronger just because we have so many resources we have here such as John, I, and many other people who are willing to help the Juniors get better at the sport.” Rojas continues ,“As of right now, our Junior program is stronger than ever and is just getting stronger with my younger brother Marco, who won the 16’s, coming up Jose Diaz who took second place, my little cousin Antonio Rojas who just won the 6s and 8s, and many more (too many to name).”

Jose Rojas is a product of what California Junior Racquetball is putting out there and he is definitely one to watch.

Short Interview with 2009 Junior National Racquetball Champion Jose Rojas

Manny: How many times have you made Junior Team USA?

Jose: “I’ve made the team 6 times.”

M: How many national junior singles titles?

J: “I have 11 junior singles championships and 5 doubles championships”.

M: How many World Junior Titles?

J: “I have 9 world titles. 7 singles 2 doubles”.

M: Will you compete yearly to make the Adult Team USA?

J: “I will try to make the National team every year but it will be very difficult with the top pros in the draw.”

M: Do you plan on playing the IRT full time this upcoming season?  If not, do you have a goal of how many you will compete in?

J: “This upcoming year I am only going to play as many stops as I can; it depends on school but hopefully I get to more than half.”

M: What do you find to be the biggest difference in your game since you started being coached by John Ellis?

J: “Actually, Ellis is more of a mentor than a coach to me although when he is there he will coach me through matches. But since he and I started playing, he taught me about the little things that can improve my game such as having a good ceiling ball game which I will need in the pros. The biggest difference that made was it taught me to be patient and take my shot when it was necessary and not to force them. I used to be very aggressive and always went for the kill no matter where I was. Hitting a good ceiling ball helped me be patient, force my opponent out of the middle, forced him to take a tough shot or hit a ceiling ball right back, then hit the shot I want to hit.”

M: As a young boy were you coached by Jody Nance then later by John Ellis?

J: “Jody Nance….My coach as a young boy, my coach as a teenager, will always be my coach. Unfortunately she works so much that she can’t always be there for me due to her work. She helps as much as she can on and off the court. Elli on the other hand is like my professional coach. He has so much experience in the professional game and has taught me so many things I never knew about pro racquetball both mentally and physically. I still have so much to learn but he’s really helping me out in that aspect. I definitely cannot leave out my Dad who got me into the sport and pushed so much to practice. I absolutely hated the sport as a kid because I was very young and wanted to do other things, but as I got older I began to realize that all of this happened because of him. I never would have gotten to my skill level without him and that’s why I want to give a special thanks to Miguel Rojas, my Dad.”

M: What do you see the future looking like for California Junior Racquetball?  Are there good programs across the state to keep this success going?

J: “California is actually hosting many one day shootouts for fundraising for California Junior racquetball. I see it possibly growing and getting stronger just because we have so many resources we have here such as John, myself, and many other people who are willing to help the Juniors get better at the sport. As of right now, our Junior program is stronger than ever and is just getting stronger with my younger brother Marco, who won the 16’s, coming up Jose Diaz who took second place, my little cousin Antonio Rojas who just won the 6s and 8s, and many more (too many to name). “

M: What would you say has been your biggest accomplishment to date as a racquetballer?

J: “I’ve gotten many accomplishments in my career but if I had to choose one, I wouldn’t be able to.

It would have to be between having a three-peat at the junior nationals in the 18s and making the semi final at a full ranking pro stop at 18. As of what I heard, I’m like the only one who has had a three-peat in the 18s and if not only like one other person has done it, I just don’t know who. Also to make the semi in a tier1 stop is just so difficult to do especially when you start at the bottom of the qualifiers like I did and had to play three quail’s before actually qualifying for the main draw. It’s just too difficult to choose.”