Daily Blog: Junior Team USA at the IRF World Junior Racquetball Championships

Thank You’s

The U.S. Junior Team Delegation and USA Racquetball wish to deliver our gratitude to those who made this event so truly memorable:

We thank the Dominican Republic Federation’s Local Organizing Committee, led by Rafael Fernandez and Ramon Acosta, for their considerable efforts in planning and operating this World Junior Championships. The work behind the scenes is extensive. Congratulations on a job very well done! Your service to the 14 countries who came to compete was efficient, friendly, and never to be forgotten.

The management and staff of Olympic Center Juan Pablo Duarte for providing the venue for this World Juniors competition. We appreciate the club employees and volunteers who worked so hard throughout the event. Sincere thanks to Ricardo Monroy for his assistance on a special recognition project.

The medical staff at Olympic Center Juan Pablo Duarte as well as the security officers on site who were so appreciated for their presence and for their service to the delegations and athletes.

Michael Espino, Daira Espino, and Mercedes Caraballo, representatives of the company that provided hotel reservation collaboration as well as ground transportation services (airport/hotel arrivals and departures), for their responsiveness and safe transport of our delegation. We thank the drivers as well for their consistent and professional service to our delegation.

Appreciation for IRF Referees and Staff

Repeating from Blog #5, 18 referees from 9 countries were on hand to support the IRF at this World Juniors event. We’re grateful to these skilled and hardworking individuals for their support and hard work:

Jaime Martell, Diana Aguilar, Ricardo Gonzalez, and Iván Valdéz (all of Mexico); Fabián Torres and Francisco Gómez (Colombia); German Coppolecchia and Gerson Miranda (ARG); Roland Keller and Valeria Garzón (BOL); Geovani Mendoza (GUA); Dorian Guzman (CHI); Cristina Amaya (ITA); Glenn Martineau (USA); Ramon De Leon, María Cespedes, Pedro Pablo Yuveres, and Merynanyelly Delgado (DOM).

The referees and all attendees are in turn supported by a seasoned staff led by IRF President Osvaldo Maggi (ARG). They are Mauro Grandio (Secretary General/Technical Director), Dean Schear (Floor Manager/USA), Alberto Sánchez (VEN), Miguel Santiago (PUR/USA), Pablo Berriel (ARG), Adrian Macrino (IT Staff/ARG), Sebastian Digon (Tournament Desk/ARG).

Pablo Fajre, Gary Mazaroff, Gustavo Farell (all from USA), and Rodrigo Mendoza (BOL) provided live streaming and excellent commentary for racquetball fans near and far. beginning Tuesday 12/9.

María Paz Riquelme (CHI), aka Maripa, worked to publicize the event using her social media, photography, and graphics expertise. Visit the International Racquetball Federation on Facebook and Instagram.

Support Team Gratitude

We thank USA Racquetball’s Aimee Roehler, who stopped whatever else she might have been doing as soon as a blog and photos were ready for posting and who did a stellar job, as always, with daily coordination of social media efforts.

Jonathan Greenberg was back in St. Louis checking in every day to see how he could help from a snowdrift, I mean, the office.

It takes a village to execute a smooth trip for 108 people, and that village was mobilized at World Juniors. There were so many examples, big and small, that personified the concept of “Yes! Now, what’s the question?” Much gratitude goes to Jen Meyer (so much done behind the scenes!), Cindy Tilbury (Questions of the Day compilation), Sandy Rios (player profiles for live streaming), Surekha Anantharaman, Brandie Boaz, Ari Raja, Ruchika Mohan, Colleen Williams, Claudia Torres, Dave Joeckel, Ryan Joeckel, Nyasa Gupta, Montserrat Torres, Kristin Wattz, Steve Wattz, and Dan Whitley. Also, Ellen Williams (photographer extraordinaire), Dr. Joyce Parsons (physical therapy and TLC), Jairo Torres and Pam Sanders (translation). I hope I haven’t forgotten anyone, which would be easy to do because so many were unfailingly kind and supportive. Thank you, everyone! Numerous members of the delegation frequently offered to help with whatever was needed, and it is appreciated more than you know!

The parents and cheerleaders were present for every match, living every point as if they themselves were out there competing. It’s challenging to be a spectator! Much gratitude to this amazing delegation in Santo Domingo for taking care of our athletes AND the coaches and staff throughout the day! (Note: Please go back to Blog #1 for this very special list of delegation members.)

Support for the Junior Team

WIS Inventory Solutions, a leading inventory verification and supply chain management company, stepped up in a big way again this year, and we are so grateful for their support and encouragement. Learn more at http://www.wisintl.com. Thank you, with an additional heartfelt message of gratitude to Waseem Bawa.

Splathead’s Joe Hall was with us the entire time. His sponsorship of the U.S. Junior Team for a third year included uniform packages, bag tags, pins...all at no charge for the athletes and staff members. We can’t say enough about Joe’s partnership and generosity. This has been a significant gift to USA Racquetball, the athletes, their families, and our sport. We can’t say enough about Joe’s partnership and friendship.

Special Contributions

IRF President Osvaldo Maggi, Secretary General Mauro Grandio, and IRF Vice President Dr. Estuardo Wer have contributed their leadership and dedication to Racquetball and its development around the world. Also, thank you to Luke St. Onge and Keith Calkins whose earlier work set a solid foundation for the future.

Summary

"When you fight with all you have and commit to exceeding expectations, you don't need a trophy to be a champion." -- Unknown

The mark of champions is how they handle themselves, win or lose, as they pursue their dreams. Congratulations to all 33 champions on the U.S. Junior Team! USA Racquetball and the U.S. Team staff couldn't be prouder of this team and this delegation. A group of 108 people arrived, got to know each other, celebrated wins, lamented losses, and left Santo Domingo as family.

Congratulations to each and every athlete and country delegation who placed in the standings as well as those who did not. Everyone represented their countries with honor and pride, and Team USA is proud to be a member of the worldwide Racquetball community.

To all the readers of this blog who helped Junior Team USA feel the love from back home, thank you, and we wish you a holiday season filled with love, good health, and meaningful time with family and friends.

Until next time...GO TEAM USA!!

USA Racquetball

USA Racquetball

USA Racquetball

Comments from Coach Pablo Fajre

Today didn’t have the outcome we were aiming for, but it was a day full of grit, learning, and character. That matters just as much as medals.

I am seeing improved court awareness, and our players fought through tough rallies and refused to back down, even when momentum swung the other way. Our delegation supported each other from first serve to last point, which is exactly the culture we want for Junior Team USA. During the final matches this evening, an example was when 20-30 parents and fellow athletes took over the stands to cheer for Jasur and Sloka in the 10 & Under Mixed Doubles. Our athletes’ confidence improved noticeably through the match as they experienced the support and enthusiasm of their fellow Americans.

Championships aren’t just about winning—they’re about discovering what we’re capable of and what we need to sharpen. This week has given us a clear roadmap. I’m proud of the effort, and I’m even more excited for the improvements coming in the future.

Friday Results on the Courts

Congratulations to Sloka, Ayan, and Audrey for winning their matches this morning and becoming Gold medalists in Girls 10 Blue, Boys 14 Red, and Girls 14 White respectively!

Finals Match on Saturday!

The last match of the evening saw a four-game victory in the Mixed 21 Doubles against Ecuador. Naomi Ros and DJ Mendoza will play in the finals tomorrow at 3:00 pm local time vs. Bolivia.

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Question of the Day: What is your favorite word in Spanish?

JUNIOR TEAM ATHLETES

Ella Boaz, 20: Champiñones

Naomi Ros, 20: Chapopote

Juan Herrera II, 19: NA

Joseph Marshall, 19: Guia

Cole Sendrey, 19: Guey

Ellen Williams, 19: Burbujas

Montserrat Torres, 18: Amo

London Townsend, 18: Tonto

Aanshi Thakur, 17: Desayuno, because I like how fast you can say it.

Rebecca Christopher, 16: Hamburguesa

Evan Whitley, 16: Si

Grant Williams, 16: Fuerte

Shreya Chandel, 15: Fresas, because the word sounds nice and it means strawberries.

Lucas Frost-Biskup, 15: Comer -- to eat!

Nyasa Gupta, 15: Esperanza

Violet Kennedy, 15: Perrito (little dog)

David Rada, Jr., 15: Claro

Ayan Sharma, 15: Hola

Audrey Reed, 15: Gatocita

Ashvin Aggarwal, 13: Amigos

Neil Govekar, 13: My favorite word in Spanish is “sobremesa”. I love how it captures the idea of relaxing and enjoying good conversation after a meal.

Ava Leister, 13: Hola

Aaradhya Raja, 13: Hola. The most well-known one

Alden Townsend, 13: Hola

Reyansh Chandel, 12: Pequeño because it sounds funny.

Ryan Joeckel, 12: Manzana

Elijah Machado, 11: Amigos because that's the only word I know.

Sloka Marivada, 11: Perro

Sameera (Sammie) Rai, 10: Hola

Riva Singh, 10: My favorite word in Spanish is pizza

Jasur Pridatko, 9: Platan (banana)

COACHES/STAFF

George Bustos: Chapapote was my favorite word when I was young. It means TAR in English.

