“Paola Longoria Wins San Antonio, TX”
“Taylor Knoth makes it to the Finals of NW Regionals”
“Wayne Antone Takes Charlie Pratt to a tie-breaker in NW Regionals”
My “Adult Championship Racquetball Team” led by Rocky Carson and Paola Longoria, both had a light schedule this month.
Rocky Carson had the month off, as he did not go to Bolivia for the Pan American Championships. He stayed home and rested his body for the first week then started to train hard for the final 2 International Racquetball Tour (IRT) events of the 2013/2014 season. The first one would be held in Stockton, CA, May 2-4, and then the second one, the Tournament of Champions, would be held in Portland, OR, May 16-18.
Rocky is still currently ranked as the No. 2 IRT player in the world.
Paola Longoria had the beginning of the month off, as she did not go to Bolivia for the Pan American Championships. She stayed home and rested her body for the first week then started to train hard for the final 2 Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) events of the 2013/2014 season.
Paola played in the Battle of the Alamo tournament, April 25-27, in San Antonio, TX, which was the 11th stop on the 2013-2014 LPRT and for the 11th time this season Paola Longoria came away as the winner. Her win in the Lone Star State pushes her consecutive tournament-winning streak to 33, which reaches back to May 2011.
Paola dropped the first two games of the final in San Antonio against Rhonda Rasjich, her rival, but rallied to win the next three games, the match, and the tournament. It was great to be able to coach her live as we made great strategic and mental adjustments. Longoria’s consecutive match winning streak on the LPRT is now at 133. The Battle of Alamo title is Paola’s 49th of her professional career.
Paola is still currently ranked the No. 1 player in the world.
Taylor Knoth was able to take a day off from school/work and participated in the Northwest Regionals in Gresham, WA April 11-13. The field was jam packed with Charlie Pratt, Jeff Stark, Josh Hungerford, Wayne Antone and many more. It was great to see him again on the courts hitting killer drive serves, ripping pass shots down the line, hustling to run down balls from everywhere on the court, and just play mentally tough and focused which resulted in him making it to the finals. Unfortunately he played Charlie Pratt, an IRT regular on tour, in the finals and fell short.
My “Junior Championship Racquetball Team”
Jordan Cooperrider, HEAD Penn junior sensation, is training extremely hard getting ready for the LPRT Pro Nationals in Herndon, VA in the middle of May as a tune up for the USA Racquetball Jr. Nationals in Denver, CO in June.
Wayne Antone, 15 years old, took IRT Pro, Charlie Pratt, to a tie-breaker in the semi-finals of the Open Division at the Northwest Regionals in Gresham, WA April 11-13. He played so mentally and physically tough.
It was a great tournament for Wayne who shows so much promise in the months to come getting ready for the USA Racquetball Jr. Nationals in Denver, CO in June.
Connor Laffey, 18 years old is focusing on his first year of college, but is now getting ready for the USA Racquetball Adult Nationals in Fullerton, CA at the end of May and Junior Nationals in Denver, CO in June, his last year of eligibility.
Mitchell Turner, 14 year old, is working really hard on his game since I started working with him 2 years ago. A special CONGRATS to him as he took 1st place in Men’s-C division at the Northwest Regionals in Gresham, WA April 11-13. It was his first victory in Men’s-C ever and is now proudly moving up to Men’s-B. He is getting ready for the USA Racquetball Adult Nationals in Fullerton, CA at the end of May and Jr. Nationals in Denver, CO in June.
Rocky Carson and Paola Longoria both have their last pro event of the season in May. Rocky is getting ready for the event in Portland, OR, and Paola is getting ready for the event in Herndon, VA. After their pro season they will both be heading to the World Championships in Toronto, Canada, June 14-20. Each one of them will be representing their countries, as they are both members of their National Racquetball Teams. Rocky will be representing his home country; the USA and Paola will be representing her home country; Mexico.
***All IRT and LPRT Tier 1 and Grand Slam events are streamed live on the IRT Network.
Enjoy your journey to your “championship game,” like my “championship team.”
