Join us this Halloween for a morning of music, dancing, and a visit to each office around the club for some candy! Our employees cannot wait to see your kiddos dressed up in their costumes! (no weapons please!)
When: Tuesday, Oct 30 & Wednesday, Oct 31
Time: 9:30 a.m.
Where: Meridian BAC
I can’t count the number of players who are looking for tips to make their backhand better. Players who are self taught have some obstacles to overcome to improve their stroke, but the most important one is something they overlook: you have to be willing to make some changes to your current comfort zone. This might mean a different stance, stroke and timing. You might have to train your body to move differently. This takes patience and a lot of practice outside of a game playing situation. Players need to play less and practice more when working on a skill. It can reap big benefits down the road in your matches, but requires that you feel uncomfortable for a while. That’s a hard pill to swallow because it means that you’ll be worse before you become better.
Start with a check of your grip. A forehand grip should feel like you’re shaking hands with the racquet (NOT the flat side, but the frame edge of your racquet). When you need to hit a back- hand, that grip should rotate ¼ turn (or so) to the left, if you’re right handed, or a ¼ turn to the right if you’re a leftie. If you don’t change your grip, you will be more limited in your ability to hit flat, level shots without contorting your arm. This can cause a lower percentage of success and possible pain in your arm and elbow over time. Switching to a backhand grip is an essential part any game.
The 2012 Wilson Hope Racquetball Tournament was a great success for the local Bellingham Cancer Center! Olivia Nicholes and Wanda Collins put together a fundraiser that netted a little over $900 for the new center. Thanks go out to Lori and Keith Turley for their volunteer time to help run the desk and record scores. And a big thanks to Wilson Racquetball for donating a lot of great door prizes that were given out during the event.
Players from British Columbia and the Seattle area joined BAC players in a full day of racquetball play. In Men’s Open Singles, players were competing for a free entry in the Northwest Open Racquetball tournament. Vince Kiteley of Everett took home the free entry pass, while Favian Elmore finished second in a tiebreaker match with Kiteley, to win half his entry cost to the Open in March.
First place finishers in other singles divisions were:
Les Powers in Men’s A
Viron Elmore of Stanwood in Men’s B
Wanda Collins in Women’s Open/Elite
Kelli Holz of Lynden in Women’s A/B
Rhonda McInturff of Bellingham in Women’s C.
In the Mixed Doubles events, Diana Hambley of Abbotsford, B.C. teamed up with Favian Elmore of Everett to claim first, while Favian’s dad, Viron Elmore, and his partner Rhonda McInturff took first in Mixed A/B Doubles.
Thanks to everyone who participated! We hope to see you at next year’s event.
Check out R2 for all the Results
It is important to remember the rule regarding leaving the service box early after serving. If you (or your partner in doubles) steps over any part of the back line (the “short line”) of the service box before your serve passes that line on its way to the back of the court, it is an out. You do not get a 2nd serve when this occurs! This rule usually comes into effect when you lob serve, as it takes a while for the ball to pass the short line. Hard hit serves usually cross before you have a chance to step out. So get used to timing yourself out of the box appropriately, and remember to look for this when you are the referee of a match!
Five junior players made the trip to Fullerton, California for Junior Nationals at the Meridian Club, also the site of Adult Nationals last month. These five were stellar in their performances and we are proud of them!
From Bellingham, the Birnel family represented well as three brothers took to the courts.
Jake Birnel played in Boys 14 Singles and Doubles, making his way to the semi finals of singles, where he lost in a tiebreaker to his doubles partner, Mauro Rojas. He went on to defeat Wayne Anton Ive to claim 3rd place in the Gold Division. In Doubles play, Birnel and Rojas took 2nd place in the Gold Division, losing in a tiebreaker to Barth and Benson. Jordan Barth was the first place winner in both singles and doubles.
Jordan Birnel entered Boys 12 singles, and found tough competition in his age group, losing in the gold round, but coming back to take 1st Place in the White Round of the Olympic Flight format.
Nick Birnel stormed Nationals, playing in three events: Boys 10-, Boys 10 Doubles, and Mixed 10 Doubles. He fought his way to claim 4th Place in the Gold round of 19 competitors. Nick then went on to win 1st place in both Boy’s and Mixed Gold Doubles. Way to go Nick!
From Lynden, WA Ryan Holz and brother Jeremy Holz made their presence felt!
Ryan Holz played in Boys 12 singles and doubles. In Singles, after losing his first match, Ryan came back with some great play and took first place in the Red Division. In Doubles, he and partner Sean Henry from Indiana teamed up to play great doubles and took second place in the Gold Division, playing five matches.
Jeremy played in the 10- Boys division lost in the quarters after a great tiebreaker win against Julius Ellis of Stockton, CA.
View complete results on the R2Sports website.
Did you ever hear anyone say, “I swear I don’t eat more than I used to but I’m gaining weight,” or “I weigh the same as last year but I can’t fit in the same size?” What in the world is going on?
We lose between 1/2 to 1 pound of muscle each year as we age beginning at age 20, just as a natural part of the aging process. Here’s how that effects us: A pound of muscle burns roughly 50 calories a day. A pound of fat burns -2 calories a day, because it’s actually part of our fuel supply.
