Women’s Senior/Masters Racquetball on the Florida Gulf Coast

By Joan Vande Kieft

Winter arrived with a vengeance on January 12th, 2012, but did not hamper the start of the 23rd Annual Women’s Senior Master’s Racquetball tournament in Sarasota, Florida. While O’Hare International Airport was canceling 500 plus outbound flights on Thursday afternoon, many of the competitors were already in Florida, raising $474 for Racquet for the Cure at the annual fun, informal, doubles warm up event. At the evening meeting the women received their packets with their tournament match schedule, goodies from local businesses, water bottles, Wilson pink Hope racquetball balls, and best of all, beautiful purple Land’s End™ polar fleece jackets embroidered with the WSMRA logo. The local organizing committee and the WSMRA tournament committee explained tournament logistics for the self-officiated round robin matches, while the women chatted and reconnected.

Play began the next morning with breakfast, lunch and evening hospitality provided by local restaurants and matches grouped back to back so the participants could enjoy the warm and sunny weather during their free time. Two massage therapists provided massage service each day to work out the aches and pains and racquets were restrung the whole weekend. A shuttle went from Bentley’s Resort Hotel to Sarasota Bath & Racquet Club and on to the Sarasota YMCA and back, but many people shared rides. The Tournament Committee, Chad (aka “Brad”) Bailey, Kathy Trotter, Judy Arnold and Bob Kulscar with lots of help from Jean Trimble and Rene Fish at the YMCA, kept the matches on time. All the courts had glass on the back walls so it was easy to cheer the players on and witness some truly awesome racquetball.

On Saturday prior to the banquet, Susan Pfahler conducted a Silent Auction with wonderful Wilson sports clothing and equipment donated by Wilson and Chris Evon as well as loads of fun and assorted merchandise from other donors, local businesses and sponsors. Bids were submitted for Racquetball Girl logo hats and shirts, candles, wine, racquets, bags, gloves, bathrobes, watch and other jewelry and even a bag of home grown Honey Bell oranges. Nearly $1400 was raised for three causes close to the hearts of the WSMRA Board and members: WSMRA operating account, USAR Collegiate Scholarship, and Rapha House, an organization devoted to ending human trafficking, bonded labor and the sexual exploitation of children, operating in Cambodia.

The banquet was held in the host hotel, Bentley’s Resort Hotel with a choice of beef, chicken, salmon and vegetarian entrees with Key Lime Pie for dessert. A local DJ had everyone on the dance floor until it was time to think of the next days’ semi-final and final matches for 91 competitors from 19 states.

Competition was tough but eventually the following winners, 1st, 2nd, 3rd or semi-finalists, in that order, were awarded a unique Florida-themed, local Sarasota artist-designed trophy from Cabbage Palm Glass.

80+ Lola Marcus (IL)

75+ Karen Porter (FL)

70 + Mildred Gwinn (NC), Pauline Kelly (IL)

65+ Merijean Kelley (CA), Sharon Chandler (WA)

60+ Nancy Kronenfeld (IL), Kathy Ruzycki (IL), Donna Heinzl (IL), Joan Vande Kieft (IL)

55+ Susan Pfahler (FL), Marsha Berry (KY), Marcia Richards (CO)

55 B/C Nancy Large (CA), Cheryl Kirk (IL), Joanne Nache (NC), Mary Crambles (IL)

50+ Janet Tyler (FL), Janelle William (CO), Cindy Tilbury (CA)

45+ Anita Maldonato (NY), Lynn Fonseca (GA), Claudia Andrade (FL), Debbie Beldring (CO)

45 B/C Xia Yang (TX), Judy Redding (NY), Audrey Sorrento (NY)

40+ Jean Halahan (NY), Sara Noyes (FL), Kelly Van Zant (FL)

35 B/C Tara Borrero (GA), Jenny Hickman (TN)

The players and the board members of the Women’s Senior/Masters Racquetball Association express their thanks to Wilson and Chris Evon for their endless generosity, to the local organizing committee and the tournament sponsors and all the many and varied individuals and groups that helped make this event such a success. Everyone enjoyed another racquetball adventure and we are looking forward to next year when the tournament will be held in the Dallas, TX area at the Maverick Club on the weekend of January 18-20, 2013. For results and pictures and much more about this year’s event; and more information on 2013, please visit our web site, www.wsmra.com.