By Fran Davis
Bouncing back after losing a match is not easy to do, but it is a MUST if you want to be successful and build your championship game. It’s inevitable that we ALL win and lose matches, but it is what we do when we lose a match that counts the most. Losing should be a learning experience, NOT beating yourself up experience.

By Wanda Collins,
AmPRO Certified Professional Level III Instructor

It is important to remember the rule regarding leaving the service box early after serving. If you (or your partner in doubles) steps over any part of the back line (the “short line”) of the service box before your serve passes that line on its way to the back of the court, it is an out. You do not get a 2nd serve when this occurs! This rule usually comes into effect when you lob serve, as it takes a while for the …

By Wanda Collins,
AmPRO Certified Professional Level III Instructor

A lot of racquetball players neglect a serve that can actually be a good weapon in their game. The lob serve – that high, arching soft serve that travels to the back corner of the court – isn’t just a second serve to get the ball in play. It can be a valuable tool if you learn to hit it correctly and use it against certain opponents. Some players only use this serve if their first serve is short or long. Many of …

The USAR’s Board of Directors agreed that a doubles team should be allowed to have either partner serve first each time the team comes “in” to serve and that an “out’ should be assessed to the team if a partner who has lost the serve attempts to serve again during that inning. Here is the pertinent rule wording:

By Wanda Collins,
AmPRO Certified Professional Level III Instructor
Develop a warm up plan that you use consistently – every time you warm up for a match.

The Musings of Two Tournament Directors

Have you ever wondered how much work planning and overseeing a tournament really involves? Ever wonder what drives a tournament director to give up a significant chunk of his or her life to run a tournament? You won’t find a detailed list here on all the things a director handles in running a tournament, as the list is much too long to fit one article, but in reading this article, you will get some insight as to what motivates our dedicated tournament directors and what …

The Washington Racquetball Association has put together some tips to help you our when you need to referee at sanctioned tournament. If you’ve never refereed a match, or aren’t very familiar with the rules, or if this is your first time playing in a tournament, these tips will help you out.

Beginner Reffing Tips

* a match consists of up to three games
* the first player to win two games wins the match
* the first two games are played to …

By Wanda Collins and Cheyenne Hayes
Fall, 2008

Word has it that there are players out there who would love to enter a tournament, or who have been to one or two, that find them intimidating…seems like everyone knows what they’re doing except for you. This is much like the feeling you get when you walk into a weight room to do a workout for the first time and everyone else in the room acts like a professional body builder – trust us, they’re not! Feel like an outsider at these …