Now imagine what happens when we lose a pound of muscle. We now eat 50 calories a day more than our body burns. So naturally that extra 50 calories is stored as fat. That translates at 3500 calories a pound to a pound extra every couple months. Add more muscle loss and fewer calories a day burned and more and more fat storage. This leads to slower metabolism (your body burns fewer calories a day) and weight gain.
That’s bad enough but read on! A pound of muscle is about the size of a bar of soap. A pound of fat, however, is the size of a pound of lard. Multiply that by 5 and see how that effects your clothing size!
We lose muscle and replace it with stored fat and we get bigger and softer and flabbier. It sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? Sounds like the “normal” aging process. The good news is you can change all that by strength training regularly.
By building muscle to replace lost muscle we can overcome the losses that seem inevitable with the aging process. Think about it. As we build muscle we burn more calories (faster metabolism). When we use more calories than we are taking is as food we start using our stored fat which slims us down. As we take off that layer of fat the tone and shape of our muscles show through and we look firm. Now think of exchanging fat the other way around. If you lose 5 pounds of fat and gained 5 pounds of muscle, there would be no change on the scale, but look again at the difference between a bar of soap and a pound of butter and imagine what would happen in the way your clothes fit.
Yes, aerobic exercise is essential, and it does help to burn fat, but it won’t maintain and build the muscle you need to keep your metabolism active.
The best news is that strength training is no longer the domain of only body builders and the young. It has been found to be the very most effective use of exercise time. Three times per week for about 20 to 30 minutes per session is all that is necessary to strengthen and tone your muscles.
Studies abound on the benefits of strength training; lower blood pressure and heart rate, more stamina, better circulation and general body functions, etc. It is never too late to start. Huge benefits have been achieved by men and women of all ages and ability levels.
Before beginning any exercise program, get your doctor’s approval. Then make an appointment with a certified personal trainer to get started on the right foot. Don’t wait another day. You CAN slow down the aging process!
When you’re waiting for your league or tournament match, or just that grudge match with your weekly playing buddy, be sure you have prepared to play your best from the first point. Too many people run into the locker room, grab their racquet, and declare themselves ready to go. The first 10 points of the game are messy, and you are not hitting your best shots. Your mind might be ready, but your body may need a little help. Get on a stationary bike for about 10 minutes and get your circulation going. Find a warm spot – maybe the sauna – and do a little stretching routine to help your muscles loosen up and be ready to cooperate when you take the floor. Spend the time when you’re stretching visualizing your swing…. Feet turned like a batter at home plate, ball over the plate like a pitch, and your racquet swinging out over the plate as you turn into the shot. Finish your stroke. When you hit the court, take your practice shots just as you visualized them, and be ready to play ball!
The Pacific Northwest Handball Tournament finished up on May 1, and BAC had some great representation! The tournament was held at Multnomah Athletic Club in Portland, Oregon.
Mike Flannery took home two silver medals: 2nd Place in Mens 40/50+ Singles and 2nd Place in Men‟s 40/50+ Doubles with BAC member Ken Starcher.
LeaAnn Martin claimed 2nd Place with her Oregon partner in Women‟s Open Doubles.
Missy Mitchell and Addison Rogers placed 3rd in the Women‟s Open Doubles division.
A lot of racquetball players neglect a serve that can actually be a good weapon in their game. The lob serve – that high, arching soft serve that travels to the back corner of the court – isn’t just a second serve to get the ball in play. It can be a valuable tool if you learn to hit it correctly and use it against certain opponents. Some players only use this serve if their first serve is short or long. Many of the game’s really great players use this as a first serve on a regular basis. If your drive serve – that hard, low shot to the corner – isn’t working because 1) you’re off that day, 2) your opponent hits harder and lower than you do, 3) you’re so slow at getting out of the service box, you should consider using a lob serve as your first serve. Hard hitters can get frustrated at the lack of pace on the ball, and if you hit it correctly, it will force your opponent to hit an overhead backhand – one of the hardest shots to execute on a racquetball court, OR a tennis court. So if that hard hit serve isn’t impressing your opponent, save it for another day and lob!
The Wshington State Committee hosted the Championships here at BAC. A total of 80 participants! The hallway was full of handball players from all over the state! BAC had the biggest showing – Awesome job to all of our local players! Full results of the championships can be seen at the R2 tournament site. Congratulations to the 2012 participants that placed:
Womens Singles Open Dropdown to B:
1st: Missy Mitchell
2nd: Allison O’leary
Cons: Addison Rogers
Womens Doubles:
1st: Missy Mitchell & Lea Ann Martin
2nd: Allison O’leary & Amia Kane
Men’s Singles B/C
2nd: Erik Ifland
Cons: Eric Doyle
Mens Singles Golden Master (50+)
1st: Doug Groves
Men’s Doubles (50+):
1st: Mike Flannery & Mike Sofie
Men’s Doubles B:
1st: Doug Groves & Morgan
Cons: Frank Gilles & Brad Hoyt
