Future of Racquetball Team - SAVING COURTS PROFITABLY
by USA Racquetball
**Deadline Extended: Please read all the way to the end for a special offer from Photographer Ken Fife.**
FOR TEAM UPDATE -- April 2021
If you haven’t already, please check out the Court Programming section on the USA Racquetball website (Programs/Future of Racquetball) for information on how facilities can maximize the value of their racquetball courts through the use of Court Programming Coordinators (CPCs). The website includes a CPC Manual and a presentation suitable for initiating conversations with facility owners and directors as well as a financial model that can be customized to a specific facility or situation.
You’ll notice that we didn’t call the CPC position “Racquetball Court Programming Coordinator.” There are a number of sports and activities that can be played/enjoyed on a 20x40 court in addition to racquetball. It’s important to realize that when courts are hopping, with both fun and profit in mind (like bringing in new members; engaging families in fun activities; starting instructional programs and leagues; welcoming handball, paddleball, wallyball, and, by the way, racquetball players; and much more), it’s less likely that they will be taken out to make way for what is perceived to be a “more profitable” undertaking.
CLUB INSIDER -- APRIL 2021
We are proud to advertise and place articles in Club Insider, a respected publication largely targeted to independent club owners, that connects directly with 2,500 clubs that are members of IHRSA (International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association).
The second of six articles with the overall theme of “Saving Courts Profitably” was published in Club Insider on April 1. Entitled Using Courts and Court Sports Programming as a Competitive Advantage, the article features Brian Ancheta and Wanda Collins as two programmers who have had years of success in bringing racquetball to the members of their clubs.
Call to Action
Here’s what you––state associations/members/players––can do to help.
- Read the Club Insider articles; we hope you like them.
- Print the articles and take them (or forward them electronically) to the club owners/managers in your states. (To further assist, read our companion piece that shares more about Wanda and Brian’s perspectives, techniques, and ideas about racquetball programming at their clubs:
- Schedule a face-to-face appointment and ensure they know about the court programming materials available on the USAR website (linked above). Show them the articles and let them know we care about saving courts profitably. We would love to hear their feedback on the materials and the concept.
Do you or someone you know have the skills and experience to be a Court Programming Coordinator for your local club? Or maybe it could be a team effort from your state association and key “movers and shakers”?
This is the basis of everything in our sport, indeed our history and our legacy: individuals who have gone above and beyond with the desire to help see to it that our sport is gifted to the next generation and to the next beyond that.
Photographer Ken Fife has generously offered to send two high-quality racquetball posters, at his own expense, to 50 lucky clubs/facilities across the country (first come/first served). The posters are 20” x 30”, one each of the two pictured below. There are still a few opportunities available, and the deadline to request the posters has been extended to 4/26/21. State Association Presidents, for interested clubs, please forward to Cheryl Kirk (cherylkkirk@aol.com) the club name, address, and phone number along with a contact name at the club and their email address. Thanks to Ken for pitching in to create racquetball excitement!
Conclusion
Don’t be a stranger! We are looking for Club Insider article content in the coming months, and your programming success stories could make all the difference! Please write to any one of us (below) -- we would love to hear from you.
Take care, everyone!
Future of Racquetball Team Members
Mike Grisz, Virginia (mgrisz@aol.com)
Larry Haemmerle, Colorado (unclelarry2all@yahoo.com)
Cheryl Kirk, Illinois (cherylkkirk@aol.com)
Laura Pesek, Indiana (lapesek@yahoo.com)