FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 1, 2019
USA Racquetball Names 2019 U.S. Pan American Racquetball Team
Colorado Springs, CO – USA Racquetball announced today the participation of five U.S. Team athletes in the Pan American Games to be competed in Lima, Peru, August 2-10, 2019. This is the most prestigious competition in Racquetball as a Pan American Sport under the USOC.
Jake Bredenbeck, Rocky Carson, Charlie Pratt, Kelani Lawrence, and Rhonda Rajsich will travel to Peru in late July. The support staff will be Head Coach Dave Ellis, Assistant Coach Debra Tisinger-Moore, Athletic Trainer Brent Huff, and Team Leader Renée Isherwood.
The Pan American Games Lima 2019, to be held for the first time in Peru, will welcome 6,700 athletes who will participate in 39 sports and 61 disciplines over 17 days of competition and ceremonies. Visit www.lima2019.pe for more information on the Games.
In Racquetball, 60 athletes (30 men and 30 women) from 15 countries will compete in singles and doubles in both individual and team formats. Daily results will be found at www.internationalracquetball.com, and U.S. Team results will be available on USA Racquetball's website and Facebook page as well.
USA Racquetball President Dan Whitley commented, “Congratulations to our Team USA players for the honor of representing their country at this renowned event. Their fans here at home will be closely following the competition. We thank the International Racquetball Federation for their key role at the Pan American Games in Lima."
“The IRF Board of Directors and tournament staff congratulate and welcome the U.S. Delegation to Peru for the Pan American Games," said IRF President Osvaldo Maggi. “We wish them luck and a great experience representing their country on the World stage.”
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About USA Racquetball
USA Racquetball, founded in 1969, is recognized by the U.S. Olympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the sport. The organization annually conducts six national championships and sanctions hundreds of tournaments for players of all ages and skill levels. USA Racquetball also organizes the Adult and Junior National Racquetball Teams, oversees the Official Rules of Racquetball, administers National Player Rankings, manages a college scholarship program, and supports the introduction of new players to the sport.
About the Pan American Games
Organized by the Pan American Sports Organization (PASO), the Pan Am Games are a major sporting event in the Americas held every four years. The inaugural Games were held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1951. Athletes numbering 6,700 are expected to compete in the 39 sports contested at the 2019 Pan Am Games in Lima, Peru.
Racquetball has been included in six of the last seven Pan American Games:
1995 Mar del Plata, Argentina
1999 Winnipeg, Canada
2003 Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
2011 Guadalajara, Mexico
2015 Toronto, Canada
2019 Lima, Peru
TEAM USA athletes who have won Pan American Games Gold medals include:
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Men |
Women |
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John Ellis (Singles 1995) |
Michelle Gould (Singles 1995) |
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Sudsy Monchik (Doubles 1995) |
Joy MacKenzie (Doubles 1995 & 1999) |
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Tim Sweeney (Doubles 1995) |
Jackie Paraiso (Doubles 1995 & 1999) |
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Adam Karp (Singles 1999) |
Cheryl Gudinas (Singles 1999 & 2003) |
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Doug Ganim (Doubles 1999) |
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Drew Kachtik (Doubles 1999) |
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Jack Huczek (Singles 2003) |
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Rocky Carson (Singles 2011 & 2015) |
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Jansen Allen (Doubles 2015) |
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José Rojas (Doubles 2015) |
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Contact: USA Racquetball Executive Director Mike Wedel – mwedel@usaracquetball.com
Website: www.usaracquetball.com
Facebook and Instagram: USA Racquetball