Cheryl Kirk: Estacionamiento (parking lot). It just rolls off of the tongue.

Jennifer Meyer: Hola! It is where it all begins!

Joyce Parsons: Excelente!

Cindy Tilbury: Cachorro. Puppy.

Fiesta de Patos de Goma (Rubber Duckie Party)

The team leader likes to bring fun toys and tchotchkes (look that one up) for team members and to give to kids from other countries.

Oriental Trading is a great resource, and certain holiday items caught the team leader’s eye whilst deciding what to bring.

Osos, pingüinos, y patos de goma. Translated: Bears, penguins, and rubber duckies (oh my). As it turns out, the team leader may have over-ordered on holiday duckies. When it gets to be Friday, it’s time to seriously deplete one’s inventory or they go back where they came from (USA or China). In response to this challenge, a Rubber Duckie Party broke out at the front desk of the club. Place them all out in a queue (yep, ducks in a row) and they’ll be gone in minutes. The employees, volunteers, and people walking by the desk were happy to give the duckies a new home. Vamos patos!

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The Board is in the House

The USA Racquetball Board of Directors is well represented here at World Juniors in support of the delegation. Cheryl Kirk (Secretary), Sandy Rios (Treasurer), Kristin Wattz (President), Cindy Tilbury (Executive Appointment), and Charlie Pratt (Athlete Representative) are here to cheer on our athletes and complete a number of behind-the-scenes tasks to make things run more smoothly. Delegation members are invited to connect with the Board members and communicate any and all ideas about how our athletes’ experience could be improved or ideas about strengthening this wonderful sport of ours.

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Super Saturday at the IRF World Racquetball Championships

Saturday 12/13 is the last day of competition in these championships, and everyone is excited! Junior Team USA will be out in full force cheering for our Mixed 21 doubles team who are competing in the finals for the gold:

3:00 pm: Naomi Ros/DJ Mendoza (USA) vs. Jhoel Alexis Acha Portugal/Camila Rivero (BOL)

Good luck to Team USA! After the last match has concluded on Saturday afternoon, a medals stand and flags will be placed on the streaming court and division winners (1st through 4th) will be recognized in both the straight draw as well as in the Olympic Format divisions. Team awards will be bestowed as well. Then a few more photo ops will conclude the festivities here in Santo Domingo.

This Daily Blog will take a brief hiatus to allow the blogger to organize, pack, and prepare to return home. Watch social media for information in the meantime, and we’ll be back on Sunday with a report on overall results and a whole ton of thank-you’s for what has been an unparalleled experience here in Dominican Republic.

Staying Connected with the World Junior Championships!

Draws and results can be viewed on internationalracquetball.com and R2 Sports.

https://www.r2sports.com/website/event-website.asp?TID=51283

Broadcast and Social Media

Select matches are broadcast on the panamsportshannel.org, IRF YouTube Channel, and Facebook.

See the full tutorial at the end of Blog #2.

Back with you on the weekend where the final Question of the Day will be: What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

GO TEAM USA!!

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

I grew up with a dad whose advice and reflections I still hear in my head and keep in my heart over 55 years later. Keep your promises...if you say you’re going to do something, follow through. If a job is worth doing, it’s worth doing right. Say what you mean and what you say.

I also think back now and realize the sacrifices made that I had no awareness of at the time. What I wish for every parent who gave their time, energy, and resources to get their athlete here to the World Junior Championships is to understand that they have made a difference not only to their own child (who may not fully comprehend it until much later) but also to everyone who is here as a part of this very special experience. Every conversation, interaction, smile, word of encouragement, kind act, understanding silence builds upon the relationship of this delegation that is like no other and will be remembered for a very long time. Here’s to the parents of this 2025 delegation. This couldn’t have happened without your love and support.

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Delegation Chronicles 2025

Our final arrival! Shanad Garcia (Naomi’s mom) arrived today, and we’re so happy to add her energy and light to the delegation.

Treat Bag (Part II, one day later)

Reyansh: Cheryl, I think there’s a bug in your candy bag.

Me: Really?? What does it look like?

Reyansh: It looks like a flying spider.

Me (to self, after careful inspection): Pretty sure it was a (happily long gone) mosquito.

Vineet Kumar on the Run (Part II, one year later)

Vineet (Nyasa’s dad) reported in Guatemala a year ago, “I always like to explore new places with a run! ... People often think that I run my unplanned marathons for fun, but they don’t know that my 75th consecutive monthly half marathon was just another excuse to eat local donuts!”

Vineet (today): I ran my 87th monthly half marathon last evening, encouraged by Dr. Joyce. It was a crazy run from the hotel via beautiful coastline into Zona Colonial and finishing at the Club :). all powered by the familiar Krispy Kreme donuts!

Question of the Day: Besides racquetball, what do you know how to do that you could teach others?

JUNIOR TEAM ATHLETES

Ella Boaz, 20: Ceramics.

Naomi Ros, 20: I know how to sew.

Juan Herrera II, 19: Changing the oil in a vehicle.

Joseph Marshall, 19: I play every sport, and I can teach all of them.

Cole Sendrey, 19: I can teach others how to fish and golf.

Ellen Williams, 19: I could probably teach someone how to tie their shoes.

Montserrat Torres, 18: I could teach others how to draw and paint.

London Townsend, 18: Music, piano, 3D animation, and some electronics.

Aanshi Thakur, 17: I could teach others how to play the guitar.

Rebecca Christopher, 16: Tennis.

Evan Whitley, 16: I feel like I'm pretty good at math and could help people with what I know.

Grant Williams, 16: How to weightlift.

Shreya Chandel, 15: I could teach people how to bake.

Lucas Frost-Biskup, 15: How to play tennis.

Nyasa Gupta, 15: Probably writing. I’m currently Editor-in-Chief for my school magazine, so I’m able to do a little bit of that already. I’ve also heard I bake decent brownies, so maybe I can teach that as well.

Violet Kennedy, 15: I could teach the basics of tennis and soccer.

David Rada, Jr., 15: Football, Spanish and how to play video games.

Ayan Sharma, 15: I could teach others how to throw a football.

Audrey Reed, 15: Piano.

Ashvin Aggarwal, 13: Math, piano, or water polo.

Neil Govekar, 13: Something that I know how to do that I could teach others is how to write an argumentative essay, as Debate competitions are another passion of mine.

Ava Leister, 13: Tennis.

Aaradhya Raja, 13: Math, specifically algebra, since I'm good at it.

Alden Townsend, 13: How to play Breachers VR.

Reyansh Chandel, 12: American football.

Ryan Joeckel, 12: How to draw in detail.

Elijah Machado, 11: I know how to play ukelele, baseball, football and soccer.

Sloka Marivada, 11: I know how to play piano and walk dogs.

Sameera (Sammie) Rai, 10: Gymnastics, volleyball and playing the piano.

Riva Singh, 10: Something that I know how to do and that I can teach others is Grammar.

Jasur Pridatko, 9: Besides racquetball, I can teach soccer, math, Spanish and swimming.

COACHES/STAFF

George Bustos: Web stuff!

Cheryl Kirk: Interviewing skills. Also, comma usage, including a compelling argument

for 100% use of the Oxford (serial) comma.

Jennifer Meyer: How to organize anything. I am CDO!

Joyce Parsons: Well, I have been a teacher in therapy. But my advice (I would teach) to young people would be to: 1. Say “yes” to most everything when you are young. Opportunities happen with the “yes,” no matter how small you think it is, it could lead to bigger things, like working with USA Racquetball! 2. Lead with kindness and understanding to others but also to YOURSELF.

Kristin Wattz: How to play the piano.

Cindy Tilbury: Doing crossword puzzles, running tournaments.

Staying Connected with the World Junior Championships

Two days to go now! Continue to join us via the blogs, social media, and live streaming...

Draws and results can be viewed on internationalracquetball.com and R2 Sports.

https://www.r2sports.com/website/event-website.asp?TID=51283

Broadcast and Social Media

Select matches will be broadcast on the panamsportshannel.org, IRF YouTube Channel, and Facebook.

See the full tutorial at the end of Blog #2.

The IRF publishes the day’s live streaming schedule every morning on social media.

GO TEAM USA!!

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Greetings from Santo Domingo! The matches ran long into the evening, and the coaches are presently discussing the coaching plan over dinner (at 1l:15 pm!).

Everyone gets a pass on providing comments, and we’ll hear more from them tomorrow. Let's dive in; we have a lot to cover!

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Question of the Day: What’s your dream job?

JUNIOR TEAM ATHLETES

Ella Boaz, 20: Forensic scientist.

Naomi Ros, 20: My dream job is to be a professional racquetball player and a fashion designer.

Juan Herrera II, 19: Having my own business.

Joseph Marshall, 19: Some type of work with “big cats”

Cole Sendrey, 19: Commercial Real Estate Developer / Broker, just like my dad.

Ellen Williams, 19: President of the American Psychological Association.

Montserrat Torres, 18: Becoming a Forensic Psychologist.

London Townsend, 18: Professional racquetball player.

Aanshi Thakur, 17: Dermatologist.

Rebecca Christopher, 16: Bed and couch tester.

