Racquetball
About Racquetball
Racquetball is a fast paced sport played with standardised equipment with specific court dimensions worldwide. The sport which was invented by Joe Sobeck in the United States and became popular during the late 1970's and early 1980's because it was fun and easy to learn. It is one of the best workouts you can get in a short period of time. Racquetball is played in an indoor court with anywhere from two, three to four players at a time. There are various governing bodies for the sport that provide on-going leadership worldwide. In 1979, the Racquetball Association of Ireland was founded.
The Court
Indoor racquetball is played on a 40x20 court that has four walls, a ceiling and a floor, all of which are used during play. Players will say that the fact than you can "play the ball" off of any wall anytime during the rally is what makes racquetball so much fun right from the start. Lines marked on the floor of the court define the service and receive areas and have been given names called the "Service Line," the "Short Line" and the "Receiving Line". The walls are also given names called the "Front Wall," the "Side Wall," and the "Back Wall". The "Back Wall" in some courts is made of glass. Rules apply about these areas, lines and walls and where players may position themselves during actual play. Click on the link to find out more on the rules of racquetball.
Playing Equipment
The ball used to play racquetball is an air-filled rubber ball, it is about three inches in diameter, and has a lively bounce. The racquet used, is a fixed frame with strings and has a grip at the end for players to hold securely during play. Safety glasses (closed eye-wear protection) are worn to prevent eye injury, and these are compulsory. Indoor runners, socks, shorts, T-Shirts, wrist bands and head bands are generally worn during play. The photograph on the right show the difference between the old style racquet and the new style racquet, and what a big difference it is.
Competitions
The Racquetball Association of Ireland hold a number of competitions for players of all skill levels from October to May of each season. There are open Tournaments which are held in various venues around the country and in addition the Association hold National Championships in singles and doubles. All skill levels are catered for, from the entry level which is the Novice grade to the most advanced grade, which is the Open. In between are the D, C and B grades. To enter competitions, competitors must be a member of a club affiliated to the Association or have an individual membership of the Association. Click on the link for more information on up coming events and racquetball tournaments or competitions around the country.
Achievements of the club
The Carrick-On-Suir Handball & Racquetball club has one bronze Munster Inter provincial tournament medal for racquetball in 2014, which was achieved by Gerard Tobin, who can be seen in the photograph on the right.
