January 28-29 was a great weekend for racquetball players in Washington! The State Singles and Doubles Championships brought many of us back to competition on the courts after a long absence due to COVID restrictions.

The WAC was a wonderful venue in Seattle, giving everyone a chance to gather at the sixth floor courts and visit with old friends and lots of new ones. The athletic director there, Darin Barr, worked hard to make sure everything was set up and ready for us. Staying at the WAC hotel was SO convenient for those of us from out of town. Their customer service is second to none. The Board of the WRA worked hard and the tournament had lots of “extras” – great coupons for meals at the Cafe and Haggerty’s, a quality tournament shirt, snacks and jugs of Gatorade and water, and medals in all divisions. Thanks to Dave Stob, President of the WRA and the other board members: Bill Napier, Phil Nelson, Micah Miller and YenVy Van! It is great to see racquetball returning.

I look forward to upcoming events and a whole new “crop” of players learning the game that we all love from professional instructors, league organizers and enthusiasts. Keep the sport growing!! Introduce people to our sport with beginner clinics in your club and bring new juniors to the game. It is how we will increase our numbers and fill the draws.

Join us at the Northwest Open in Bellingham March 17-19. Jessie Scott, Brian Porter and I will be working hard to fill draws at all levels of play.

Wanda Collins

“Great event….My newbies and (sic) 1st timers from my league loved it”.

Fran Davis, HeadPenn