Evan Whitley, 16: A Lego designer person.

Grant Williams, 16: A professional racquetball player or a biologist.

Shreya Chandel, 15: If money didn't matter, I would want to be an Air Force pilot.

Lucas Frost-Biskup, 15: Professional athlete.

Nyasa Gupta, 15: Doctor. Cardiothoracic surgeon.

Violet Kennedy, 15: A physical therapist or specifically, an athletic trainer.

David Rada, Jr., 15: I want to be an entrepreneur or maybe a software engineer.

Ayan Sharma, 15: My dream job is to be a physicist or something related to physics.

Audrey Reed, 15: Rehabilitation veterinarian.

Ashvin Aggarwal, 13: Being a Top Chef.

Neil Govekar, 13: My dream job is to be a doctor. Helping people and making a real difference sounds amazing!

Ava Leister, 13: Interior designer.

Aaradhya Raja, 13: An entrepreneur.

Alden Townsend, 13: Pro racquetball player.

Reyansh Chandel, 12: U.S. Marine.

Ryan Joeckel, 12: Volcanologist.

Elijah Machado, 11: I'm not sure yet but I hope to find a good paying job.

Sloka Marivada, 11: Architect.

Sameera (Sammie) Rai, 10: A YouTuber on Roblox!!!

Riva Singh, 10: My dream job is to be a doctor.

COACHES/STAFF

George Bustos: Doing it now! Coaching!

Cheryl Kirk: It's a little late for that now (loved my McDonald's career), but I'd say executive assistant to a CEO who operates in a socially responsible way.

Jennifer Meyer: Teaching/coaching Team USA! I get kiddos/athletes, sports, and travel! How lucky am I?

Joyce Parsons: Honestly, I am so fortunate to love my job as a Physical Therapist! When I think about my goofy self as a young 18-year-old naïve girl

choosing a career at that age. I honestly feel just plain…blessed! That I found a career that 35-years later challenges me mentally and allows me to interact

with fabulous different people all day long. I get to talk, laugh, teach, and learn daily. P.S. Don’t get me wrong, I hate getting up in the morning

Kristin Wattz: Anything that involves a nice cabana on the beach.

Cindy Tilbury: Being the trusted assistant to a brilliant entrepreneur.

Travelogue – Dominican Republic

Population (Country): 10.82 million

Population (Santo Domingo):  2.20 million

President:  Luis Abinader (2020- )

Official Language: Spanish

Dominican Republic is the 86th most populous country in the world. It has an area of 48,670 sq. km. It is a sovereign state located in the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. Sanfto Domingo is its capital and largest city. Spanish is the official language of the Dominican Republic. The natives or inhabitants of this country are called Dominican. Peso (DOP) is its currency. It has only one bordering country and that is Haiti. 

Interesting facts about Dominican Republic

1. Dominican Republic is the second-largest island in the Caribbean. Wondering which one is the largest? It is Cuba.

2. The country shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti, making Hispaniola the one island shared by two countries. The Dominican Republic occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island of Hispaniola while the western three-eighths of the island are occupied by the nation of Haiti. 

View the full article at https://thefactfile.org/facts-about-dominican-republic/

Team Leader Reflection

One of the arguably most important functions that the team leader serves, once the more mundane tasks (like hotel and ground transportation reservations, etc.) are behind her and the plane lands at World Juniors, is to supply energy and good will and connection in the form of...treats! 

Treats are important. They are tradition. They come in the form of mints, chocolate, and miscellaneous sugar-laden delicacies. There’s a team leader established travel path in the club that includes a run by the tournament desk for the staff and referees, a stop at the live streaming table, and then always having the Athleta silver bag on hand whilst watching matches. When kids from other countries are kind of standing close by with that gaze toward the bag, it’s time to offer a look inside! 

Ritz Sandwich Crackers con Queso aren’t the draw they used to be. Butter mints are a little ho-hum although an almost instant rush. So what are the crowd favorites? Chocolate fun-size bars would win except it’s hot and humid here (Reese’s Pumpkins left from Halloween came along on the trip but get mushy pretty quickly. We do have a Reese’s mega-fan who doesn’t mind the mess.)

Welch’s Fruit Snacks are the choice of those who “kinda sorta” want to give the impression they are healthy eaters. Nutella Biscuits have a strong cult following. But the overwhelming choice, by kids, parents, referees, and coaches alike are the little pouches of Sour Patch Kids and Nerd Clusters! I don’t have enough to get through the rest of the week, and I’m scared. I just ate some while writing this blog. I feel guilty. But they’re SO good. 

Mail From Home

Again, it’s so nice to hear from fans and friends who are reading the Daily Blog and sending greetings back to the team. Thanks to Keith Calkins, Luke St. Onge, Maureen Mulvenna Keough, Sharron Bradford, Barb Curran, LeaAnn Martin, John O’Donnell Jr., Bonita Britto, Kendra Tutsch (WSMRA), and Gail Cowley. Special greetings go to Gail, whose birthday is December 11.

Mail From Here

Rafael Fernández, President of the Dominican Racquetball Federation, writes:

“Dear USA Friends, 

For us it is a real pleasure to have you back for the 2025 World Junior Racquetball Championships, especially after 10 years ago hosting this event. You are a special group of dedicated persons in promoting Racquetball not only in the States, but also internationally! I hope you enjoy your visit to DR and that we can have you back soon.”

On to Thursday...

We’re down to the final three days of competition, and the plan for tomorrow is concentrated on 34 matches for Team USA! Join us via the blogs, social media, and live streaming! Draws and results can be viewed on internationalracquetball.com and R2 Sports. 

https://www.r2sports.com/website/event-website.asp?TID=51283

Broadcast and Social Media

Select matches will be broadcast on the panamsportshannel.org, IRF YouTube Channel, and Facebook. The schedule is posted on Instagram by the IRF. Remember that local time is one hour later than U.S. Eastern time!

Coming Thursday will be Blog #8 that will include the next Question of the Day: Besides racquetball, what do you know how to do that you could teach others?

 GO TEAM USA!!

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

George Bustos Shares Perspectives on the World Juniors Experience

Here in the Dominican Republic, witnessing the level of play at this year’s Junior Worlds, I am struck by a familiar sense of awe. While I see many new faces on our roster this year, the intensity, resilience, and "will" to leave everything on the court remain exactly the same. I have been marveling at the high IQ of these athletes, the deep trust they display in doubles, and the phenomenal way they communicate and collaborate. Despite some close scores and tough battles over the last few days, the fight in these kids is undeniable. They are proving that they have the grit to contend on the world stage, and I know they will continue fighting until the very end.
This trip has also been a profound education for me personally. Working alongside a world class coaching staff like Jen, Charlie, Adam, Robbie, and Pablo has been eye opening. Their tireless work ethic and incredibly high standards have shown me (and often outlasted me daily) that hard work takes many forms. Knowing that they are in late night meetings, giving everything for the team, reminds me that successful people simply utilize their 24 hours differently. I am also incredibly grateful for the "village" that keeps us going: thank you to the parents for the coffee and snacks that fuel us, and a special thanks to Dr. Joyce for the much needed deep tissue work. We are truly blessed to have these luxuries and support systems at our disposal.
I also want to express a heartfelt thank you to Splathead. They stepped up to help our junior delegation with free uniforms, ensuring our athletes look and feel like a world class team. A special thank you to the company for the unwavering support provided through the years not just to players across the world, but by designing some of the best sport gear around. It is generosity like this that helps our sport thrive.
This event is truly a production of world class standards, and it takes a massive team to execute it. I want to extend my gratitude to the hotel staff, the military personnel, and the IRF referees and staff who ensure that every year this tournament is run professionally, covering every detail to make sure we are aligned. A special mention to our Team Leader, who shoulders a responsibility beyond measure to ensure that we are safe, sound, and able to enjoy our experience at Junior Worlds.
For our players, ultimately, my belief is that there is something magical about the journey to reach this level. It is not just about the medals, it is about the life lessons learned along the way. Seeing these players develop and display responsibility, respect, and resilience right in front of me is what being a "World Class Player" is all about. Life is going to hit hard, and this journey prepares them to absorb those blows and keeps them moving forward. To me, the character built during this pursuit is just as important as the outcome. We are united, we are learning, and we are proud to be part of this delegation.
I am proud to be on Team USA!

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Delegation Chronicles 2025

The live streaming equipment arrived with Pablo on Monday...Gary and Gustavo were ready to deliver commentary...but cable and Internet issues all over the area including at the club caused a delay with the start of live streaming. We look forward to seeing it on track tomorrow. 

Colleen Williams had the great idea of reserving a space in the hotel restaurant for athletes to sit and have dinner together. This provided the ideal opportunity on Tuesday evening for Montserrat and Claudia Torres to make a presentation of an appreciation trophy on behalf of the U.S. Junior Team to Joe Hall of Splathead. Joe has designed, provided, and sponsored the entire U.S. Junior Team’s athlete and coach uniforms for the past three years. He has added bag tags, trading pins, keychains, caps, extra tees, and travel items, raising the bar every year to the delight of team members and staff. Joe is retiring and closing his business as of December 31, but not before bestowing this final labor of love for our junior players. We hope his plans for travel will include coming along with the team to Junior Worlds every year going forward.

