The Red and Black

Issue date: 3/28/07 Section: Sports

Media Credit: KELLY WEGEL Kyle Harris (left), a University employee, practices racquetball with racquetball club teammates Ken Bradshaw (middle) and David Latimer (right) in the Ramsey Center. The club meets twice a week, on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.

Students looking for a workout, social game and stress reliever all in one should look no further than the University's Racquetball Club.

The club meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7 to 9 p.m. in racquetball courts 1 through 3 on the first floor of the Ramsey Center. Dues are $30 and include both a shirt and free balls at every meeting.

"There are about 30 members right now, ranging from beginner to highly skilled, so there is a good mixture there for anyone who comes out," said Racquetball Club sponsor Ken Bradshaw.

"I'd talked to a lot of people, and racquetball seemed like a lot of fun," said Griffin Wiggins, a freshman from Lawrenceville. "It's tough to find somebody to play with, but there are people of every skill level in the club."

While the atmosphere is casual, the club provides an opportunity for friendly competition.

"This year we will have a couple of small interclub tournaments, and the winners for that will play in larger tournaments around Atlanta," Bradshaw said.

Members also get the benefit of learning more about the game. A few times each semester, professional coaches provide tips, and equipment suppliers visit to let players try out new racquets.

Racquetball is played on a court enclosed by four solid walls. Players take turns serving, like in tennis. The opponent must return the ball before it bounces twice, but the return must strike the front wall before it hits any other. A game is played to 15 points, and a match is played best two-of-three.

Players must bring their own non-marking athletic shoes and are required to provide goggles to protect their eyes from errant balls and racquets - as the team Web site says, "Even modern medicine has not perfected eye replacement yet."

Racquetball offers a trifecta of exercise benefits. Players are able to sculpt their bodies with non-stop cardio to burn fat and with muscle workouts via swing and stop-and-go motions. Additionally, playing with friends makes exercise a social activity.

There's also the chance to relieve the stress of everyday life by pounding a ball against a wall. Long-standing club adviser Arthur Bastidas concurs.

"We always mention the medicinal stress relief value that the game provides," Bastidas said. "We joke that playing for two hours every other day allows us to keep our sanity."

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