On March 1st, the USAR National Championships Festival Presented by Penn was announced as June 3-12, 2021, in St. Louis, Missouri, encompassing three USAR championship events -- National Singles, National Doubles, and National Juniors!

We are so happy to be gathering the Racquetball family together this summer -- adults and juniors alike. We’re especially excited for Junior players: getting them back onto courts, seeing friends and making new ones, and, for many, vying for a coveted spot on the U.S. Junior Team. The prospect of the current legends of our sport crossing paths with the future legends of racquetball will make this a truly unique experience for everyone!

Actual dates of the National Juniors Championships at the Festival will be available soon. We have scheduled the National Juniors Championships toward the end of the Festival, June 9 – 12, 2021, and we hope that most players who wish to come and compete will be able to make it to St. Louis! (See Travel and Accommodations Update below.)

With the date ranges USAR was able to work within, we realize that school may still be winding down in some parts of the country. Later dates were not logistically possible -- St. Louis is a popular sporting event destination this year in the second half of June, including the USA Gymnastics Championships; the U.S. Olympics Gymnastics Team trials; and the U.S. Youth Soccer Midwest Regional Championships. Impact of major sporting events on hotel availability and rates made it impossible for us to offer the Festival experience, let alone an affordable one, any later in June.

As the time grows closer, USA Racquetball will do all we can to help, be it requested letters to schools, dialogue on match schedules as the event grows closer, etc.

“Our National Junior Championships, our US Junior Team, and indeed every Junior racquetball player are all very important to us,” said USA Racquetball Executive Director Mike Wedel. “How exciting that we can have an event this year where we can once again name a U.S. Junior Team in the traditional way––on the courts!––and at the same time provide a new experience for so many junior players across the country as well as a different twist for those who have attended National Junior Championship events in the past.”

U.S. Team Committee Chairman Larry Haemmerle added, "As our finest athletes compete for positions on our U.S. Junior and Adult National Teams, incredible skill and competitive tenacity will be on abundant display. Never before have our Junior and Adult National Team athletes been gathered so closely together for their qualifying events, and it’s a great opportunity for young and old(er) alike to observe and learn. Our very best Juniors will be demonstrating that they will soon be ready for the torch to be passed, while our top Adult competitors will be conveying a strong message: come and take it!”

More details on the USAR National Championships Festival will be coming fast and furious in the weeks to come. So you don’t miss a thing, make sure you haven’t “opted out” at the bottom of a USAR iContact blast message in the past! If you feel you might have, contact Renée Isherwood at risherwood@usaracquetball.com, and you’ll be back in the fold in no time! Other Festival info sources are the USAR website (www.usaracquetball.com) and Facebook (USA Racquetball).

St. Louis at the Festival -- See you there!

Festival Travel and Accommodations Update

This information was shared on the USAR website and via social media on Wednesday, March 10, to help answer questions about travel plans.

National Singles June 3 – 6, 2021

National Doubles June 6 – 9, 2021

National Juniors June 9 – 12, 2021

Arrival and check-in for out-of-town players should be the day prior to the beginning date of each event since matches may begin first thing in the morning. On the back side, scheduling departing flights out of St. Louis before mid-to-late evening on the last day of the event may cause players to miss finals matches.

There are two fantastic host hotels in Westport Plaza where many of the attendees will stay and where several traditional celebrations will occur, like the USA Racquetball Annual Awards and Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies.

USA Racquetball has secured several hotel contracts with discounted rates for attendees that will be able to be accessed through a booking portal here: https://groups.reservetravel.com/group.aspx?id=48079

When possible, please book hotels through this portal as there are several benefits the city is willing to provide if more attendees utilize the hotel blocks. In addition, please call our housing partner, GroupHousing, at 1-800-290-3210 to book over the phone or to check on hotels that may be sold out.

USA RACQUETBALL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS FESTIVAL PRESENTED BY PENN -- FOCUS ON JUNIORS

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