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Safety and security are important parts of ensuring a smooth and successful trip, no matter the destination. Here in Santo Domingo, it’s great that a walkway over extremely congested streets provide a safe path from the hotel to the club and back again. We also get a cardio workout going UP 44 steps and back DOWN 44 steps...value added! What’s also valuable is the addition of a security detail, i.e. military personnel who are stationed at intervals along the way. 

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Correction: In thanking the Dominican Republic Federation’s Local Organizing Committee in yesterday’s Daily Blog, one of the leaders’ names was stated incorrectly. We wish to thank Rafael Fernandez and Ramon Acosta for their considerable efforts in planning and operating this event. 

Question of the Day: If you could have lunch with anyone living, who would it be?  

JUNIOR TEAM ATHLETES

Ella Boaz, 20: Sal Vulcano.

Naomi Ros, 20: With my family, as I often do.

Juan Herrera II, 19: Elon Musk.

Joseph Marshall, 19: LeBron James

Cole Sendrey, 19: I would like to have lunch with Trump (don't judge me)

Ellen Williams, 19: Coach George Bustos.

Montserrat Torres, 18: I would have lunch with Asap Rocky.

London Townsend, 18: Probably someone in my family; too many to choose from.

Aanshi Thakur, 17: My mom.

Rebecca Christopher, 16: Michelle Obama.

Evan Whitley, 16: Daniel Cormier.

Grant Williams, 16: Michael Phelps.

Shreya Chandel, 15: I would have lunch with Frank Ocean.

Lucas Frost-Biskup, 15: Sylvester Stallone.

Nyasa Gupta, 15: Dr. Atul Gawande. I look up to him and his career, so I would love to get some advice from him.

Violet Kennedy, 15: My mom because we always have drama to talk about and also because I like being with my mom.

David Rada, Jr., 15: My family. They are the most important people in my life.

Ayan Sharma, 15: I would have lunch with Steph Curry.

Audrey Reed, 15: Caitlyn Clark.

Ashvin Aggarwal, 13: Lamine Jamal.

Neil Govekar, 13: If I could have lunch with anyone living, I would have lunch with Steven Hawking. His brilliance and perspective on the universe would make for an incredible conversation.

Ava Leister, 13: It would be Jelly Roll.

Aaradhya Raja, 13: Olivia Rodrigo because of her authenticity and her friendly personality.

Alden Townsend, 13: Theo Von.

Reyansh Chandel, 12: Christian McCaffrey.

Ryan Joeckel, 12: My dad.

Elijah Machado, 11: I would have lunch with my friends.

Sloka Marivada, 11: I would have lunch with Taylor Swift.

Sameera (Sammie) Rai, 10: My friends in California because I don't get to see them anymore since I just moved.

Riva Singh, 10: I would have lunch with Ariana Grande.

COACHES/STAFF

George Bustos: Coach Pop from the San Antonio Spurs.

Cheryl Kirk: My husband, Kit.

Jennifer Meyer: I feel like there is never enough time to slow down and truly connect, so I would have lunch with the people I love.

Joyce Parsons: My younger sister Jodi, she moved to Illinois and I miss her so much!  She is 3 years younger than me, but she has always been my mentor. She is so successful, motivated, kind. She is a giver and protector. I could gush about her all day long. 

Kristin Wattz: Mackenzie Scott or Kathy Bissell. I admire both their work in philanthropy.

Cindy Tilbury: There are too many to name!

Concluding...

The plan for tomorrow is concentrated on 36 matches for Team USA! Join us via the blogs, social media, and live streaming! Draws and results can be viewed on internationalracquetball.com and R2 Sports.

https://www.r2sports.com/website/event-website.asp?TID=51283

Broadcast and Social Media

Select matches will be broadcast on the panamsportshannel.org, IRF YouTube Channel, and Facebook.

See the full tutorial at the end of Daily Blog #2 (12/5/25).

Coming Wednesday will be Blog #7 that will include the next Question of the Day: What’s your dream job?

 GO TEAM USA!!

Day 3 at World Juniors – Comments from Coach Charlie Pratt

The coaching staff members here are really enjoying the competitive nature of this team. The passion is high, and it is clear that the athletes are here to win. They have all had tough matches but have given everything they have to each point.

Today was another busy day, but the U.S. Junior Team coaching staff was joined by Pablo Fajre and Adam Manilla, two incredible coaches who were attending the IRT tournament in Los Angeles this past weekend. They took a red-eye flight and came straight to the club to help coach the team. It was a much-needed addition and great energy. I am personally excited to coach beside them. Some of the best memories I have in this sport come from coaching alongside other great coaches. It is something you will share with someone forever.

Single elimination brackets start tomorrow, so the athletes are fine tuning their mental games after a challenging three days of pool play. We look forward to helping them compete, and we know they will only get better and better as the tournament progresses. Go Team USA!

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Delegation Chronicles 2025

On Monday, Boys 10 athlete Elijah Machado and his family (six are here!) were interviewed by the tournament’s social media team. Elijah is a person of few words, but with his family’s and Naomi Ros’s help with translation, the group had a fun time answering questions about their home (Kauai, Hawaii) and Elijah’s experience here at World Juniors. Great job, everyone!

Michael Glenn, who turned 11 on December 3rd, hails from San Antonio, Texas. Michael qualified as a U.S. Junior Team member in three 10 & Under divisions at Nationals last summer. He planned to be here at Worlds until he received a diagnosis late summer regarding a serious situation with his knee that is keeping him out of sports for the next few months. The team recorded a greeting to Michael on Friday, and he responded with his own creative video back to the team on Sunday. We wish Michael a speedy recovery and look forward to his return to racquetball at Nationals in June 2026!

Team Leader story: I nominate Roger Subieta as an honorary Team USA Delegation member. Roger, originally from Bolivia and now possessing dual citizenship and working for Amazon on the East Coast, is here to support his brother Ezequiel who is competing for Bolivia. I ran into Roger at the club on Saturday! My story is that in 2014 in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, at the Pan American Racquetball Championships, I was on a bus with Americans and Canadians on Easter Sunday, headed for the airport and the return home. I was suddenly horrified to realize I had left a necklace back in the hotel room that had great sentimental value, a gift from a friend who had passed away. What to do? Roger, about 17 at the time, was on the bus as a host/companion. He had the driver stop the bus, we both got out, and unbelievably he was able to hail a taxi on the highway and get me back to the hotel. Success! I got my necklace back, then the taxi took us both to the airport where my bag was waiting and I made my flight. I have always been grateful for Roger’s help on that stressful day, and it was great to see him again 11 years later.

Appreciation for IRF Referees and Staff

Eighteen referees from 9 countries are here to support the IRF at this World Juniors event. The IRF has continually improved over a number of years from the time that “non-winning” players were required to referee the next match. These skilled individuals attended an update session on Friday right after the coaches’ meeting. We’re grateful for their support and hard work!

Jaime Martell, Diana Aguilar, Ricardo Gonzalez, and Iván Valdéz (all of Mexico); Fabián Torres and Francisco Gómez (Colombia); German Coppolecchia and Gerson Miranda (ARG); Roland Keller and Valeria Garzón (BOL); Geovani Mendoza (GUA); Dorian Guzman (CHI); Cristina Amaya (ITA); Glenn Martineau (USA); Ramon De Leon, María Cespedes, Pedro Pablo Yuveres, and Merynanyelly Delgado (DOM).

The referees and all attendees are in turn supported by a seasoned staff led by IRF President Osvaldo Maggi (ARG). They are Mauro Grandio (Secretary General/Technical Director), Dean Schear (Floor Manager/USA), Alberto Sánchez (VEN), Miguel Santiago (PUR/USA), Pablo Berriel (ARG), Adrian Macrino (IT Staff/ARG), Sebastian Digon (Tournament Desk/ARG).

Pablo Fajre, Gary Mazaroff, Gustavo Farell (USA) and Rodrigo Mendoza (BOL) are providing live streaming beginning Tuesday 12/9.

María Paz Riquelme (CHI) is working to publicize the event via his social media, photography, and graphics expertise. Visit the International Racquetball Federation on Facebook and Instagram!

We thank the Dominican Republic Federation’s Local Organizing Committee, led by Rafael Fernandez and Ramon De Leon, for their considerable efforts in planning and operating this World Junior Championships.

Question of the Day: If you could have a conversation with someone from history, who would it be?

JUNIOR TEAM ATHLETES

Ella Boaz, 20: Cleopatra.

Naomi Ros, 20: I think Jesus.

Juan Herrera II, 19: Jesus, to see how he was as a person.

Joseph Marshall, 19: Jesus

Cole Sendrey, 19: Theodore Roosevelt.

Ellen Williams, 19: Saint Pope John Paul II

Montserrat Torres, 18: I would like to talk to Susan B. Anthony.

London Townsend, 18: Quennel Gaskin

Aanshi Thakur, 17: I would have a conversation with Grigori Rasputin.

Rebecca Christopher, 16: Hammurabi.

Evan Whitley, 16: George Washington.

Grant Williams, 16: Jesus.

