Racquetball Revival Hosts "Racquetball Fun Day" for 48 Juniors
by Leon Thomas
Racquetball Revival is a non-profit youth racquetball program in Baltimore, MD run by Leon Thomas and a team of dedicated volunteer coaches. The program has grown tremendously, from 5 kids in 2019 to its current size of 66 members. The scope of the program goes beyond racquetball as they now offer tutoring in Math & Writing Skills.
The program meets at The Northeast Regional Recreation Center in the Parkville area of Baltimore County. Coach Thomas said, “The families in our program and I are very appreciative of the White Marsh Recreation Council and the staff at the Northeast Regional Recreation Center for their support of our program. If the support we have is emulated in other parts of the country our sport can grow through youth playing it.”
Limited court access makes it difficult for all members of the program to gather at once since the NERRC has only two courts. On Saturday, April 13th & Sunday, April 14th Severna Park Racquet and Fitness in Millersville, MD allowed Racquetball Revival the use of their five courts for a “Racquetball Fun Day.” 48 kids participated over the weekend, which included 6 kids that came to give racquetball a try.
Participants in the event were grouped by age and ability. The more experienced and older players participated in singles, doubles, and cut-throat games. Younger players played singles. Coach Thomas went on the court with first-time players to teach them the basics. The new athletes were instantly captivated and stayed for the rest of the day. They participated in drills with other players, and some even had their parents join them on the courts.
“These two days were a great deal of fun for the kids, parents, and coaches,” Coach Thomas reflected. “It was great to see everyone interacting with each other and I really loved how the older kids spent time on the court with the younger players. My favorite moment was an 8 year-old challenging one of the best 16 year-olds in our program.”
Parents and coaches volunteered during the two days to maintain the flow of games and ensure that every player received a great deal of court time. Coach Thomas was very appreciative of everyone’s help.
Racquetball Revival hopes to have a full youth tournament in Fall/Winter of 2024. To learn more about the program and to offer financial support, please visit RacquetballRevival.com.