Shreya Chandel, 15: Elizabeth Blackwell.

Lucas Frost-Biskup, 15: Jesus.

Nyasa Gupta, 15: Marie Curie, since she was a pioneer for women in science.

Violet Kennedy, 15: I'd have a conversation with Princess Diana.

Ayan Sharma, 15: It would be Euler.

Audrey Reed, 15: George Washington.

Ashvin Aggarwal, 13: George Washington, to ask "how did you become such a good leader?"

Neil Govekar, 13: If I could have a conversation with anyone from history, I would have a conversation with Friedrich Nitzsche. His ideas about individuality, purpose, and challenging conventional thinking are fascinating, and I’d love to understand how he developed such a bold philosophy.

Ava Leister, 13: I would like to speak with Jesus.

Aaradhya Raja, 13: My grandpa on my mom's side. He died before I got to meet him, so I'd like to see him.

Alden Townsend, 13: Jesus.

Reyansh Chandel, 12: George Washington.

Ryan Joeckel, 12: My grandpa on my mom's side.

Elijah Machado, 11: I think it would be cool to talk with Albert Einstein.

Sloka Marivada, 11: Michael Jackson to find out how he died.

Sameera (Sammie) Rai, 10: Martin Luther King Jr.

Riva Singh, 10: Someone I would have a conversation with in history would be Ruth Bader Ginsburg (RBG), because she was able to change women's rights.

Jasur Pridatko, 9: My papa (dad).

COACHES/STAFF

George Bustos: Great great great great great grandfather and grandmother.

Cheryl Kirk: My grandmother (my dad's mom) who passed away 8 years before I was born. I would love to meet and talk with her.

Jennifer Meyer: Pat Summitt.

Joyce Parsons: I think it would be Jesus! I want to ask a million questions!

Kristin Wattz: Mother Theresa. I would love to learn to be as kind, thoughtful, and insightful as she was.

Cindy Tilbury: Elvis Presley. I would ask him about racquetball and his court.

Concluding...

More action tomorrow with 34 matches for Team USA! Join us via the blogs, social media, and live streaming! Draws and results can be viewed on internationalracquetball.com and R2 Sports.

https://www.r2sports.com/website/event-website.asp?TID=51283

Broadcast and Social Media

Select matches will be broadcast on the panamsportshannel.org, IRF YouTube Channel, and Facebook.

See the full tutorial at the end of Daily Blog #2 (12/5/25).

Back tomorrow with more coverage of this event, including the next Question of the Day: If you could have lunch with anyone living, who would it be?

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Coach Jen Meyer Comments on Day 2 at World Juniors

Today was a great day of seeing athletes settle into their games and feeling more confident on the court. To list the number of times we were impressed with shot selection, grit, determination, and heart would take another blog entry! Our matches are so close any of them could go either way and it is very telling how tough the competition is from all countries. I am looking forward to the week ahead as these athletes improve each day. 

Many people are able to watch what happens on the inside of the court during live streaming or Facebook live, but one of the extraordinary things people at home don’t see is what happens off the court all day long. You see kids with language barriers creating games to play with each other; you see athletes who just battled on the court trade souvenirs from their country; and you see parents supporting their kids and creating new and deeper friendships with other parents. It is amazing to see so many people from the 14 countries here in Santo Domingo come together for the common ground of competition at the Junior World Championships. It’s a very special racquetball experience that extends much further than the matches themselves. More on that later this week.

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Delegation Chronicles 2025

In the legacy of Coach Dave Ellis, who always wanted a blog feature entitled Overheard (“Put that in the blog”), take a guess as to which U.S. Junior Team (Head) Coach said this morning, “I had two cups of coffee this morning. I’m ready to coach my face off.”

Under the heading of “You never know what you’re gonna learn at Junior Worlds,” Kevin Sendrey (aka Cole’s dad) was spotted moving his phone around in a circular and a figure 8 motion. Curiosity overcame us: Um, what are you doing? “I heard if you accidentally delete something, if you wave your phone like this, it will give you a chance to get it back...and it worked.” Who knew Kevin has mad IT skills?

Colleen Williams received lots of love on her birthday today, including...well, let’s have her tell it:

“Truly a special day! Just finished it off with Naomi and Ella surprising me in the lobby with a piece of cake with a HUGE sparkler/firework/bottle rocket type ‘candle’ in it. Praying the sprinklers didn’t go off once we left! It was priceless!” Shoutout: Pam Sanders also risked her life to help present said “candle” to Colleen. 

Team leader’s note: Thankful we (probably) won’t see a headline tomorrow in the local paper, something like: U.S. Junior Racquetball Delegation Violates Fire Codes at Santo Domingo Hotel. (Insert praying hands emoji here). Glad you had a great birthday, Colleen!

Question of the Day: What is the most rewarding or fulfilling thing you have ever done?  

JUNIOR TEAM ATHLETES

Ella Boaz, 20: Going on a mission trip with my church.

Naomi Ros, 20: For me, the most fulfilling thing is to be able to represent USA in multiple tournaments--especially in China at the World Games.

Juan Herrera II, 19: Having all A's.

Joseph Marshall, 19: Helping someone who was in a position I have been in before so I know how to instruct them and help them.

Cole Sendrey, 19: Winning Collegiate Nationals with my friends at A&M was a blast.

Ellen Williams, 19: Serving in a classroom of kids with autism. It was so incredible to watch them grow and form relationships with them.  

Montserrat Torres, 18: So far would be entering college.

London Townsend, 18: Play keyboard on a stage or qualify for Team USA.

Aanshi Thakur, 17: Learning how to play multiple instruments

Rebecca Christopher, 16: I volunteered with kids with special needs to help them have fun in the pool.

Evan Whitley, 16: Probably qualifying for Junior Worlds and to be a part of Team USA.

Grant Williams, 16: Winning 16U Doubles this year with my friend.

Shreya Chandel, 15: I helped raise money to donate to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  

Lucas Frost-Biskup, 15: Making Team USA!

Nyasa Gupta, 15: Starting a mentoring program at my school to assist and guide younger students in their transition to middle and high school.

Violet Kennedy, 15: Balancing my first year of high school and playing at such a high level of racquetball.

David Rada, Jr., 15: Qualifying for the World Championships.

Ayan Sharma, 15: The most rewarding thing I have ever done is qualifying for Team USA.

Audrey Reed, 15: Training with my dog, Olly.

Ashvin Aggarwal, 13: Helped a disabled kid in school to face bullies.

Neil Govekar, 13: The most rewarding thing I have ever done is to finish a super challenging school project. It took a lot of time, effort, and perseverance, but seeing it all come together in the end, knowing I gave it my absolute best, was an incredibly fulfilling feeling.

Ava Leister, 13: Helping homeless people--giving food and money to help.

Aaradhya Raja, 13: Winning my first gold medal at 2025 Nationals.

Alden Townsend, 13: Winning Junior Nationals.

Reyansh Chandel, 12: Getting First in Boys Doubles last year and qualifying for Worlds.

Ryan Joeckel, 12: Winning Junior Nationals 12U in my down year.

Elijah Machado, 11: Traveling with my family to different places, road trips and going to Disneyland, California Adventure, and Universal Studios.

Sloka Marivada, 11: Winning my first racquetball medal.

Sameera (Sammie) Rai, 10: Qualifying for the Junior National USA racquetball team.

Riva Singh, 10: The most fulfilling thing I have ever done is attending Worlds for the first time.

COACHES/STAFF

George Bustos: Doing it now! Coaching!

Cheryl Kirk: Any time I might have made a difference for someone.

Jennifer Meyer: Being someone that I hope my family, students, athletes, nieces, and nephews can look up to in a positive way.

Joyce Parsons: I went back to graduate school as a married working adult. It was so hard to manage work, marriage, house, and dog. It was so hard to find time to do everything and still be 100% in everything.  But it made it so rewarding when I finished!

Kristin Wattz: Being a nurse and having the opportunity to care for people in need.

Cindy Tilbury: Keeping National Masters Racquetball Association going.

Dr. Joyce is in the House!

We are thrilled for the addition of Dr. Joyce Parsons to the U.S. Junior Team Delegation as our Sport Physical Therapist. She has a history of working with the USA team during Junior Worlds for years. Joyce has won the USA Racquetball “Joe Sobek Outstanding Contribution Award” for her volunteerism with USAR in 2013 as well as a Governor’s citation (Gov. Jean Shaheen, 2000) for her outstanding work for the community. 

Dr. Joyce’s concentration is in orthopedics and sports medicine as a senior clinical specialist in her field for the last 35-years!  She enjoys treating patients of all ages to get back to their peak performance after injury. She has also taught sports medicine, anatomy, and special modalities at multiple local universities for decades as an adjunct professor and, she is presently an active clinical instructor to 1-2 graduate students during their residency yearly.

Dr. Joyce holds a doctorate in Education and Leadership and a doctorate in Physical Therapy. She also holds certificates in/as: Certified clinical instructor, Certified strength and conditioning specialist, Certified weight trainer, Certified sports conditioning specialist, Certified corrective exercise specialist, Certified advanced care osteoporosis specialist, Certified performance enhancement specialist, and Certified health educator specialist. 

When not treating athletes, Dr. Joyce has competed in triathlons and marathons, but over the last few years has been dealing with her own foot issues and needed to step away from competitive sports. She still enjoys working out, being happily married to her husband Jamie for 35-years and taking her 10-year-old Labrador for walks in the woods, ponds, and parks of lovely New Hampshire.

Staff Note: We are so incredibly pleased to have Dr. Joyce back with the U.S. Junior Team! In addition to her impressive credentials, she is warm and funny and generous. Every word she says is loaded with care and positivity. Dr. Joyce, we love you!

Mail From Home  

So glad to hear from Luke St. Onge, Joanne Pomodoro, John O’Donnell Jr., Gail Cowley, David Stob, Beth Frees, Diane Kirk Olivero, Kit Lawson, Carrie Reitmeier, and Jake Bredenbeck! Thank you!

Reminder on Results, Schedules, Streaming

Please go back to the end of yesterday’s blog for the full rundown on how to use technology to stay intimately connected to this XXXVI IRF World Junior Racquetball Championships.

Here’s a quick synopsis:

Draws and results can be viewed on internationalracquetball.com and R2 Sports.

ttps://www.r2sports.com/website/event-website.asp?TID=51283

Broadcast and Social Media

Select matches will be broadcast beginning on Tuesday 12/9 on the panamsportshannel.org, IRF YouTube Channel, and Facebook.

Select matches will be broadcast starting Tuesday 12/9 on the panamsportshannel.org, IRF YouTube Channel, and Facebook.

Instagram: international_racquetball

Facebook: International Racquetball Federation - IRF

Website: www.internationalracquetball.com

Please follow, like, and share posts and stories! That goes for the USA Racquetball social media pages as well: 

Instagram: USA Racquetball

Facebook: USA Racquetball

Website: www.usaracquetball.com

Coming tomorrow – More arrivals fresh from the weekend pro stop...IRF staff recognition...and the next Question of the Day: If you could have a conversation with someone from history, who would it be?

Signing off tonight from Santo Domingo...GO TEAM USA!

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Head Coach Robbie Collins Recaps the Day

“On this first day of competition, Junior Team USA worked through expected first-day jitters, becoming acclimated and more comfortable as the day went on.

“Thirty six matches were competed between 9:00 am and 8:30 pm, which kept the coaches moving briskly from court to court all day long.

“The group of the day was the World Cup boys who swept their singles and doubles matches today.

“Such great energy with this group and so many others that will set the tone for Day 2. Be sure to stay in touch via the information below on match results, livestreaming, and social media.

“Even this early into the event, I can’t say enough about the spirit of this delegation -- athletes and parents alike. It’s a pleasure to have each and every one here with us. We have not only the largest delegation on record (107!) but no doubt one of the most sincere and helpful.

“It’s going to be a great week!”

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Reminder on Results, Schedules, Streaming

Please go back to the end of yesterday’s blog for the full rundown on how to use technology to stay intimately connected to this XXXVI IRF World Junior Racquetball Championships.

Here’s a quick synopsis:

Draws and results can be viewed on internationalracquetball.com and R2 Sports.

ttps://www.r2sports.com/website/event-website.asp?TID=51283

Broadcast and Social Media

Select matches will be broadcast beginning on Tuesday 12/9 on the panamsportshannel.org, IRF YouTube Channel, and Facebook.

Select matches will be broadcast starting Tuesday 12/9 on the panamsportshannel.org, IRF YouTube Channel, and Facebook.

Instagram: international_racquetball

Facebook: International Racquetball Federation - IRF

Website: www.internationalracquetball.com

Please follow, like, and share posts and stories! That goes for the USA Racquetball social media pages as well: 

Instagram: USA Racquetball

Facebook: USA Racquetball

Website: www.usaracquetball.com

Happy Birthday on Sunday to...

Our beloved U.S. delegation parent Colleen Williams who helps out so much with behind-the-scenes details. We’re glad she’s celebrating here with us and with her husband Miles and athletes Grant and Ellen!

Lay of the Land

First priority when arriving is figuring out water and meals. Here in Santo Domingo, traffic is heavy, and restaurants and grocery stores are not a convenient distance to walk. Meals in the hotel restaurants are not expensive, though, plus a great breakfast buffet is covered in the room rate. Lunch is available via a food truck at the club, and parents brought food items from home. The hotel has a very good evening buffet that many are taking advantage of.

But where to get water, that elixir of life that is even more essential given the heat and humidity outside as well as inside the club? The only air conditioning available is on the courts themselves.

Enter Uber Eats, which is doing a good business this week: get the app, order what you need for your room, arrange a delivery time period, and hope that everything you order shows up. That particularly pertains to 5-liter jugs of water, which has disappeared from orders. Why? Not sure...it’s either that the store ran out of that size water or the delivery person got tired of lugging heavy jugs of water on their motorbike. Brutal. We’re still not sure how they do that.

It’s all good, though. We purchase smaller bottles of water here and these, and everyone seems hydrated and reasonably well fed. Don’t worry about us, we’re fine!

Question of the Day: If you could ban one food forever, what would it be?

JUNIOR TEAM ATHLETES

Ella Boaz, 20: Olives

Naomi Ros, 20: I love everything haha.

Juan Herrera II, 19: Mountain Dew

Joseph Marshall, 19: Chitterlings

Cole Sendrey, 19: Like I said the last few years, Anchovies need to go!!!

Ellen Williams, 19: Escargot

Montserrat Torres, 18: Octopus

London Townsend, 18: Monkey brains

Aanshi Thakur, 17: I would ban licorice, the worst candy ever

Rebecca Christopher, 16: Sweet potatoes

Evan Whitley, 16: Tomatoes

Grant Williams, 16: Chicken pot pie

Shreya Chandel, 15: I would ban most of the food from my school because half of it is inedible.

Lucas Frost-Biskup, 15: Peas

Nyasa Gupta, 15: Bananas. Something about the smell doesn't sit right with me.

Violet Kennedy, 15: I would ban pickles.

David Rada, Jr., 15: I would ban Takis or Doritos--those kinds of snacks--because they are very unhealthy.

Ayan Sharma, 15: I would ban pasta. Its texture is weird and it wiggles on the plate.

Audrey Reed, 15: Sardines

Ashvin Aggarwal, 13: Donuts

Neil Govekar, 13: If I could ban one food forever, I would ban Casu Marzu, a traditional Sardinian cheese made with sheep’s milk, because it is infested with maggots, and you are supposed to eat it while the maggots are alive, which grosses me out. Blogger’s note: Me, too.

Ava Leister, 13: Chicken tenders

Aaradhya Raja, 13: Brussel sprouts. I dislike the texture and general look of them.

Alden Townsend, 13: Blood pudding

Reyansh Chandel, 12: Enchiladas

Ryan Joeckel, 12: Hostess Jumbo Glazed Honey Bun

Elijah Machado, 11: I would ban kale

Sloka Marivada, 11: Broccoli

Sameera (Sammie) Rai, 10: Fruit pie (cherry, apricot).

Riva Singh, 10: One food I would ban forever is Takis.

Jasur Pridatko, 9: Wasabi

COACHES/STAFF

George Bustos: Liver

Cheryl Kirk: Eggplant

Jennifer Meyer: Hot dogs, but I think I want to change mine to Neil’s answer.

Joyce Parsons: Manudo! It’s a Mexican soup made with love but with the intestines of cow. Did not enjoy this “poopy” dish. Blogger’s note: Yuck.

Kristin Wattz: Liver

Cindy Tilbury: Fish and seafood

Mail from Home

Thanks to these fans back in the U.S. reading the Daily Blog who have communicated their encouragement to Junior Team USA: Sharron Bradford, Gail Cowley, Kit Lawson, Luke St. Onge, Susan Hendricks, Maureen Mulvenna Keough, Alok Mehta, Shu Lam, Keith Calkins, Brian Ancheta, and Joshua Jones. How great to hear from you all!

Day Two, Here We Come

Sunday looms large with 24 matches in total beginning at 9:45 am and ending at 7:30 pm. Good thing our coaches are wearing running shoes!

I want to extend thanks to those who are helping out with various little challenges that, when dealt with, makes the staff’s lives easier: Cindy Tilbury, Jairo Torres, Claudia Torres, Montserrat Torres, Surekha Anantharaman, Ari Raja, Ellen Williams, Colleen Williams, Kristin Wattz, Steve Wattz. Numerous members of the delegation frequently offer to help with whatever is needed, and it is appreciated more than they know!

GO TEAM USA!!

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Friday is a Wrap in Santo Domingo

What a whirlwind of a day! Members of the U.S. Junior Team Delegation were all over the place – athletes with coaches practicing at the club; Robbie, Jen, Charlie, and Cheryl at the noon Coaches meeting; parents making sure athletes were hydrated and fed; draws being received with great anticipation; and everyone in the delegation attending Opening Ceremonies at 5:30 pm at the Olympic Center Juan Pablo Duarte, the host club officially named Pabellón de Racquetbol (Racquetball Pavilion). 

The Coaches Meeting at 12 noon, attended by the head coaches and delegates of the 14 countries** competing here, provided general information about the tournament, e.g., water, meals, services, live streaming, schedule, transportation, format, medals/awards, seeding, appeals...and the draws! A special letter from US OPEN Executive Director Jeff Collins was presented to the countries inviting them to come to Springfield, Missouri, next June.

** The countries, their abbreviations and number of athletes from each add up this way:

Argentina (ARG, 2); Bolivia (BOL, 55); Canada (CAN, 14); Chile (CHI, 16); Chinese Taipei (TPE, 1), Colombia (COL, 1); Costa Rica (CRI, 26); Cuba (CUB, 1); Dominican Republic (DOM, 14), Ecuador (ECU, 29); Guatemala (GUA, 17); Mexico (MEX, 43); South Korea (KOR, 1), United States (USA, 33). That’s 253 in all, competing in 31 divisions, and it adds up to A TON of matches over the course of the next 8 days. 

For the Opening Ceremony...the traditional Parade of Nations took place in front of the Pabellón, where each country’s athletes and coaches were enthusiastically welcomed by the crowd and by several dignitaries from the Dominican Republic government and the city of Santo Domingo. They were in attendance along with IRF President Osvaldo Maggi and Dominican Republic Federation President Rafael Fernández. After welcoming words from each, a cultural display of dancing and singing entertained the attendees. Then it was back to the hotel for dinner and an early bedtime after checking match times for Saturday, the first day of competition. 

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Mail From Home

From the “sneak peek” list of folks who have opted (or been forced) to receive the Daily Blog in the early hours of each morning, a number of friends and fans wrote to say hello with encouraging words to the U.S. Junior Team as they begin competition tomorrow. They are: Waseem Bawa (WIS Inventory Solutions), Mike Kinkin (Team Dovetail), Brett Elkins, Sharron Bradford, Mary Gonzalez, Vivian Hsu, Edgar Pinto, Mike Lippitt, Gail Cowley, Maureen Mulvenna Keough, Teja Kondeti (USADA), Kevin Cowley (Nike APS), Gail Cowley (my good friend, no relation to Kevin), and Keith Calkins. Nice to hear from you all!

Question of the Day: If you had to eat only one food for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?

JUNIOR TEAM ATHLETES

Ella Boaz, 20: Chicken pad thai.  I love it so much and don't think I would ever get sick of it.

Naomi Ros, 20: It's either a burger or a salad.

Juan Herrera II, 19: Pizza, because it's my favorite food and filling.

Joseph Marshall, 19: Pizza, so many different toppings.

Cole Sendrey, 19: I would eat sushi, because it tastes so good and there is so much variety.

Ellen Williams, 19: Strawberries! Strawberries are just the perfect food. They can be sweet, or tart, whatever you need them to be! Strawberries are just the greatest.

Montserrat Torres, 18: I would eat burgers.

London Townsend, 18: Chicken and Rice.  Because it's good.

Aanshi Thakur, 17: I would eat potatoes, because there are so many ways to eat them, and it's good every time.

Rebecca Christopher, 16: Pasta because it's versatile.

Evan Whitley, 16: Spaghetti because I love pastas and could totally be fine with some spaghetti every day.

Grant Williams, 16: Street tacos, because they are delicious and there are so many different kinds.

Shreya Chandel, 15: Anything from Chick-Fil-A because everything there is so good and I never get bored with it.

Lucas Frost-Biskup, 15: Steak, because you can make many things with it.

Nyasa Gupta, 15: Crepes.  They can be both sweet and savory! They're also present in so many cuisines.

Violet Kennedy, 15: I would only eat my grandma's tomato soup.

David Rada, Jr., 15: BBQ!  It's the best dish in the world--especially with beef, salad and fries.

Ayan Sharma, 15: It would be grilled cheese with sourdough bread, because it just tastes so good.

Audrey Reed, 15: Blueberries. I don't think I could get sick of them!

Ashvin Aggarwal, 13: Marinara pasta with veggies.  My mom makes it and it's super delicious and it has veggies.

Neil Govekar, 13: If I was only permitted to eat a single food for the rest of my life, I suppose I would choose dosa, because it is tasty, and I wouldn’t get tired of eating it every day, as opposed to something like pizza – which I also really like but couldn't possibly eat every day.

Ava Leister, 13: A smoothie because you can do many different things with them (different ingredients).

Aaradhya Raja, 13: Sushi. SO many different varieties of them.

Alden Townsend, 13: Sweet potato--great for you and tastes good.

Reyansh Chandel, 12: Watermelon because it's sweet, filling, and water, so it energizes you.

Ryan Joeckel, 12: Yogurt because it has a lot of different flavors and is good for you.

Elijah Machado, 11: Grilled ribeye steak and lamb because it is sooooo good!

Sloka Marivada, 11: Donuts taste yummy and come in different colors and shapes.

Sameera (Sammie) Rai, 10: Sushi!! Because it has salmon and seaweed and more delicious ingredients.

Riva Singh, 10: One food I would eat for the rest of my life is pizza, because it is my favorite.

Jasur Pridatko, 9: Sushi because it has rice, vegetable and meat.

COACHES/STAFF

George Bustos: White rice.  Always loved it and can eat it plain just about any time.

Cheryl Kirk: Warm rolls with butter.

Jennifer Meyer: Raspberries.  They are my favorite fruit.

Joyce Parsons: My husband’s seafood chowder. He makes it for me on my birthday, and I love it because of the time it takes his to make it, means the world to me! And he cleans up the kitchen after he cooks it!

Cindy Tilbury: Ice cream

Kristin Wattz: Anything Italian!  I love, absolutely LOVE, Italian food!

Tune in tomorrow to hear about foods they would ban forever!

Back to Racquetball...

The World Juniors experience begins NOW! Athletes at this XXXVI IRF World Junior Racquetball Championships will take to the courts Saturday morning beginning at 9:00 am. Junior Team USA will compete in a total of 36 matches through the course of the day and into the evening. 

In times past, this Daily Blog has listed the day’s results as well as the next day’s match times.

Join us in leaping into the world of technology (and earning us a bit more sleep) by using the miracles of websites, social media, and R2 Sports on your computer or phone.

Draws and results can be viewed on internationalracquetball.com and R2 Sports.

XXXVI IRF World Junior Racquetball Championships Santo Domingo 2025

Choose Participants to see the list of athletes competing. Choose By Country and scroll down to USA to see our U.S. Junior Team athletes, their divisions, and their doubles partners.

Choose Brackets to see individual draws (click “eyeball” to see each division).

Choose Media for Upcoming Match Days/Times as well as previous Results...here’s the pathway:

·       Upcoming or Results

·       Report Option: By Country or By Participant (your favorite athlete)

·       Match Date: the date you want to look up

·       Select Country: Choose Country by checking the box

·       Click on Generate Report

Broadcast and Social Media

Select matches will be broadcast starting Tuesday 12/9 on the panamsportshannel.org, IRF YouTube Channel, and Facebook.

Instagram: international_racquetball

Facebook: International Racquetball Federation - IRF

Website: www.internationalracquetball.com

Please follow, like, and share posts and stories! That goes for the USA Racquetball social media pages as well: 

Instagram: USA Racquetball

Facebook: USA Racquetball

Website: www.usaracquetball.com

 GO TEAM USA!!

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Friends & Family of USA Racquetball

Various

Greetings from Santo Domingo where 33 U.S. Junior Team athletes have arrived (or soon will arrive) to compete in the International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Junior Championships, December 5-13, 2025.

Upon arrival, the priorities are to recover and settle in at the host hotel, buy plenty of bottled water, and practice at the club. Players got some good practice in on Wednesday and Thursday at the Racquetball Venue at the Olympic Center Juan Pablo Duarte, the 8-court host club. Practice will continue on Friday before Opening Ceremonies take place at 5:00 pm local time (one hour later than U.S. Eastern time) to officially kick off this exciting international event.

Meet the Athletes and Staff

• 33 junior athletes ranging from 20 years to 9 years old
• 8 U.S. Junior Team Staff members
• 66 parents, siblings, grandparents, friends, and support staff eager to be here for the Team

That’s 107 in the delegation – a record!

The 33 athletes come from 8 states: California (12), Missouri (8), Texas (5), Illinois (3), Tennessee (2), Florida (1), Nebraska (1), and Hawaii (1).

Racquetball players and fans across the country, get ready to cheer on the 2025-26 U.S. Junior Team!

World Cup (21/18/16)  

Ella Boaz (MO)
Rebecca Christopher (MO)
Juan Herrera II (IL)
Vaishant Mangalampalli  (CA)
Joseph Marshall (TN)
DJ Mendoza  (TX)
Naomi Ros  (TX)
Cole Sendrey (TX)
Aanshi Thakur (CA)
Montserrat Torres (IL)
London Townsend (TX)
Ellen Williams (MO)
Grant Williams  (MO)
Evan Whitley (MO)

Esprit Cup (14/12/10) 

Ashvin Aggarwal (CA)
Reyansh Chandel (CA)
Shreya Chandel  (CA)
Lucas Frost-Biskup (NE)
Neil Govekar (CA)
Nyasa Gupta (CA)
Ryan Joeckel (MO)
Violet Kennedy (MO)
Ava Leister (TN)
Elijah Machado (HI)
Sloka Marivada  (CA)
Jasur Pridatko (CA)
David Rada (FL)
Sameera Rai  (CA)
Aaradhya Raja  (CA)
Audrey Reed (MO)
Ayan Sharma  (CA)
Riva Singh (CA)
Alden Townsend (TX)

U.S. Junior Team Coaches/Staff

Robbie Collins - Head Coach (HI)
Jen Meyer - Esprit Coach (CO)
George Bustos - Assistant Coach (TX)
Pablo Fajre - Assistant Coach (CA)
Adam Manilla - Assistant Coach (CA)
Charlie Pratt – Assistant Coach (OR)
Dr. Joyce Parsons – Sports Physical Therapist (NH)
Kristin Wattz – Delegate (CO)
Cheryl Kirk - Team Leader (IL)

Parent/private coaches in service to the team’s athletes include Philip Eliana (HI), Dave Negrete (IL), Sandy Rios (TX), Jairo Torres (IL), and Dan Whitley (MO). Joe Hall (TX), Cindy Tilbury (CA), and Steve Wattz (CO) will be there supporting the team as well.

Schedule

Arrivals 12/3-5
Practice 12/4-5
Opening Ceremony 12/5
Matches 12/6-13
Awards Ceremony 12/13
Departures 12/14

Family and Coaching Support

The U.S. Junior Team Delegation will total 107 once everyone has arrived in Santo Domingo! These are the family members and friends numbering 66 in support of the Team:

Sonal Aggarwal, Buzulagu Aizezi, Surekha Anantharaman, Monica Ayala, Valeria Rada Ayala, Sirisha Bhimineni, Brandiss Boaz, Ram Chandel, Patrick Christopher, Bibiano Gonzalez Corral, Vikrama Ditya, Marlene Eliana, Philip Eliana, Jamie Frost, Shanad Garcia, Leticia Gonzalez, Prasad Govekar, Joe Hall, Evelyn Herrera, Juan Herrera, Lisette Herrera, David Joeckel, Leena Katoch, Liz Kennedy, Vineet Kumar, Gina Leister, Kelly Leister, Zach Leister, Alyana Machado, Devin Machado, Natasha Machado, Naylea Machado, Kyra Mangalampalli, Sameer Mangalampalli, Satya Marivada, Hardy Marshall, Kristy Marshall, Liz McKee, David Mendoza, Ruchika Mohan, Raja Muthuraman, Dave Negrete, Sweta Prasad, Almira Pridatko, David Rada, Sathwik Rai, Drohn Raja, Carol Reed, Sandy Rios, Pam Sanders, Kevin Sendrey, Vikas Sharma, Ritu Singh, Virender Singh, Rakesh Thakur, Adolfo Jairo Torres, Claudia Torres, Preetu Vashista, Colleen Williams, Miles Williams, Cindy Tilbury, Mark Townsend, Dan Whitley, Siri Uppalapati, Julie Vincent, Steve Wattz

Good Stuff to Know

As you get ready to fall in love with this Junior Team and follow their experiences in Santo Domingo via social media, the Daily Blogs, and live streaming, our objective will be to make you feel like you’re there with the Team. Let’s get started:

Time: One hour later than US Eastern time (DR does not observe DST)

Electrical: 110/60 (same as U.S.) – no adapters or converters needed

Altitude: 46 ft. above sea level

Weather: 85 day/73 in evening (https://weather-and-climate.com/Santo-Domingo-December-averages)

Currency: 1 US Dollar (USD) = 63.37 Dominican Pesos (DOP)     

Match Format: The scoring will be best 3 of 5 games to 11 points, all games won by 2 points. Rally scoring (a point scored on every rally regardless of server or receiver winning the rally) will be used.

Official Ball: Gearbox Sleek Black

Support for the Junior Team

WIS Inventory Solutions stepped up in a big way again this year, and we are so grateful for their support and encouragement. Thank you, with an additional heartfelt message of gratitude to Waseem Bawa.

Splathead became the Junior Team’s Official Uniform Sponsor two years ago. Joe Hall is again providing a full uniform package at no charge (wait until you see the design!) to every athlete competing in Santo Domingo and to the coaching staff as well. This is a significant gift to USA Racquetball, the athletes, their families, and our sport. We can’t say enough about Joe’s partnership and friendship.

So, it’s expensive when you add up flights, hotels, meals, entry fees, etc. Organizations, state associations, and individuals are stepping up to help athletes and their families in their local areas. If anyone reading this blog wishes to explore contributing on a personal or professional level to the U.S. Junior Team and/or any of the individual athletes, contact Cheryl Kirk at cherylkkirk@aol.com. She’ll send you in the right direction!

To contribute to the costs for sending the coaches and staff in support of our U.S. Junior Team athletes, please consider a gift to Team USA’s Fundraising Drive, currently underway! Donate here: https://donate.givedirect.org/?cid=16393

For the Fans Back Home...

It’s so important to the U.S. Junior Team Delegation that the love is felt from home! To help everyone back in the States feel like they’re right there courtside, the following will be offered:

1.     The Daily Blog, accompanied by plenty of photos posted on the USA Racquetball website and social media beginning Thursday 12/4 and concluding Sunday 12/14.

2.     Social media posts from the staff as well as the families and the athletes themselves.

3.     Live streaming provided by the IRF for quarterfinals, semifinals, finals (and the Awards Ceremony on   December 14th), for fans from participating countries including the USA.

More Information will be shared in the Daily Blogs as competition begins, but here are the three sites that will feature live streamed matches during the event:

IRF YouTube Channel – IRF Facebook page – Panam Sports Channel

Draws will be posted on R2Sports. Go to www.internationalracquetball.com beginning late Friday, 12/5.

-- Cheryl Kirk

Okay, just when you thought that Blog #1 was finished, it seems appropriate to introduce the wildly popular and eagerly anticipated feature, yes, it’s Question of the Day! Let’s go...

U.S. Junior Team, what's your “Why”? Why do you play racquetball?

Ella Boaz, 20: I play racquetball because I love the strategy and think it's a lot of fun. 

Naomi Ros, 20: I play racquetball because I love the adrenaline when I’m in a competitive match.

Juan Herrera II, 19: It drove me to improve as a player and a person.

Joseph Marshall, 19: Because my dad introduced me to the sport when I was young and I've been dominating since.

Cole Sendrey, 19: I play racquetball to compete. I like the feeling of adrenaline and hard work coming together in battles on the court.

Ellen Williams, 19: I play racquetball because it has allowed me to grow in relationship with my brother. Racquetball is something we have both become passionate about and can talk about for hours. Racquetball has given me so much in terms of community but has truly deepened the relationship I have with my brother, more than anything else.

Montserrat Torres, 18: I play because it’s something that I enjoy and has opened so many doors for me and I have also met so many new friends and people throughout the years.

London Townsend, 18: Because I like it. 

Aanshi Thakur, 17: I love how fast the game is, and the satisfaction of hitting a good shot.

Rebecca Christopher, 16: Because my best friend suggested it / because it's chaotic.

Evan Whitley, 16: I have a lot of fun playing the game with people I like and sometimes it helps relieve stress.

Grant Williams, 16: I play racquetball because I love the intensity of the game, and it is my safe space from the rest of life. 

Shreya Chandel, 15: I play racquetball because I love the community and it’s a fun and fast-paced sport.

Lucas Frost-Biskup, 15: For the competition and fast pace.

Nyasa Gupta, 15: I play racquetball because it has helped me discover myself.

Violet Kennedy, 15: I play racquetball because I love the high intensity and adrenaline that it brings. I continue to play it because of the people I’ve met while playing!

David Rada, Jr., 15: I play racquetball because I love sports, and one of my favorites is racquetball. It’s really fun to play.

Ayan Sharma, 15: I play racquetball because it's so fun, especially when the ball moves so fast.

Audrey Reed, 15: I love the community and tournaments.

Ashvin Aggarwal, 13: It's a fun sport.  Gives me the opportunity to make friends.  I want to become professional player. 

Neil Govekar, 13: I play racquetball because it's fast-paced, one of the quickest sports in the world! I consider it to be fun and I also play because I have a natural disposition for it.

Ava Leister, 13: I play for the fun, competition, and the friends I’ve made.

Aaradhya Raja, 13: I play racquetball because I have a passion for it. I love the sport and the friendships it builds, especially the ones I’ve made at previous worlds and nationals.

Alden Townsend, 13: Because it's fun. 

Reyansh Chandel, 12: I play racquetball because it’s fun and it’s good exercise.

Ryan Joeckel, 12: Because I like being competitive and having something to train for. And there’s a great community of players.

Elijah Machado, 11:  I like to play because the game is exciting and it challenges me.

Sloka Marivada, 11: It’s fun and a great way to make friends from different states and countries.

Sameera (Sammie) Rai, 10: Because it’s a fun sport. And my dad used to be really good so he introduced racquetball to me.

Riva Singh, 10: I play racquetball because it feels like a second home.

Jasur Pridatko, 9: I play racquetball because it is fun.

GO TEAM USA!!

Splathead & WIS Inventory Solutions